The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1862-02-05
From the STANDARD .
From the Standard.
WO0L-GRoWING IN NORTH CAROLINA,
OR SHEEP AGAINST DOGS.

/ WOOb-GhOW WlN6 IN NOk1 II CAhULlNA,
OR SHEEP AGAINST Dogs.
IL the question were asked how we shall
first, and most severely, feel the pressure Of
this war, almost every one would answer,
"in the want Of clothing, particularly Of
woolen fabrics." We are able TO supply our
selves abundantly with provisions, all the
necessaries of Lille al least, but as to the mat
ter Of clothing, we have already nearly ex-
hausted our stores, and although we NAV be
able to supply our soldiers toerably this
winter by the help Of the large stock Of rea-
dy-made goods which we had on hand, how
shall we do next fals
/ And the difficulty lies not so much in the
want Of machinery 10 manufacture wooden.
as Of the raw material. The hsnd-looms
which clothed our fathers, can be again call
ed into requisition TO any needed extent
But how are we 10 get the wools Ii is said
there is wool IN Texas. But what are even
two millions OF pounds. supposing the Texas
crop 70 reach that figure, towards supplying
the deficiency Of the whole Conlederacy, Of
which no other State makes one-third of
what il consumes: Then the question aris-
es. since we have nearly year To 90 upon,
SdHHVA Abis stdAN vi bf ulrt pIuhlh-
ed for by the calm foresight and enterprise
Of our people: Is there no means of sup
plying this great want! Can we produce
wool in sufficient quantity and in time
Why have We not done so heretofore The
answer ought to make any North Carolinian
blush. And vet there are not two intelligent
Farmers in the State that would give different
answers 70 the question. Ask the next ten
Intelligent farmers YOU meet in any neigh
borhood in the State, whv they do not raise
sheep. and nine Of them will answer some-
thing like this: Well, | did have about
hundred head two Or three years ago, but
the dogs broke in on them one night and left
me about dozen, and 50 gave il up. But
why did YOU not have the dogs killed and try
sgain: Yes. that is easy enoug, 10 say. but
II $ another hing to do il. did attempt il,
but nearly every dog in The neighbnrhood
was concerned, my own among the rest,
tthey congregate and make frollc OF il, you
know.l had MI mine killed. but as IL the
others. one OF nv neighbors killed one or two,
and another insisted that hs dogs never chas-
ed sheep, (although they had been seen in tie
Iiact,) and third promised to have his killed
il he could be convinced that they were gull
~; but that was The last Of IL, and so on to
the end Of the chapter. Almost every far
mer has tried it, aud all have failed. This
sort Of conversation | have heard over and
over again, ~ all parts Of the State, east.
west and middle. Dogs, then, il IL? Moths
ing but dogs. For the glory and profits Of
dog.iarming, we hive gwen up the whole
matter oI sheep husbandry, aud have been
content that others, aud those foreigners and
enemies. should reap all the advantages Of
one OF the most profitable and now indispen-
sable branches OF agriculture, aud one, too,
ior which our country has peculiar aptitndes
and facilities. And, 10 doing this. lets see
what we have done. Ours il sometimes call.
ed The age of statistics. And II Is eminent
" a practical aud lactUal age. And surely
nothing can teach like column Of figures.
Let us then appeal to the Census tables.
Take first, Tor example, the case OF single
county. Mccklenbnrg.
We have not the tables for 1860, and unly
know the general result. that the population
Of the State is a little over 900, 900. Cal
culating for this number from the tables for
1850, we find the number Of families In this
county 10 be about 1000. Allowing three
dogs TO family as a fair average. we have
5000 dogs. Any farmer will tell you that
the iood which a dog consumes will keep
hog in more than an average condition, and
will make at least 600 lbs. Of pork. This
gives 100000 pounds. or at present prices
Sl20. 900 annual loss to the county. But
further, any farmer will tell Us that but for
dogs, the number Of sheep would be increas-
ed ten fold, and that sheep husbandry would
be large part Of our regular agricultural
system. The present number Of sheep ir
Mecklenburg county, calculated as above
from the tables for 1850 is something less
than 10000. Setting il down at that the above
statement shows that il would be and ought
70 be 100, 900. AZ the moderate estimate Of