per pound. During the last four years it has
varied from 1s. to 2s. 3d. per pound, the average
over that period being about 1s. 8d. per pound.

"In reference to the fourth question, Whether
any large quantity of it would be required by the
European manufacturers? it is said that there has
been a greater demand for this article for some
years past than our imports could supply, and
these have amounted on the average of the last
four years to about two and a half million pounds.
As a proof of this it is asserted that for a long
period it has been sold by the Greek merchants
without the buyer having a chance of seeing his
purchase beforehand, the buyer's only protection
being the assurance of the seller that it shall be
of good merchantable quality. This fact goes far
to show how extremely desirable it would be to
increase the production, as it must undoubtedly
be limited in its employment by the impossibility
of obtaining a sufficient supply, no less than by
the difficulties and impediments in the way of
getting the present limited one. The spinning of
this article has now become an extensive and
steady trade. Ten or fifteen years ago it was
found that the yarn spun by English machinery
was very superior to Turkish hand-spun yarn, so
that about that period nearly all spinning in
Turkey ceased; and this, no doubt, will account
for the falling off in the export of mohair-yarn in
1837 as compared with 1836. We now import
the raw material—the wool and export it again
in a partially manufactured state, as yarn. On
account of the present scarcity of mohair, and
its consequent dearness, quantities of goods are
made from English wools as an imitation, and
passed off to the consumer as genuine. Although
the price may be subject to a little fluctuation, as
the material is principally used for fancy fabrics,
and though the limited quantity produced has
kept it up for the time, there seems to be little
doubt that the parties engaged in the trade have
so established it, that it will not only continue but
increase, and especially if the price is kept mo-
derate—say from 1s. 6d. to 1s. 9d per pound.

"For a time mohair was chiefly used for the list
ends of woollen cloths, and commanded little
attention; but for some years past it has been
greatly gaining in favour for the fancy trade.
Formerly it was used for thick heavy fabrics, as
coatings, shawls, &c.; but recently it has been
almost exclusively wrought up in plain and fancy
worsted stuffs, and other lighter articles for
female attire. The yarn is generally spun at
Bradford and Norwich, and the great bulk of it
is used for the manufacture of Utrecht velvet, a
material which is now largely employed for deco-
rative purposes, and for the linings of private and
railway carriages. Utrecht velvet is now manu-
factured on a limited scale at Banbury and Coven-
try, but the chief seat of the manufacture is in
France and Germany, especially the former, to
which countries the yarn spun in England is
exported. Plush and lace are also made from it,
and recently it has been introduced into the
manufacture of a cheap imitation of black silk
lace, now so generally worn, for which, from its
glossy silky appearance, it is well calculated.
Yarn composed of mohair and natural coloured
alpaca mixed together, in various shades, is also
largely used in the Bradford trade, in the manu-
facture (with cotton twist warps) of an immense
variety of materials for ladies' dresses, gentle-
men's summer coats, &c. It is also extensively
used, both alone and in combination with silk, for
making a description of goods called lustres, tabi-
nets, and fringes.

"There are several distinct breeds of goats in
Angora and the surrounding districts, as well as

44

the one which produces the mohair wool, which
is larger than the ordinary goat. The wool of
one is called "cambello," and is of a brown
colour, short and downy underneath, with long
coarser hairs at the surface of the fleece. The
import of this wool from Turkey is irregular,
perhaps 5,000 pounds one year, and none the
next. The value has varied during the last four
years from 7d. to 1s. 5d. per pound, and it is now
worth from 1s. to 1s. 2d. per pound. The value
is uncertain and the demand depends entirely on
fashion. There is another description of wool
which is obtained from the ordinary goat. Its
colour is mostly grey, brown, and black, but sel-
dom white. It partakes somewhat of the nature
of Thibet, only it is much coarser. It is close
and fine, full at the bottom of the staple, with
long coarse hair mixed and growing through it.
Its present value is 6d. per pound. It is only
suitable for very low-priced carpetings, &c.

"Up to this point the information furnished by
our different correspondents has been almost
identical; but here we have to record a great
diversity of opinion, on a branch of the inquiry
on which after all the whole question depends—
the probability of naturalising or acclimatising
the Angora goat in the Cape Colony, or indeed in
any other country but its own.

"Mr. George Shaw Pollock (Liverpool) 'thinks
the Angora goat might be located with success
and great advantage at the Cape of Good Hope.'
Messrs. R. M. Scholefield and Co. (Liverpool)
suppose that the Cape colonists could not do
better than naturalise the animal there. Mr.
Titus Salt (Bradford) 'highly approves of the
plan proposed by the Swellendam Agricultural
Society. He considers that the propagation of
the Angora goat should be promoted as much as
possible. He has long thought that we had
colonies suitable for its propagation, and if it
should be found that they can be acclimatised at
the Cape, he is persuaded the scheme proposed
would be a very profitable investment. In Feb-
ruary, 1852, Mr. Salt ordered from Angola one
male and two female goats; they arrived in Brad-
ford last December. They have had young ones
and are doing well. The hair is of a beautiful
quality. The old ones have been clipped this
year, and the second coat has not in the least de-
generated. Mr. Salt has therefore sent to Angola
for a further supply.' On the other hand Messrs.
W. Greame and Co. (Liverpool) say 'that as re-
gards Angora goats' wool, or mohair, we may at
once inform you from the best information,
gathered from parties from that quarter, that,
from an extraordinary peculiarity of the animals
in that locality, there is no probability of their
being transported to other regions with any chance
of success, for, when removed even 50 or 100
miles only from their immediate locality, the
wool degenerates and loses the soft silky charac-
ter which constitutes its chief value. Under
these circumstances we can hold out no hopes of
succeeding in the views suggested by the Agri-
cultural Society at the Cape of Good Hope. It
would appear from the same authority also that
this peculiarity is not confined to the goats, but
that even the cats are subject to the same change
when removed from that locality, and they ac-
count for it as being some atmospheric action
only peculiar to that district.' Messrs. Hughes
and Ronald (Liverpool) say that 'some attempts
have from time to time been made to introduce
the breed into other parts of Asia Minor, but the
quality and character of the wool has been found
soon to retrograde. The want of success may,
we think, be chiefly attributed to the little care,
attention, and encouragement, ever bestowed in