CHAPTER LXIII 



THE ANGORA GOAT 



The native home of the Angora goat is in the district of 

 Angora in Asia Minor. Angora, the principal city; is about 220 

 miles south by southeast of Constantinople, Turkey. This is 

 a mountainous region 2000 to 4000 feet high, lying south of 

 the Black Sea, forty degrees north latitude passing through 

 it at Angora 200 miles from the sea. The climate has wide 

 extremes of heat and cold. The rainfall is rather variable but 

 light. The soil is frequently poor and free of vegetation. Forests 

 occur to a considerable extent also. It is probable that this 

 goat has inhabited this region for many centuries, dating back 

 to days before the Christian era. 



Several varieties of goat in Angora are reported, each located 

 in a special district. These according to Gatheral are the fol- 

 lowing : (a) Yava?i-Ova, having a heavy, lustrous fleece; (b) 

 Chorba, producing a very soft, fine mohair ; (c) Chubotik-Ova, 

 remarkable for length and fineness of fiber ; (d) Ay ash, white of 

 fleece, but lacking luster ; (e) Joevas, having a bright, showy, but 

 kempy fleece. Other varieties are also referred to. 



The introduction of the Angora goat to America dates back to 

 1849, when the Sultan of Turkey presented Dr. James B. Davis 

 of Columbia, South Carolina, with nine choice animals. These 

 were long known as Cashmere goats, but evidence seems to 

 show that they were true Angoras. These goats and their prog- 

 eny were sold later to various people, but especially to Colonel 

 Richard Peters, who bought in 1854. They were shown quite 

 extensively and attracted much attention. From the Davis 

 importation flocks became established over considerable terri- 

 tory in many states. In 1863 large flocks were reported in 

 Georgia, Tennessee, Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois, Texas, Kansas, 

 Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, Maryland, New 



455 



