The Baltimore County union., 1867-07-27
farmers Column.


The March report Of the Commissioner OF Ag-
ricultuFe dwells upon the ravagcs committed by
dogs among the sheep IN the United States. In
lscG i've hundred thousand sheep were killed by
dogs, and their value was s., 600, 600. The mum.
her injured wa three hundred thousand, and
the loss is estimated at 5000, 900. The dogs In
the country Is computed at Eve millions, their
annual expense ten dollars per head, aud the
sum total OF their substance ffly millions Of
dollars-an immense sum 10 bestow upon class
Of animals the most OF which are worthless, aud
many Of them causing great mischief to the iarm-
er.
This Is certainly state Of things that needs
quick aud sharp remedy. The wool trade is be-
coming one OF the most importment Ia the coun-
try, and with view 10 its development duties
have been imposed on foreign woods TO an extent
tha, affords the home grower an ample margin
OF profit were not his profits cut down by losses
from the ravages made In his flock By dogs. II
has been estimated that the aggregate expense OF
keeping dogs In the United States, n majority Of
which are worthless ours, foots ubout the same
cost as that OF the maintenance OF tho criminals
OF the country, and about twice the amount that
is paid for the support OF the ministers Of the
different churches. Al statistics OF this kind be-
ing based upon rough calculations, are Of course
in part, merely eoniectural bat ono thing Is GER
tainly proved-ihat dogs do al immense damage
to sheep. They constitute great drawback to
the success Of hock.masiers, and are u nuisance
WniCn suoutu ~ Vutthiy as put4lole DC kottcu ftu
or The law Of Maryland upon the subject is to-
tally imperative. II Is too complicated aud
cumbrous Tor effective use. u requires that the
dog shall be detected 10 the act Of killing the
sheep-a thing that Is very seldom possible-,he
flock being nearly always attacked al night IT,
however, the dog be detected in the act proofmust
then be made OF the fact by the oath OF the owner
OF the sheep, or Of cOmpe,eu, witness, before a
justice OIL the peace and the master Of the dogs
upon complaint made 80 him, aud information
Of such proof Is required TO kill him II he re-
fuses, the owner Of the sheep may kill the dog,
or apply tc constable to do 50. In this latter
case double the value OF the sheep destotyed may
be recovered, otherwise nothing This law Is
therefore practically worthless, and recoveries un-
der Il are very rare, although losses OF sheep in
Maryland, taking into consideration her low rank
as a shecp-raising State, have beeen very heavy.
Cecil county lost in 1865 three hundred aud nine
head OF sheep killed by dogs, and In st. Mary's
county this year quite q number Of farmers have
lost from ten to thirty head and one a. high as
sixty from the same cause. The ". .Hary's Ga
seRs very iraly says At this rAie Of destruction
IL will not take long we opine TO exhaust what re-
mains Of sheep in the county. Unless also this
destruction is arrested, farmers will be compelled
TO abandon raising this kind OF stock
There Is no reason whatever why n tax should
not be imposed upon the worthless ours infes,ing
the State, and no more eHeciual means OF
diminishing their number could be devised. On
the other hand, u dog - really valuable his
owner cannot reasonably object TO paying
small sum annually for his protection. England
has deriveds considerable revenue from a dog
tax, and IL Is regarded rs ono Of the most just
and least oppressive Of her taxes. But in our
opinion no remedy would be 50 prompt aud so
efficient a. a law making every owner OF a sheep
killing dog responsible for any damage the dog
may commit. wedo not think there would be
any difficulty In this. A man is answerabc for
the iFespass ofhis cattle upon the enclosure of
his neighbor, and IL is admitted in law that dogs
species Of property for which irover or tres
pass viii lie. Very frequently the vicious pro-
pcnsiiies Of a dog are known TO Its owner, and
ye; the animal iskep, either through earclessness
or wanionness or from = sentiment ofa,;aohment.
The tock-master whose sheep are harried BY such
dogs may be entirely ignorant Of the fact that
his Losses are Attributable TO his neighbors ours,
and may indeed be wholly unable TO detect the
perpeirator. Under a stringent law enforcing
pccuniary compensation for damages such dogs
worlleither be speedily killed or kept chained
For 10 owner Of a dog having such propensiies.
unless the man be OF malicious turn. wcald
care 10 run the risk of the heavy penalties 20
which he would constantly render himself liable
-.NIFyiind Farmer