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VOL. XXX. No. 7 . | 
WHOLE No. 1281. 1 
NEW YORK, AND ROCHESTER, N, Y, AUG. 15, 1874. 
[Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1874, by the It oral Publishing Company, in the office ot the Librarian of Congress at Washington.] 
^Iiccjj Huskitdrg. 
MODERN ENGLISH SHEEP. 
At the recent sheep show at Bedford, 
England, there was an exhibition of the 
different types of English sheep which are 
worthy of notice; and since the English 
papers give portraits of animals in these 
different classes, we copy some of them to 
show American breeders their style and 
peculiarities. 
The Shearling Oxford Down illustrated 
was not a prize animal, but belonged to a 
breeder of high reputation. 
Th© Shearling Shropshire belonged to Lord 
Chesuam, who received the first prize in the 
class of shearling iambs, but not upon the 
animal illustrated. It is, however, fair to 
suppose that * our illustration is typical of 
the breeding of these sheep by this ex¬ 
cellent breeder - . 
The Shearling Hampshire Down does not 
accord with our ideal of this class of sheep; 
and this is confirmed by the fact that the 
English papers saying that “ a large per¬ 
centage of the entries made no appearance 
at all, and that the most of t hose that did 
appear were not of a uniform character. 
Our illustration is of a prize animal bred by 
Mr. A. Morrison. 
The Border Leicester ram illustrated is a 
prize animal, bred by Thomas Forster, Jr,, 
of EUiugtram, Chathill, Northumberland 
Co. it is said this breed, which appeared as 
a separate class, doubt less springs from the 
English Leicester. They have approxima¬ 
ted in a slight degree towards the Cheviot 
in Bliape, bareness of the head and color of 
the face, but it is uncertain whether this is 
due to a cross with the Cheviot or from ex¬ 
posure to similar conditions of soil and 
climate. The sheep exhibited are described 
as particularly perfect, large and well- 
wooled, though the necks are scarcely so 
well filled us in good Lincolns and Leieosters, 
which is said to be a peculiarity of the race. 
There is no vestige of a topknot and the 
wool appears of good quality. The flesh is 
very firm and the legs of mutton well 
developed. 
-♦♦♦- 
THE ANGORA GOAT ON THE PACIFIC 
COAST. 
While the Rural New-Yorker does not 
strongly favor the growing of Angora goats 
generally, it is nevertheless disposed to be 
fair and to give both sides a hearing—that 
first duty of an honest and impartial journal. 
Thi3 is enough. Let this animal Btand upon 
its own merits without prejudice, but with 
all the facts, pro and con, spread before the 
wool growers and wool manufacturers of the 
country for their information and guidance 
in deciding upon its merits. Let it be borne 
in mind that those patient American culti¬ 
vators wlio are giving their means, labor and 
skill to the propagation of this beautiful and 
useful goat are engaged in a work of no less 
national consequence than the acquisition of 
a new race of domestic animals, affording, 
not only flesh and niiik, but material for the 
finest clothing. This being so, these pion¬ 
eer oultivators should be accorded consider¬ 
ation—at least, they should have no less 
than “fair play,’’ which lias not always 
been accorded them by some of your preten¬ 
tious cotemporaries. 
I give you below some facts favorable to 
this new industry. The logic of results is 
better thau mere opinion, but the opinions 
which I quote are from the highest and most 
competent sources, and must be conceded of 
great weight. It will he observed that my 
investigations into this subject—so far, at 
least, as the culture of the Angora in this 
country' is concerned—have been principally 
confined to the Pacific Slope. 
The recent severe famine in Asia Minor 
has, it is reported, swept off half a million 
of these valuab’e animals. This will prove a 
serious blow to English manufacturers of 
mohair, who are the principal oonsumers 
oi' the Turkish product. England Imported 
during the last ten years 48,733,920 pounds 
of this fiber from Turkey, besides consider¬ 
able quantities from the Cape of Good Hope 
and Australia. Her present rate of importa¬ 
tion from the Angora region is well nigh 
7,000,000 pounds annually. The scarcity of 
the supply will be felt even more severely 
nex\ year than this, because the wool of the 
goats that have recently died has been shorn 
and made available for use and sale ; but in 
1875 the full effects of the reduction in num¬ 
bers will be felt. 
Tiie eminent house of Bir Titus Salt, 
Sons & Co., of the famoUB Saltaire Works 
at Bradford, England, informed the writer, 
in a letter written just before the Asiatic 
famine was announced, that iu their opinion 
this fleece would all be used if the sup¬ 
ply were considerably augmented, adding, 
“ Good average Turkey mohair is now worth 
about 2s. lid. (70 cent?) per pound.’’ 
The present selling prices of Angora goats, 
mixed and pure, in California, are about as 
follows: Ewes, half breed, $4; three-quarter 
breed, seven-eighths breed, 89; finer 
grades, 830; thoroughbreds, from -S120 to 
8175 per head. Bucks—Mixed bucks are 
SHEARLING HAMPSHIRE DOWN. 
SHEARLING SHROPSHIRE RAM. 
j PRICE SIX CENTS. 
( SSti.50 PER ¥ EAR. 
BORDER LEICESTER RAM. 
SHEARLING OXFORD DOWN. 
