1667 
THE BUBAL HEW-VOBKf H, 
%\)Mf ijiisluini)n). 
THE MILCH GOAT. 
Naturalists tell us that the goat belongs 
to the same epoch of creation as man, and 
formed, probably by its domestication, the first 
step in his progress towards civilization. They 
differ considerably, however, as to the origin 
of the domestic goat, which is met with in 
every quarter of the globe, but the most pre¬ 
valent and probable opinion at present is that 
the various domestic breeds are. severally des¬ 
cended from wild stock now extinct The fol¬ 
lowing are the chief domestic breeds possess¬ 
ing quite distinct characteristics: The Com¬ 
mon Goat, the Maltese, the Syrian, the Cash- 
mere, the Nubian or Egyptian, and the Dwarf 
Goat of Guinea. There is no goat indigenous 
to America, the so-called Rocky Mouutain 
Goat being in reality an antelope, according 
to the latest opinion of the best naturalists. 
The ibex and goat interbreed freely, though 
the produce is not generally fertile, and hy¬ 
brids between the goat and sheep are also 
known to have occurred, but they are rare. 
The milch goat has been aptly described as 
the “poor man’s cow,” for with a couple of 
these animals the cottager, at almost a nomi¬ 
nal expense, may enjoy the same advantages 
as the rich man with bis Jersey. Very few 
are kept in America, because the business is 
yet considered petty; the farms are generally 
large enough for cows; the necessary fences 
are too expensive, aud the advantages of goat¬ 
keeping are very imperfectly known. In the 
state of nature the goat frequents 
hills and mountainous places, and 
in its domesticated condition it 
prefers elevated locations, though 
it also thrives uu low ground; but 
wet and marshy places cause 
disease of the feet aud ill-health; 
but except in such locations there 
is no animal more hardy than the 
goat. 
The period of gestation in the 
goat is five mouths, and the num¬ 
ber of 3 r ouug at a birth generally 
two, though three and even four 
occasionally come. The female is 
capable of propagating at seveu 
months and the male even a mouth 
earlier. For the sake of the future 
growth aud productiveness of the 
animals, however, it is unwise to 
permit breeding till the age of 12 
to 15 mouths. One male is enough 
for 100 females. 
The best milch goats are those 
with long, deep bodies, well round¬ 
ed iu the barrel, ample bellies, 
aud legs tolerably short; head Hue 
and tapering, with little or no 
beard, aud prominent ej’es, femi¬ 
nine in expression; ears long, thin, 
wide, aud inclined horizontally, 
or short, upright, aud hanging 
forward or distinctly pendulous. 
This will depend on the breed, 
those having Eastern blood show¬ 
ing more drooping ears. The 
horns should be short, corrugated, curliug 
back over the neck, or if there are no horns at 
all, so much the better. The body should be 
wedge-shape, like that of an Ayrshire row, 
being narrow at the fore quarters, and gain¬ 
ing in depth toward the hind parts. Above 
all, the udder must not only be large, but thin 
in substance, elastic to the touch, soft aud 
flexible; while the teats should lie sot well 
apart, point, outwards, taper to a point, aud 
be long enough for easy handling. 
The milk of the goat is used for making 
cheese, especially the Neufehate] kind, aud is 
prescribed as a medicine for debilitated con¬ 
stitutions aud lung diseases. Iu the malarious 
regions of Asia cow’s milk is regarded as a 
predisposing cause of bilious fevers and dis¬ 
eases of the liver, and goat's milk is therefore 
extensively substituted. When betweeu two 
and five years old the she goat gives the lar¬ 
gest yield of milk, continuing productive for 
eight aud nine years, the lifetime being gener¬ 
ally as long as 14 or 15 years. Goats, like 
cows, vary greatly in their yield of milk, the 
quantity depending on the care, feed, and 
breed, the Nubian being by far the heaviest 
milkers. An ordinary animal gives from two 
to three pints, aud a superior one two quarts, 
aud an occasional first-rate ono as much as 
three quarts a day. They are usually milked 
moruiug and oveuing, aud heavy milkers 
should be milked at midday, at least for the 
first three mouths after dropping a kid, as 
milk is secreted most rapidly iu an empty 
udder. Feeding aud milking should always 
be carried on at the same time. Contrary to 
the general opinion, the female goatisuotat all 
odoriferous, nor can the flavor of her milk be 
readily distinguished from that of a cow. The 
flesh of the common goat, though quite eat¬ 
able, is inferior to mutton, being rather hard 
and indigestible; but a kid is a great delicacy, 
tasting like lamh or veal, according to the 
manner of dressing; while from the skin are 
made fine gloves, real morocco leather aqd 
various other articles. 
With the exception of the horns, the speci¬ 
men shown at Fig. 241—re engraved from the 
Loudon Live-Stock Journal—may be regarded 
in the opinion of II. S. Holmes-Pegler, Hon. 
Sec. of the British Goat Association, as just the 
type of what an ordinary milch goat should 
be, and this it has proved by winning prizes 
in every stage of its existence—as a kid, goat¬ 
ling, and goat. It i» considered one of the 
finest-bred, attractive-looking creatures that 
has been recently seen in the show-yard. 
iXliudlaumis, 
CATALOGUES, ETC., RECEIVED. 
Food and Food Adulterants. —Pamphlet 
from the Agricultural Department, Washing¬ 
ton. This is the first of a series of articles 
on food adulterations, prepared by Prof. 
Wiley, the Government Chemist. This 
pamphlet is entitled. Dairy Products. The 
full text of the oleomargarine bill is given; 
statistics as to the extent of the trade; vari¬ 
ous opinions from scientific men, as to the 
healthfuluess of “ oleo;” means of detecting 
butter frauds, and various other interesting 
11181161 * 8 . Several pages are given up to de¬ 
scriptions of the various processes employed 
in making oleomargarine, and a list of the 
] patents issued to manufacturers. It appears 
I that on March 1 there w ere 157 factories and 
259 wholesale dealers engaged in the business. 
The factories were located as follows: Two iu 
Colorado, 11 in Chicago, one in Indiana, two 
in Kansas, one iu Massachusetts, six in New 
York State, four iu Ohio, five in Pemmsyl- 
vauia, and five in Rhode Island. The whole¬ 
sale dealers were more generally distributed 
about the country. Alabama has one, Ark- 
kansas, five; Colorado. 11; Florida, one; 
| Georgia, one ; Illinois, 24 ; Iowa, one; Kan¬ 
sas, four; Kentucky, four; Louisiuuu, five; 
Massachusetts, 45; Connecticut, six; Indiana, 
one; Maryland, two; Michigan,20; Montana, 
seven, Nebraska, three; Utah, one; New Jer¬ 
sey, three; New Mexico, three; Arizona, one; 
New York, 18; Ohio, 11; Pennsylvania, 37; 
Rhode Island, 18; Tennessee, nine; Texas, 
seven; Minnesota, two; New Hampshire, one; 
Virginia, one; and Wisconsin, nine. 
The various methods employed in detecting 
butter substitutes are described It is a valu¬ 
able pamphlet, and should be carefully i*ead 
by all dairymen. 
Entomological Report. —From a perusal 
of the advance sheets of Dr. Riley’s forth- 
I coming rejiort we believe it to be the most 
| valuable of the series. The portion devoted 
! to the Buffalo Gnat will be of special interest 
' to Southern stockmen. The chapters ou Silk 
Culture and Insects Affecting Small Grains 
and Grasses are exceedingly valuable. We 
shall quote from the report. Farmers should 
secure these reports. They can makegood use 
of their Congressmen by informing them that 
all such reports and documents will be very 
acceptable. 
The Iowa Improved Stock Breeders’ 
Association has an excellent way of ending 
its meetings. The roll call is the last thing on 
the programme. As the names are called, 
the members have the chance to rise and state 
wbat stock they have for sale or exchange and 
what they wish to buy. The answers are 
printed in the published proceedings. This is 
a good plan. At such meetings the wants of 
farmers, both in selling and buying, can be 
readily found. 
Observations and Experiments in Ento¬ 
mology.— Pamphlet from the Department of 
Agriculture. In this pamphlet Dr. Riley 
gives the reports from the entomological 
agents who have been conducting observa¬ 
tions in various pa ts of the country. The 
tests with various insecticides by Mr. W. B. 
Alwood are valuable. The insecticides used 
were the kerosene emulsion, pyrethrum, bu- 
hacb, benzine, alum water, ice water, tansy 
water, tomato water and various proprietory 
remedies. Gardeners will find much to inter¬ 
est them in this report. 
Colorado Agricultural College.— Cat¬ 
alogue of this institution, which is located at 
Fort Collins, Col. This college was opened in 
1S79. Last year there were 105 students in 
attendance: of these 42 were young women. 
Nothing but the industrial arts and the sci¬ 
ences pertaining to them is taught here. A 
specialty is made of experimental work. It is 
a worthy institution and should be patronized 
by Colorado far mere. 
Consular Reports.— How many realize 
the importance of these pamphlets? We know 
that some of the most reliable information 
regarding the climate, business and people of 
foreign countries can be obtained by reading 
them regularly. They are sent out by the 
State Department to all who desire them. 
Grasses of the South.— Pamphlet from 
the Department of Agriculture by George 
Vasey, Botauist of the Department. In order 
to obtain practical information regarding 
southern grasses and forage plants, a circular 
was sent out from the Department last year. 
From the many answers received from farm¬ 
ers and stockmen, this pamphlet has been ar¬ 
ranged. Most of the work was done by Mr. 
Crosier, the assistant botauist. No southern 
grass can be obtained which will grow vigor¬ 
ously throughout the entire year, Hence a 
series of winter aud summer pastures must be 
provided. The great waut thus far has been a 
reliable aud productive winter grass. The 
plant which appears to give greatest promise 
is the Texas Blue Grass or Poa arachnifera. 
This pamphlet ought to bo iu the hands of 
every southern farmer. It would be hard to 
state where he could find more practical in¬ 
formation on a subject of such vast import¬ 
ance to his business. Grass is to be the found¬ 
ation for the new agriculture at the south. 
Farmers have fought iheir best friend long 
enough. We earnestly advise our southern 
readers to secure this pamphlet without delay. 
New York State Fair —Attention is 
called to the Premium List. The premiums 
are larger atul more extended than ever. Good 
chances are here offered for farmers and 
others to obtain valuable prizes. The show 
this year will tie unusually attractive. Ail 
who eau possibly do so should attend. Send 
to the N. Y. State Agricultural Society, Al¬ 
bany, N. Y., for a copy of the Premium List. 
The children should be interested in the matter. 
Special departments are made for them. 
Woman's Work. 
CONDUCTED BY EMILY LOUISE TAPLIN. 
OF INTEREST TO WOMEN. 
Robert S. Burdette, who is as wise as he 
is witty, says many an appreciative word on 
women’s ways. His homily in the Ladies’ 
Home Journal is so bright and sympathetic 
that we can only testify our appreciation by ex¬ 
tensive quotations. He says that through all 
the oratorio of history we hear the voices of 
women whom no man could compel to silence. 
We hear the sorrowful notes of the song of 
Jephtha’s daughter, mingling with the tender 
voice of Ruth, “standing breast high amid the 
summer corn;” tremulous with a woman’s 
fear, but resolute with sublime purpose, comes 
the voice of Esther carrying her life before the 
golden scepter for her people’s sake; we hear 
Elizabeth speak with a loud voice and no man 
can silence her; women bring their little ones 
to the Saviour, in the face of his Disciple’s re¬ 
buke, and He does not censure them for 
‘ ‘usurping authority over a man:” a woman 
washes his feet with her tears, Joanna, Mary, 
Susanna, and many others “minister to him 
out of their substance,” women linger near 
the cross when all men forsake him and fly,— 
why then, be proud that you cannot wear a 
beard and vote; be proud that you are a 
woman. 
Always most unselfish when you are most in 
earnest; always—or nearly always—most 
thoroughly devoted to some one else'who is 
not always so thoroughly devoted to you, it 
is the fate of your sex to serve. You are the 
dependent of the nurse while you 
are in the cradle, a serf and a 
bond-maiden to your big brother 
when you are a little girl; in ab¬ 
ject and weeping bondage to your 
teachers and caramels all your 
school days; a slave of fashion 
from the time you graduate until 
your wedding day after which you 
are ruled with more or less ten¬ 
derness by your husband, (whom 
I know personally to be the best 
man iu the world,! and tyrannized 
over with a rod of iron by your 
servants. Later on, you are a 
servant, nurse and governess to 
your children until they are inar¬ 
med, at ter which you are reigned 
over by an imperious family of 
daughters-aud-sons-in-law, and at 
last you will live and die in gentle, 
loving bondage to a tribe of grand¬ 
children. Believest thou not my 
prophesy? Ask your mother and 
grand-mother. And yet somehow, 
despite your life-long bondage, 
there is a general impression that 
you have your own way about five 
times out of a possible four, or so 
often as you think your own way 
the better way, which, in our 
judgment is liable to be the case 
—let us say—sometimes. 
This nineteenth century is Try- 
phena's Sunday out. She has 
earned our homage. Sometimes 
| I am inclined to think she is even man’s 
physical superior. True, she cannot sharpen 
a pencil, and outside of commercial circles she 
' can't tie a package to make it look like any¬ 
thing save a crooked cross section of chaos; 
but, land of miracles 1 see what she can do 
with a pin ! I believe there are some women 
who could pin a glass knob to a door ! She 
j cannot walk so many miles around a billiard 
1 table with nothing to eat, aud nothing (to speak 
of) to drink, but she can walk the floor all 
night with a fretful baby, without going 
sound asleep the first half hour. She can ride 
five hundred miles without going into the 
smoking car to rest (and get away from the 
children, i She can go to town and do a 
wearisome day's shopping and have a good 
! time with three or four friends without drink¬ 
ing a keg of beer. She can enjoy an evening 
visit without smoking half-a-dozen cigars. 
She can endure the torturing distraction of a 
house full of children all day, while her hus¬ 
band cuffs them all howling to lied before he 
has been home an hour. Every day she en¬ 
dures the torture of a dress that would make 
an athlete swoou. She is afraid of a mouse, 
and runs from a cow, but a book agent can’t 
scare her. She is the salt of the church, the 
i pepper of the choir, the life of the sewing so¬ 
ciety, and about all there is of a young ladies’ 
school or a nunnery. A boy with a sister is 
fortunate, a fellow with a eousiu is to be 
envied, a young man with a sweetheart is hap¬ 
py, and a man with a wife is thrice blessed 
more than they all. 
—---- 
THE QUESTION OF SLIGHTING. 
How much work ought a housewife to at¬ 
tempt ? What should (she leave undone or 
half done! 
