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SPIRIT OF DISCOVERY

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THE CASHMERE SHAWL GOAT

Has been successfully introduced into England by C.T.  Tower, Esq., of Weald Hall, Essex; and as that gentleman, by this time, must have some of his flock to dispose off, we think their introduction among cottagers, for their wool and also for their milk, a fair subject for some of our female readers to speculate on.  This variety of the common goat (or, probably, it may be a distinct species) is a fine-looking animal, and would be very ornamental in a park, on a ruin, on the side of a rock, or in a churchyard.  It would also be very pleasant to have a home-made Cashmere shawl.  We shall, therefore, give all the information we can on the subject, from Mr. Tower’s account, as published in the last volume (xlvi.) of the Transactions of the Society of Arts.  The Cashmere goat was brought from Persia to France during the time of Napoleon, and under his patronage, by the celebrated M. Terneaux.  In 1823, Mr. Tower, happening at that time to be in Paris, purchased four of them, two males and two females, and succeeded in conveying them safely to his residence in Essex.  The soil of the park at Weald Hall, where they have been kept ever since, is moist, and the situation is much exposed.  The animals have, nevertheless, continued in health, and multiplied rapidly; so that his present flock consists of twenty-seven, including the four original ones.  Of these latter, a polled female, which was old when purchased by him has every year produced at least one kid, and has twice had twins.  Those individuals of which the horns cross are in Persia esteemed the best; and one of Mr. Tower’s last year’s kids has this peculiarity.  They show no impatience of cold, and are very healthy; requiring only the occasional shelter of a shed in very rough weather.  In spring, summer, and autumn, they graze like sheep; and, during winter, have been fed with hay, and refuse vegetables from the garden; but their favourite food is gorse (U’lex europae’a), which they devour eagerly, without being annoyed by its prickles.  They damage young plantations, but not more than other goats or deer will do.  They breed very early:  three of Mr. Tower’s goats this year produced kids before they were themselves a twelvemonth old.  A few produce brown wool; but that of far the greater proportion of the goats is white, and this latter is more valuable than the other.  The coat is a mixture of long, coarse hair and of short fine wool:  this latter begins to be loose early in April; and is collected, easily and expeditiously, by combing the animals two or three times with such a comb as is used for horses’ manes.  A good deal of the long hair comes off at the same time, but the manufacturer has found no difficulty in separating it.  The produce of a male is about 4 oz., and