KARAKUL SHEEP 87 



"The demand for Persian lamb skins has increased wonderfully 

 during the past fifteen or twenty years and is still expandiag. A mem- 

 ber of the largest importing firm in America is of the opiaion that there 

 is no immediate indication that the supply will exceed the demand. 

 The higher prices paid for skins, has led to a great -deal of crossing for 

 the purpose of procuring a greater supply of skias, and it is held by some 

 authorities that the very existence of the breed in Bokhara is threatened. 



"The skins imported to this country come over in the raw state 

 La bales containing about 100 skins each. They are unsorted and some 

 of them are not worth more than twenty-five cents each, but most of 

 them range in value between $3 . 50 and $15 . 00. It has been estimated 

 that $14,000,000.00* are spent abroad annually for skins and this 

 may indeed be possible, for one New York house alone handles from 

 200,000 to 250,000 skins per season. 



"The possibility of establishing the industry in America led to two 

 importations being made in 1908 and 1912, respectively. These 

 sheep were brought over by Dr. C. C. Yoimg of Belen, Texas. 

 The first lot consisted of five rams and twelve ewes and the second 

 of twelve rams and seven ewes. From this stock and its offspring, 

 flocks have been established in Texas, New Mexico, Kansas, Maryland 

 and Prince Edward Island. 



"The karakul is a hardy, broad-taUed, medium sized sheep of con- 

 siderable length. The rump is characteristically rounded and usually 

 steep. The rams are horned but the ewes are usually hornless. The 

 ears are small and pendulous. The face is narrow and much rounded 

 and together with the legs is covered with short, glossy hair. The 

 body of the adult bears a coarse, long, hair-like wool, varying in colour 

 from light gray to black. The absence of soft under-wool is said to be 

 an indication of purity of blood. The mutton of the karakul is said 

 to be of a very high quality. 



"The lambs, when dropped, are usually a glossy black but, rarely, 

 golden brown ones occur. The wool of the lamb is tightly curled over 

 the body and well over the head and down over the legs. The qualities 

 that determine the value of a skin are tightness and size of curl, the 

 lustre, and size of the skin. The lustre is improved by the dyeing 

 process which is essential in preparing the skin for use. The curls 

 rapidly lose character and the lamb should be killed when not older 

 than ten days, though there is much variation in the age at which the 

 skins are of greater value. 



^Foreign Commerce and Navigation of the United States, 1913, states that, in 

 the year ending June 30th, 1912, furs, with a total value of $25,438,834, were im- 

 ported into the United States. Deducting seal-skins imported, gives a total for all 

 other furs of $25,000,000. It seems improbable that Persian lamb skins account 

 for 56 per cent of this sum. 



