The breeding of the mohair goat, and its cross-breeding with the common goat, has an important bearing upon future supplies of the hair. The best mode of commencing a flock is to secure a small but perfect selection of thorough-bred rams, to cross with the common ewe-goat. The rams of the second, third, and fourth districts mentioned above are undoubtedly thorough-bred, and, though smaller in size than some other varieties, possess all the points that a stock-breeder desires.- In 5-6 years, a pure flock may be raised, limited only by the numbers commenced with. Of course the breed will not be absolutely pure, but practically every trace of under-breeding may be eliminated, and the mohair will be as fine and as long, though scarcely so abundant, as in the pure animal, while the silky lustre is increased. On the other hand, a constant infusion of pure blood is necessary to prevent deterioration. This is best accomplished by maintaining two distinct flocks : (1) a small flock consisting of 10 pure Angora rams, and 90 of the beat of the ewes obtained from the cross, to be used as a feeder for (2) 100-200 of the cross-bred rams with as many common ewes as are procurable.
From 1866 to 1873, with a succession of fine seasons, the Asia Minor clip rose steadily from a total of about 30,000 bags (of cwt.) to nearly 50,000. In the summer of 1873, however, great drought reduced the animals to a miserable condition, and their starving state rendering them unable to resist the very severe winter that followed, nearly one-third perished, thua lowering the clip in the succeeding year to a little over 33,000 bags ; of this, 25,000 were Angora qualities, 7000 Vans (which district did not suffer like the others), and 1300 pelotons. The goat-farmers, chiefly Tulks, are for the most part both poor and improvident. They might have saved many of their flocks by timely provision, or removal to districts unaffected by the drought and severe winter ; but the effects of this disaster, contrary to expectation, were not long felt, for the high prices obtained since 1874 led to extraordinary efforts to increase the number of goats. In 1876, the clip had again risen to about 38,000 bags of all sorts, brought about by extra care of the young, favourable seasons, and judicious crossing with the common goat. In 1877, the total clip was about 42,000 hags. In 1878, it was about 48,000 bags, composed as follows :—Angora qualities, primes, 35,000; inferiors, 3500; Van, 8000; lionielt, or pelotons, 1500. The mildness of the following winter gave promise of a still further increase to 52,000 bags.
The fleeces (tifti';) are clipped in April-May, according to the season, and yield an average of 1i-21 lb. of hair each. The best fleeces are exported by the Yurtiks, who take great care to keep them clean. Van mohair contains on an average 70 per cent. of white hair, which, however, has a
slight mixture of black running through 'it, and 30 per cent. of red and black, the whole much coarser in quality than the Angora sorts. Felotons consist of 80 per cent. black and red, and 20 per cent. white, all of inferior quality, but containing a small percentage of hair finer than any thing to be found in the Angora sorts. The finest hair of all comes from the first clip of the kid at its second year ; one-year-old kids are seldom clipped. The second finest is from the she-goat, the next from the wetter, the coarsest of all from the entire male. Inferior qualities come from crossing with the common goat, but the second cross brought to the pure male throws pure mohair. Woody and mountainous districts, with fir and oak, produce the best. Animals fed in the plains yield a quality with more kemps, and frothy, light, cottony fleeces. The male and female hair is very commonly united for the market, with the occasional exception of two-year-old she-goats' fleeces, which are kept with the picked hair of other white goats (perhaps 5 lb. being selected from 1000 lb.) for the most delicate native manufactures. The fleeces of surplus he-goats and barren females, killed at the beginning of winter, are 5-6 in. long. The skins are sold to curriers, who 1 move the hair by a preparation of lime, and employ the skins for slippers (see Skins). The hair thus obtained is harsher than that shorn from the living animal in spring, and is more or less damaged by the lime treatment ; it is sold at a lower price as deri or " dead " hair. Some few skins are cured with the hair on ; these bring 20s. each in Angora, and about 30s. in Constantinople, and are uaed in Europe as rugs and saddle-cloths. Formerly, and for a long time, we imported the hair only in a spun state (as "yarn "); but our textile manufacturers at length acquired the art of spinning it, and we now receive the raw hair alone.
The Angora goat is somewhat smaller than the common goat. The principal feature of all varieties of the breed is the length and abundance of its hair, covering the body and a great portion of the legs with closely-gathered ringlets, reaching near to the ground. The coat is composed of two kinds of hair : a short, coarse under-down, lying close to the akin ; and a long curly overhair. Both are manufactured, but the latter is by far the more important in point of quantity and value. They are marketed together, and separated by the spinner (see Woollen Manufactures—Worsted). The value of the article depends upon its length, fineness, softness, brilliancy, elasticity, and durability. These qualities enable it to take the place of silk in the manufacture of velvets and laces, and to form the pile of imitation furs, besides being used for more general fabrics.