Miscellanies. 209 



The first race of Cashmere goats, imported from Persia to France, 

 under the patronage of the government, promised little profit to the 

 owners. They were heahhy, and tolerably hardy, but of various 

 sizes and colors ; and the soft fleece, which alone was valuable, was 

 very small in quantity, and overgrown, and almost concealed by long 

 hairs. After a few years, however, a very superior herd was raised 

 at Versailles, by M. Polanceau, the director of the ^'ferme modele, 

 at Grignon," possessing the best qualities of the original Cashmere, 

 with those of the soft, long, silky-haired, native Angora. M. Polan- 

 ceau states, that some of his improved breed yield "thirty ounces of 

 down in one season," and the whole herd produce from twelve to 

 twenty ounces each ; while the original Cashmere never yields more 

 than four, and seldom exceeds two ounces. 



The animals are " less capricious than the common goat, may more 

 easily be kept in a flock, and are more docile even than sheep." 



The down falls in a manner similar to the wool from sheep, in the 

 month of March, and may be taken o£F in locks by separating it 

 gently with the hand from the skin. It is best, however, when shear- 

 ed off" in one fleece as soon as it begins to loosen ; for the parallel- 

 ism of the filaments is thus better preserved, and it is more readily 

 combed and prepared for manufacturing purposes. 



They are not, as has been apprehended, difficult to keep, but are 

 allowed to remain all winter in open sheds. Like all other browsing 

 animals, " they prefer the leaves of trees, but thrive well on hay, 

 straw, green fodder, or in meadows. They also feed with equal 

 facility on heaths, and on the most abrupt declivities, where sheep 

 would perish." 



M. Polanceau, at first, gave them aromatic herbs, occasionally, 

 for a year or two, but of late has discontinued the use of them, 

 without any injurious effect. The down commences growing in 

 September, and in March arrives at full maturity, when it falls oSj 

 unless removed artificially. 



The Society awarded to William Riley, Esq. their gold Isis medal, 

 for his importation from France of a select number of these valuable 

 animals, with the view of introducing them into the colony of New 

 South Wales, and Van Diemen's Land ; where the wools of the me- 

 rino and Saxony sheep have so far improved, as to be preferred, by 

 intelligent manufacturers, to those brought from any part of Europe. 



The southern part of New South Wales, and Van Diemen's Land, 

 are in corresponding south latitudes with Cashmere in Thibet and 



Vol. XXV.— No. I. 27 



