Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1874-10-16
FARM AND PRESIDE.

LEGISLATION, WHICH OUR PATRIOTIC
| REPRESENTATIVE CANNOT BE EXPECT
ED TO GIvE-I can think of nothing of
more practical Importance at this time
! than the protection of sheep from the dep
relation of the numerous hungry dogs
| which nfest every par-t of our country. |
commenced farming in 1887, and up to
| 1913 suffered annually losing the larger
portion Of two fine flocks; my neighhorS
suffering in a similar manner, though not
to such an extent, as they had not embark
ed so largely in sheep raising as | had
We came to the conclusion that sheep .
husbandry must be abandoned, if no plan
could be devised to arrest the evil. / tried
shooting all the stray dogs found on my
farm. This, however, did no good, and
necessity, the parent of invention, led me
to seek another plan. | determined to
erect a pen and put my sheep in it at night,
and around this to put small pieces of ba-
con containing strychnia, the smallest
particle of which will kill dog: a great
number were killed from far and near,
generally those which had a peculiar fond
ness for sheep.
Being driven up just at dark and dogs
coming into the field are usually attracted by
the smell peculiar to sheep and trail them
to the pen, where very soon they would
find their best medicine. [ put out the
strychDia generally during the fall and
winter, especially during the lambing sea-
son when dogs are particularly destructive
L did this for many years, and lost no sheep,
protecting not only my own flock but my
until shortly after the close of
the war, when my flock having been al
most destroyed by soldiers and other rogues
a few shades darker, [ failed to administer
MY INFALLIBLE REMEDY
for short time, and consequently lost
several fine Cotswold ewes and lambs
Since the war, having to pay for my labor,
[ cannot afford to build pens, but put the
pieces Of bacon containing strychnia
around my field, near paths and getting
over places, placing over them small flat
rocks, chips and bark to prevent birds from
getting them.
[ receive many letters on the subject of
sheep raising, complaining of the depreda-
lion Of dogs and seeking legislation as the
only remedy. The usual complaint is the
depreciation of dogs, and how to prevent
5his would be a desideratum of great i'm
portance. My invariable reply is not to
rely on expectation that our Legislature
VIII do anything to arrest the evil by tax
S9lon so long as the owners of dogs exceed
number the owners of sheep. Unfortu-
iaFely, with some exceptions, men of I'M
Questionable character, solid worth and
no, 9dtHhainments. who need no white-wash
regardless of ephemeral popularity, are re-
uctant to enter the political arena, alias
III undignifed scramble for seat in the
and it is too much to expect
men whose main reliance for support is ON
jhe class who do not own sheep to do any
hing to deprive themselves of the good
will of SO numerous and beloved a constit-
lency.
If the people generally will follow my
advice, thousands would be saved directly,
Millions indirectly; our mountains, hills
md valleys would be covered with innu-
nerable fiocks, thus bringing in handsome
'eturns without the expense and trouble
IF cultivation but few laborers would be
needed; the fact demonstrated that sheep
could be raised in safely would bring in a
vast emigration from the North as we'll as
Europe; our lands would appreciate greatly
IN value, and our vast water power be
utilized by the numerous manufactures
which would necessarily spring up.
Great Britain, at one time, found the
production of the cereals annually becom-
ing less, fact of fearful import to con-
tinue without a remedy. Resort was had
to the growing and feeding of sheep and
cattle "a large portion is not adapted to the
latter, and the production Of roots and
different sorts of food for their main
tenance in winter and spring, thus making
a large supply of manure. The scale at
once began to turn, and Norfolkshire and
other parts of England not naturally
adapted to the growth Of the cereals, by
sheep husbandry was rendered fertile and
productive.
This would gradually follow here, and L
see no other mode of recuperating our eX-
hausted and waste lands than to adopt the
course pursued by our forefathers. 1t will
require great care, energy and attention to
be successful in sheep husbandry. Our
people must wake from their Rip Van
Wrinkle slumbers, mount the tide before
they are hopelessly stranded on the beach.
Truly yours, JOHN R. WOODS.
Holkham, near Ivy Depot, Albemarle, Va.
SPRING VS.. WINTER WHEAT.--The