360 MOHAIR 



After the Angora goats have completed their first year, they are clipped annually, 

 in April and May, and yield progressively from 1 Ib. to about 4 Ibs. weight of 

 h;iir. That of the female is considered better than the male's, but both are mixed 

 together for the market, with the exception of the two-year-old she-goafs fleece, which 

 is kept with the picked hair of other white goats (of which, perhaps, 5 Ibs. may be 

 chosen out of 1,000), for the native manufacture of the most delicate articles ; none 

 being ever exported in any unwrought state. Common hair is sold in the Angora bazaar 

 for 9 piastres, or about Is. 8%d. the oke (that is, 2| Ibs.), whilst the finest picked 

 wool of the same growth fetched 14 piastres the oke. When the fleeces are shorn, 

 the women separate the clean hair from the dirty, and the latter only is washed, 

 after which the whole is mixed together, and sent to the market. That which is not 

 exported raw is bought by the women of the labouring families, who, after pulling 

 portions loose with their fingers, pass them successively through a large and fine 

 toothed comb, and spin it into skeins of yarn, of which six qualities are made. An 

 oke of Nos. 1 and 3 fetched in the Angora bazaar from 21 to 25 piastres, and the like 

 weight of Nos. 3 to 6 from 38 to 40 piastres. Threads of the first three Nos. had 

 been usually sent to France, Holland, and Germany ; those of the last three qualities 

 to England. The women of Angora moisten the hair with much spittle before they 

 draw it from the distaff, and they assert that the quality of the thread greatly depends 

 upon this operation. 



Formerly there was a prohibition against the export from Turkey of the Angora 

 hair except when wrought, or in the form of homespun yarn ; but about the time of 

 the Greek revolution, this prohibition was removed. Up to that period, however, 

 there had been little demand for the raw material in Europe, so that it sold in the 

 year 1820 at only IQd. per pound in England. The reason of the raw material not 

 being in request arose from the belief that, owing to the peculiarity of the fibre, it 

 could not be spun by machinery. It soon, however, became apparent that mohair 

 could be thus spun in England, and thjs was to be more desired, because the Angora 

 spun-yarn had so many imperfections, from being thick and uneven, as to detract 

 greatly from its value. This object, however, has been obtained, mainly by the per- 

 severance of Mr. Southey, the eminent London wool-broker. Since then the use of 

 the Angora wool has much extended, whilst the importation has much decreased, the 

 English spun-yarn being preferred. 



The demand for Angora hand-spun yarn has almost ceased, and its value in Turkey 

 has fallen to one-half. Mohair is transmitted to England chiefly from the ports of 

 Smyrna and Constantinople. In colour it is the whitest known in the trade, and 

 is, consequently, peculiarly adapted for the fabrication of a certain class of goods. 

 Besides Angora, quantities of an inferior sort of mohair are received from other parts 

 of Asiatic Turkey ; a very fine description of goat's hair is also sent from that country. 



In England mohair is mostly spun, and to some extent manufactured, at Bradford, 

 and also, in a less degree, spun at Norwich. Scotland is also engaged in working up 

 mohair-yarn. At first great difficulty occurred in sorting and preparing the material 

 for spinning, but by patient experiment this has been effectually surmounted, and a 

 fine and even thread produced, fitted for the most delicate webs. 



The price of Angora goat's hair has, since its importation into this country, fluctuated 

 very much, partly from the variations in demand, and partly owing to the supply. 



The Importation of goat's hair or wool which will include mohair in 1873 was 

 as follows : 



Ibs. Value 



From Turkey 6,006,016 752,621 



British Possessions in South Africa . 348,266 23,850 



Other countries .... 133,900 12,535 



Total . . . 6,488,182 789,006 



Numerous articles are manufactured from mohair. For instance, many kinds of 

 camblets, which, when watered, exhibit a beauty and brilliancy of surface unap- 

 proachcd by fabrics made from English wools. It is also manufactured into plush, 

 as well as for coach and decorative laces, and also extensively for buttons, braidings, 

 and other trimmings for gentlemen's coats. Besides, it is made up into a light and 

 fashionable cloth, suitable for paletots and such-like coats, combining elegance of 

 texture with the advantages of repelling wet. A few years since, mohair striped and 

 checked textures, for ladies' dresses, possessing unrivalled glossiness of appearance, 

 were in request ; but of late these have been superseded by alpaca. For many years 

 the export of English mohair-yarn has been considerable to France. 



The trade is enjoyed by Bradford and Norwich, but chiefly by the former place. 

 This yarn is manufactured in France into a kind of lace, which, in a great measure, 

 is substituted for tho costly fabrics of Valenciennes and Cuantilly. The Angora 



