PROCEEDINGS, AUGUST. XIX 



Agriculturist for 1S7S: — "The profit from the goat can come only 

 irom the skin and hair. A large quantity of goat skins is yearly 

 imported for tanning to produce Morocco leather, and the hair of the 

 ■common goat is valued for the plasterers' use. The Angora goat bears 

 -a fleece of mohair that is valuable tor several manufactures. . . By 

 crossing with Angora males the common goat can soon be bred up to a 

 jpoint where the fleece is worth as much as that of the pure bred. . ." 

 The goat will thrive where the poorest sheep would starve, but it 

 better enjoys the rough fare of rough places than the sweetest pastures 

 of grass. There are many rocky and half-barren localities that might 

 be put to good use by being turned into goat pastures and there are 

 many better pastures ill-fitted for the less hardy sheep upon which 

 goats could be successfully kept. As to the yield of mohair from each 

 well-bred grade Angora, I am of opinion that this would be from five 

 to eight pounds, though I cannot speak positively as to the yield, as 

 my Angoras usually lose a portion of their hair from coming in contact 

 with brambles. It has been thought that as the hair of Angoras 

 will grow to the length of 4in. in six months they miqht be shorn with 

 advantage twice a year. But in any case of shearing Angoras or 

 .grade Angoras, care should be exercised that they be not exposed to 

 an injurious extent to cold weather. In this respect nature seems 

 to indicate by the commencement of the shedding of the hair, when 

 the shearing can be performed with the greatest safety. 



The following extract is from The American Agriculturist, for 

 November, 1876 : — " In California and other of the Pacific States 

 large flocks of grade Angoras are being bred for their skins, for which 

 there is an increasing demand in San Jose, California, by the Angora 

 robe, glove, and mat manufactory. The carcase is highly prized wherever 

 introduced as food, while the milk is highly esteemedfor domestic use 

 -and the sick-room." To recur to the usefulness of goats in destroying 

 brambles — and a single goat will do much in this respect — if herded 

 on brambles goats will nob thrive on these alone, but would require 

 an amount of hand-feeding in the absence of sufficient grass within 

 the enclosure. The food to be given by hand might consist of waste 

 from the kitchen, such as turnip tops and cabbage leaves, with other 

 things easily available on a farm, I cannot, from my own experience, 

 disagree with the statement in the concluding portion of a paragraph in 

 The American Agriculturist for October, 1878, that " There is nothing 

 in the goat or fleece to make it preferable to sheep, excepting under 

 circumstances in which sheep cannot be kept profitably." Goats could 

 be kept with advantage with sheep, in some instances, as they would 

 eat much that sheep would not, and so would tend to prevent the spread 

 of some of the plants that are injurious to the growth of grass. For 

 fuller information on the Angora, the American Agriculturist for 

 February, 1887, refers its readers to the book, " The Angora Goat," 

 by John L. Hayes, LL.D., price I'SOdol. 



Mr. Johnston stated that Angora goat farming had been carried 

 on in Perth for many years, the hair being made into articles and sold 

 in Launceston, It would not be necessary to go further afield than 

 this for information on the question of whether the goats would thrive 

 in the island. 



Mr. Justice Adams said he had made inquiries respecting the 

 flocks observed by him between Ulverstone and Fermby, and was 

 informed they were owned by Mr. Jas. Smith and Mr, Templar, a 

 neighbour of his. Mr. Templar's flock were kept on very poor greund, 

 which bore out Mr. Smith's observations that poor land would suffice 

 for farming purposes. He had also been informed that, an inquiry 

 from a resident in a neighbouring colony as to the price of a kid had 

 resulted in a sum of £2 10s. being asked. There were several large 

 tracts of land too poor for sheep growing which could be utilised 

 ior goat farming. 



