ON THE COMMERCE AND USES OE THE HAIR OF ANIMALS. 449 



still more extended use in new stuffs, for which it is found adapted ; 

 the cost at Angora has advanced 30 to 50 per cent, over that of previous 

 years, being quoted at 28 to 40 piastres per oke, metallic money, about 

 2s. 3d. to 2s. 4|. per lb. 



The common domestic goat of Thibet (Capra changra), is distin- 

 guished by the uniform abundance of its long flowing straight hair, 

 which descends below the knees and hocks, and covers the whole animal 

 pretty uniformally. This and the Kirghis breed are closely allied to the 

 celebrated shawl goat, and their exquisite sub-fleece, or abundant outer 

 coat, might be turned to good account, if not immediately, yet after 

 crossing the breed with some nearer appropriate stock, such as the 

 Angora or Whidah. The natives of Thibet manufacture ropes, caps, 

 and coarse overalls out of the long hairs, and a fine woollen cloth out of 

 the sub-fleece, mixed occasionally with the wool of the Silingia sheep. 



Twenty years ago, the imports of goat's wool from Turkey were 

 under 4,000 bales, of 2 cwt. each ; now, the average is nearly four times 

 that amount. In 1861, the imports were 3,334,748 lbs., worth about 

 2s. 8d. a lb., and of the gross value of 456,542Z. 



The Cashmere, or shawl goat, so highly prized for its fleece, is 

 decended from the goat of Thibet, which pastures on the Himalayas. 

 When picked, the wool is soft, rich, and lustrous ; indeed, superior to 

 any lambs' wool that possibly can be produced, and afterwards divisable 

 into two or three qualities. The kemp is a coarse and harsh straight 

 hair, and when the animal has not been shorn for some time the spiral 

 points out-top the rest of the fleece. Goats producing the shawl wool 

 are common in the countries west of the Caspian. 



The first step in the process of converting the wool into a shawl, 

 is to submit it to a delicate and tedious manipulation for the 

 purpose of extracting the long hairs. The wool is next carefully washed 

 in a mixture of rice-flour and water. It is then hand-spun by the 

 women, and made into woollen thread. This thread is inspected by 

 experienced persons, and divided into qualities of fine and coarse, to be 

 used for d shawls of superior or inferior qualities. The yarns intended 

 for white shawls are sent to the bleacher, and, by a peculiar method, 

 are rendered beautifully white. Those for coloured shawls are 

 handed to the dyers. The Cashmerian dyers profess to use sixty-four 

 different tints, and obtain some of these by extracting the colours 

 from European woollens imported expressly for the purpose. After 

 being dyed to the proper colour, the yarn is again carefully washed. It 

 is next given out to the weavers, to be made into pieces of cloth for 

 scarfs, handkerchiefs, and square shawls of all sizes. Next comes the 

 preparation of the warp and woof for the border ; the warp being of 

 silk and the woof of wool. "We have now got the cloth of the shawl, 

 both middle and border. Next comes the important work of embroider- 

 ing. Connected with this branch of the manufacture, there are persons 

 to design patterns to particular shawls. When a shawl of ordinary size 



