228 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



From the Massachusetts Agricultural Repository for 

 January 1824. 



CASHMERE GOATS. 



TO THE PREiSIDE.NT OF THE AGRICILTCRAI. SOCIETY. 



A memoir oi Messrs. Ternaux and .laubert, 

 read l)e('ore the Royal Academy of Sciences atPa- 

 ris having been sent me, 1 deemed the subject ot 

 which it treated would be interesting: to the 

 public, and handed an extract therefrom, with 

 some introductory observations, to the editor of 

 th.' New England Farmer, which was publish- 

 ed .January lllh last, in that useful paper. 



This subject, so interesting to naturalists, and 

 destined to become important in the progress 

 of our manutuctures, arrested the attention of 

 the Trustees of the Agricultural Society 

 of Massachusetts. At their last publica- 

 tion of premiums, they offered " the sum of 

 one hundred dollars to the person who should 

 import into this State, from Europe, a male and 

 female goat of the pure Cashmere breed." 



They further requested the subscriber to pro- 

 cure, through his friends in France, such an ac- 

 count of this animal as to thrift, mode of treat- 

 ment, productiveness, SiC. as might enable them 

 to form the most correct judgment how tar the 

 climate might suit, and general circumstances 

 make its introduction here expedient. 



The desired information has been obtained 

 by niy friends from Messrs. Ternaux them- 

 selves, who state that the animal is nat- 

 uralized in France and promises the most 

 satisfactory increase, as well as benefit to ma- 

 nufactures. 



To this account, it will appear, a practical 

 mode of treatment with a flock is added as 

 observed in France. The manner of feeding 

 of animals, and division of pasture will vary ac- 

 cording to the climate, condition or culture, 

 &c. fcc. But experience must be considered as 

 a guide of some utility, especially in the intro- 

 duction of a new and valuable race. 



The |)rices, it will be perceived, vary from 

 fifteen dollars, to seventy-five dollars, a head. 

 The duty on export is very trifling, say about 

 four cents each. 



The patronage which has been exercised in 

 the encouragement given to these meritorious 

 individuals, Messrs. Ternaux and Jaubert, is as 

 honorable to the government of France, as the 

 enterprize and success of the expedition is to 

 those gentlemen. The diffusion of the know- 

 ledge acquired and of the benefit of the discov- 

 ery, of which, it will be seen, all may avail, is 

 of a like honorable character. The liberal 

 communication of information by Messrs. Ter- 

 naux, and the offer of facility in the export to 

 this country, will probably be used by the So- 

 ciety in the course of the next season, at its own 

 charge and risque with a view to that future 

 improvement of our manufactures to which the 

 Massachusetts Agricultural Society always wish 

 to look with a steady attention. 



A few remarks only, that these papers may 

 be well undfrstood, will follow. 



Until the issue of this expedition it was un- 

 known what animal gave the material of the 

 Cashmere (or by some called CamePs Hair) 

 Shawl. Of these we see the cheaper kinds, 

 but the most valuable are of incredible cost. — 

 Tills question is now satist'actorily settled by 

 these inquisitive travellers. 



The route taken was first to Odessa, which is 



in Russia, on the coast of the Black Sea, Lon. 

 30, 45 East, Latitude 4C, 30 North, a place 

 containing 40,000 inhabitants ; nest to Tunga- 

 rock or Tanganrok near the Sea of Azof — 

 Then to Astrachan in Asia on the Caspian Sea, 

 Lo'n. 47, 44 East, Lat. 46, 18 North. This 

 place is the See of a Bishop, and contains with- 

 in its walls and environs a population of T0,000. 

 Then passing to the foot of Mount Caucasus, 

 between Astrachan and Oremburg, a wandering 

 tribe were found, who possessed the animals 

 sought after. 



To illustrate the good fortune of these trav- 

 ellers, it need only be stated that, if they could, 

 from 1229 goats, reach France with only about 

 400, their disappointment must have been inev- 

 itable had they have proceeded from the Cas- 

 pian Sea, to Thibet on the borders of India. — 

 The journey must have been insupportable, 

 and to no good effect. 



I am, Sir, very respectfully your's, 



JOHN WELLES. 



Paris, April 8th, 1823. 

 John Welles, Esq. 



Dear, Sir, — I had the pleasure to receive 

 your letters requesting me to obtain lor you the 

 best possible information respecting the Thibet 

 Goat lately introduced into France. 



I have made the necessary application to 

 Messrs. Ternaux who have very politely and rea- 

 dily transmitted me to their opinion upon the im- 

 portation and naturalization in France, by Messrs. 

 Ternaux and Jaubert of the Thibetian Race. 



The animals which were imported as vvelhis 

 those bred here continue, say they, to prosper 

 in the most satisfactory manner, particularly 

 those which inhabit a high and rocky country. 

 In general humidity and rich pasturage are per- 

 nicious to them. 



To this information Messrs. Ternaux add, 

 that the goats have been sold from eighty francs, 

 (fifteen dollars,) to four hundred francs, (seven- 

 five dollars,) per head, according to the beauty 

 of the animal, and pay a duty of only three 

 cents per head, upon exportation. 



To enter into as many details as possible as 

 to the modes of treating these goats, I will re- 

 late to you the manner, a friend of mine who 

 bought ten of Mr. Ternaux two years ago, 

 treated his. Some of these goats were those 

 imported, and others were those bred in 

 France. 



He had constructed a fold fifteen feet in length 

 to ten feet in width, with racks all round a bed 

 of straw which is renewed every tenor fifteen 

 days. The fold should be as little confined as 

 possible in order that the air may circulate free- 

 ly. If suffices that it should be covered with a 

 simple roof, and at a small height, the other 

 parts in lattice work or open. A trough for wa- 

 ter. They give them early in the morning a 

 bundle of hay, say twelve pounds, and the rest 

 in vegetables and herbs from the kitchen gar- 

 den. As soon as the dew is passed or the grass 

 dry after rain, they let them out into the field, 

 in a square surrounded with a barrier or porta- 

 ble fence, each barrier from four feet in width 

 to six I'eet in length, twelve in all, which makes 

 a square of sixty feet. This extent of ground 

 is sufficient for one day's food and sometimes 

 two according as the grass is more or less 

 grown. By the means of these barriers you go 

 over the whole extent of ground and the goats 



a 



have always fresh pasturage: When they ha 

 in this manner gone over the field, you be 

 again at the first place, avoiding only to retu 

 too soon before the grass may have well growl 

 otherwise they will not eat. At the seUing | 

 the sun they are taken back to the fold andyi 

 give them another bundle of af"ter grass or s 

 cond crop hay. This last ration is only necess 

 ry in winter, when there is not much in tl 

 field or greens from the garden. They gii 

 them also every evening a peck of oats ar 

 bran mixed together, and once a week you a( 

 two handfuls of coarse salt. If you percei> 

 ;he goats are too heated you give them br. 

 without oats, if the reverse you give them oa 

 and salt without bran. These animals are vei 

 docile and easily led. It is generally in tl 

 month of February and March that the molhf 

 has her young after having carrie<l it six month 

 At the birth of the young goat, you give to th 

 mother a little more oats and bran. It is in th 

 month of April you gather the down otherwis 

 called Cashmere wool, you take it off in coml 

 ing the outside hair, you must when you pe 

 ceive when the down begins to fall in the fol 

 or on the grass, comb them a little every da 

 with a comb that hath the teeth very close! 

 set. From five goats my friend gntherc 

 nearly two pounds of down last year, they ai 

 subject to the same diseases as she<>p. Wet ( 

 damp ground does not suit them. These disc 

 ses manifest themselves by humors and eruptioi 

 of the skin and great increase of the swellin 

 of the hoofs. These animals eat of every so 

 of vegetable, they are fond of the twigs of tree 

 only it is necessary to prevent their eating i 

 pine or fir tree^ or any evergreen (that is I 

 «ay, any trees that remain green the year rount 

 these trees area sort of poison to them. 



The down has been made use of in son" 

 of our manufactures to a very striking in 

 provement. It will need however some tini 

 and experience to realize all the advantagt 

 which have been anticipated. If I can herea 

 ter, iu this, or any other subject connected wit 

 the laudable purposes of the society with whic 

 you are connected, render any services vo 

 will freely command. 



As the writer is not an agriculturist I do nc 

 feel at liberty to use my friend's name. 



From the Old Colony Mcmoria}. 



AGRICULTURAL STATEMENT. 



To the Trustees of the Plymouth County Agricui 

 tural Society. 

 [Conlimied from page 218.] 

 Having subdued the soil in a measure, having 

 as my laborer said, broken the heart of it, 

 proceeded to plant it with potatoes and Indiat 

 corn. In those parts, where the soil was no 

 deep, and where from springs it was wet, 1 

 planted potatoes, making use of sheep-manure, 

 which had been mixed with straw. In those 

 places, where there was a deeper soil, wbert 

 formerly there was a bog, or shaking ground 

 but which from draining and ridge-ploughings 

 had now become much drier, than those parts, 

 where there was less depth of soil, I planted 

 Indian corn, manuring each hill with a shovel 

 full of compost manure. One kind of compost, 

 used, »vas formed of sand and the drippings of a 

 sink, soap suds, Sic. The other compost, used, 



