The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1874-11-13
FarMlerG' Golnlllll,
Speed the EsIOlC.o
Sleeps Observation-Disclosures Roads


Hallowell, ofsandy Spring, Md. We shall
follow them, from time to time, with other
interesting extracts from the same ad.
dress:
SHEEP HUsBANDRY.
Sheep husbandry is subject with which
you are familiar, and from some of your re-
cent proceedings, as published in the Amer
.can Farmer, you appreciate its profits.
yet more attention may well be given to
this most valuable branch of our bust
ness. A reliable farmer in New Jersey re-
ceived return of 81 200 from an outlay of
Sl50 within twelve months, in addition TO
the beneficial effect of the sheep upon the
SOIL. This is an extreme case, but indi-
Gates the margin of profit that may be realiz
ed with care. The only drawback is the
fear that our outlay may be totally lost by
the ravages of dogs For the present our
only safety lies in folding them every night
into yard suitable protected. This does
not materially injure them, even in hot
weather, as they are creatures of habit, and
Immediately lie down and ruminate, and
are ready to go to feeding as soon as reeas.
ed in the morning. l have recently pro-
tected my own yard, already enclosed with
board tence by running two wires around
1t four inches apart, the lowest one four
inches above the top rail. But is this the
limit OF our power5 Can we not raise in
our might and demand, not as a favor
grudglngly granted, but as an imperative
necessity, that legislation shall be so shap-
ed as to protect our tlocks from this intol-
cradle scourge? Can we not make the
politician feel that we have some rights
which he is bound to respect? We read
In the old fable that the giant Enceladus
was buried under Mount Etna, and when
he turned upon his weary side, the whole
island OF Sicily was shaken to its founda-
lions There are indications that ano her
long-slumbering giant, the american Far
mer," is awakening who, if once aroused,
VIII crumble to power such fabrics as sell
hsh interests and short.sighted policy may
nave reared above his PROSTATE form.
PUBLIC ROADS.
Our State shows many symptoms of ar
ousing from the lethargy that has benumb-
ca her, and OF preparing to take the DO
sltlon to which she is entitled by her com
mercial facilities, her climate and the re-
sources OF her soil and mines, but she needs
thorough awakening on the subject of
public roads. To convey an adequate idea
OF our "so-called'' highways in mid.winter
and early spring is almost beyond the pow
er of language. TO quote from an article
written few years since: at is sufficient
to say that they effectually stop transpor.
talon to market communication by yehi-
Giles with mill, shop and store, and even
social visiting and attendance of church,
Yet 1t is by means ofgood road that we
Will DE enabled to supply one of the great
needs OF country life, the bringing of peo.
pie together, and that conflict of mind with
mlnd that seems necessary for man to reach
his highest development, and which indeed
constitutes one Of the great advantages TO
be claimed for Il residence in the city. On
grade OF thirty feet to the mile, the force
required to perform certain duty is twice
as great as on a level on one of sixty feet.
three times as great. Yet year after wear,
our poor toiling animals labor over grade
that little judicious expenditure would
soon reduce, bruise their shoulders against
stones that have beachcd in MANY n ciano-
ing season, and rack our vehicles in wav
that brings brisk business to the wheel
wright and smith. Few have an idea of
the cost to the State and its citizens oftbis
condition Of affairs. Not only are the
small sums now doled out frequently vast
ed without any adequate return, but even
where work is done for the money eypend-
ed, it is either unskiliully used or sprend
over SO large surface that the repairs
scarce last Il single season. The whole
question should be taken from the domain
of party politics and placed in the hands of
our ablcst men. Some wise and efficient
law should be devised to give us that
essential OF civilization, good yoa,Zs Mt
all seasons, with the least neceSsary cost. NV
own preference, believe, would be for the
system adopted in Washington county,
through the influence of the late Robert
Fowler where the Commissioners mid spcb
citizens as may wish to construct paved
roads, by subscription, the interest ON
which is equal to the annual expenditure
for repairs,
FENCING.
Closely connected with this subject of
roods Is that of the great cost of tencinU
ana the increased amount ofthe latter from
the unreasonable, thriftless and most sell
fish practice of letting stock run Mt LARGE.
A writer IN the Rural Messenger has calcu
lated the cost of one mile of "wormn or
virginia fence, made of pine poles, and
lasting ten years, to be about $500 In
montgomery, the cost of one mile of sub
stantlal post-and-rail fence is $3.50. The
same writer says that the fences of the Unit
cd States, accordingly to published reports.
are estimated to "cost more than the hnuees
cltles lncludcd-mOre than the ships, boats
and vessels of every description that float
the ocean, lakes and riyers-more than the
manufactures OF every kind with their ma.
chlnery-morc than any one class of pro.
perty aside from real estate, cyceutin1 il
may be the railroads of the country. Rob
inson gives the first cost of the fences in
the State of New York at Sl44, 900 600.
Nicholas Biddle estimated that the fence
tax OF pennsylvania was $10,O0O,OOO per
year. General Worthington, of Ohio. saws
there are eighteen millions acres of land in
tnat State enclosed with four hundred and
fifty thousand miles of fence at first cost of
one hundred and fifteen millions of dollars.
ana at ayearly expense for repairs ofS7, $780,
O0O. Moreover, & fence run in the VIRGIN
la style occupies five acres for every one
hundred enclosed" Is not this most I'M.
reasonable and eXhaustng tax AS far as
it is caused by stock roaming upon the
roads, would it not be cheaper for MS to
supply pasture to the animals ofthose who
thus weight us with such burden? NV
venerable father, Benjamin Hallowell in
an exhaustive article upon this theme.
says; "When land is condemned for n road
1t is for public passage and for no other
purpose whatever. All rights and priv.
leges therefore, not connected with its Use
as highway, remain, on every principle of
right and justice, with the owner of the
property from which the land was taken.
No one, therefore, has u right to turn his
cattle, swine or other stock into n road
that passes through the premises of
another, in order to use it as a pasture
ground, or for any other purpose than that
of trn tnl from IAl.,nn Il,