19G THE ANGORA COAT. 
Few countries are so favourably situated as Australia 
for an industry of this kind. The great extent of 
natural pastures for the feeding of stock, without the 
need of clearing or other outlay ; the absence of beasts 
of prey, and the mild climate, rendering housing in 
winter or artificial feeding unnecessary, make this fair 
land well-named Australia Felix, the very beau ideal 
of a pastoral country. 
It is stated by Mr. V. A. Niessen, that the hair from 
the half-bred Angora is worth a shilling per pound, 
that from the three-quarter bred one shilling and six- 
pence per pound, that of the third cross or seven-eighths 
bred would nearly equal in value that from the pure 
bred, and the fleece of the fifteen-sixteenths or fourth 
remove, would be quite equal to that of the sire in 
purity, lustre, fineness, and length of fleece. 
The following letter to the President of the Acclima- 
tisation Society, from the Hon. Robert Simson, a large 
sheepowner and a distinguished breeder of the Merino, 
will show his estimation of the value of the Angora. 
"Leura, Toorak, 18th February, 1873. 
"To the President of the Acclimatisation Society, Melbourne. 
" Dear Sir, _ 
" Herewith I enclose for your inspection, lour samples ot 
Angora wool, from my flock of Angoras now running at 
Langikalkal; they were shorn on the 15th Sept., 1872, and these 
samples were taken from the shoulders of four bucks on the 
15th inst. No. 1 being the ram purchased from the Acclimatisa- 
tion Society, and 2, 3, and 4, from his progeny. 
" My flock of Angoras commenced with a few does, said to be 
three-quarter bred, imported from the Cape of Good Hope some 
years ago, which have been invariably put to one of the Society s 
rams • as a rule I have found the does bad mothers, as they will 
leave 'their kids when newly dropt to follow the flock, but if they 
are penned up for a few days, as I did with them this year, 
