Other Products of the Goat. -247 



scarcely pay him to procure, such as fleshing-knives, soften- 

 ing and stretching irons, beams, &c. Skins of goats with 

 long hair may be improved, after the first washing and 

 rinsing process has been gone through, by laying them out 

 on a table or board and carding the hair with a coarse 

 wool comb, paying particular attention to any dirty spots, 

 which should be washed with soap. The skin of an 

 Angora goat makes, when tanned, a very handsome mat. 



Goat-skins vary greatly in quality, according to the 

 breed of the animal, those coming from cold climates 

 being better, and consequently more valuable, than those 

 from southern latitudes. They are therefore adapted to 

 different purposes : for instance, the hides of the Cape 

 goats are most suitable for boot uppers; those of the 

 Angora for rugs, muffs, and trimmings ; whilst those of 

 the English and Irish varieties, although less valuable 

 than the kinds previously mentioned on account of being 

 more domesticated, are nevertheless also useful for boots, 

 furniture, purses, and coachmakers' purposes. In con- 

 sequence of goat-skins taking a better dye than the skins 

 of other animals, they are used principally for the manu- 

 facture of morocco leather, for which purpose they are 

 tanned and dyed in a peculiar manner. It is in the form 

 of morocco that such skins are employed for most of the 

 purposes just alluded to. The skins of kids, on account of 

 their clear and beautiful texture, are peculiarly adapted for 

 gloves and ladies' boots, and in some parts of the Conti- 

 nent are even made into stockings and shirts. 



Horns and S"aef. 



The horns of the goat have been converted by some 

 people into handles for knives and such like tools. The 

 suet, which is generally very abundant in a full-grown and 

 well -conditioned specimen, is said to be vastly superior in 

 whiteness and quality to that of any other animal. 



