Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-06-28
SHEEP AND DOGS.


III the Editor of the Union and American:
/ BROWNSVILLE, TENN, June Is, ISL
As the dog question must be agitated unit
we get rid of the pests of the sheep keep
ers, L send you the enclosed clip from thu
| Norfolk PirgiHidn. You will do a grea
| favor TO the farming community to publish
any and every thing that will agitate ant
keep before the people the utter worthless
ness of dogs when compared TO the great
value Of sheep, not only for their wool, bui
for mutton. When our people learn to eat
more mutton and less hog, the health and
yigoF infused into the system will speak for
mutton VS.. pork with language that cannot
be gainsaid. So, Mr.. Editor, agitate and
keep alive the dog question so that at the
next General Assembly something may be
done to permit our flocks to roam the hills
and dales of our State so that none may
modest OF make them afraid.
HAYWOOD.
The wool clip of the United States in
1871 amounted to 1T, 700 600 pounds. A
comparison with ether Woolproducing
countries gives the following statistics En-
gland clips 159,969,00 pounds, Austria
52,5OO0,0 900, La Plata 15S,070,000. 1t is
thus seen that this country has risen to be
the first on the list. In 1860 the prcduc-
ton was 6O,364, 913 pounds in all the States
and Territories, and the increase in 1871
thus appears to have reached nearly thirty
per cent. But you may look in vain for
any gratifying returns Of the State. We
have tie finest lands on the continent for
sheep walks, and might add large sums to
our total values at the end of each year by
means of wool for spinneTs, and mutton
for butchers; but we do not. And why
not? Let the State Journal answer:
Last Saturday we went to our farm on the
Potomac to spend a quiet Sunday. We
were aroused at daybreak by the yelping of
dogs near the house, and reached the door
just in time to see our favorite and most
valuable buck, the leader of the flock, driv-
en- past by pack Of ours. All hands were
aroused, and seizing their guns followed to
save the poor brute from his pursuers.
We found him cornered, but doing his best
to fight his assailants. One ear was torn
of, and his legs badly bitten.
Taking the back track, we spent the
whole day hunting up the scattered flock
and caring for the dead and wounded.
Three lambs and two ewes were found hor-
ribly mangled and torn, one of them the
pet of our children. Others were bitten,
disfgured, and famed. We confess to some
feelings not altogether appropriate for Sun
day. These few sheep are all that remain
to US of large flock which we sold to save
from the dogs, after they had killed many.
But the children plead for few sheep, and
so we kept small flock near the house.
But even in our own yard, we have no i'm
munity. These dogs belong to people ut
terly irresponsible, They run at large, and
are under no restraint.
The experience here narrated is common
all through the State; but the Journal
should remember that the man and brother
is the great dog fancier Of the State. Let
US have a sacred war against the ours that
infest the land, and we viii aid in it to the
best of our ability. Verify, one sheep is
worth many dogs, and if we impress this
on the next General Assembly we shall not
be wanting in our eforts.-NOUolk Vir-
gfjglIND