The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1878-06-25
SHEEP HUSBANDRY RENDERED
SAFE IND PROFITABLE.

Tho Successful Experiments Of O
Sheep Raising Farmer in Horny
County.
Tho Conwayboro Telephone brings
to public notice recent invention
of Capt. G. Gilbert, Of Horny county,
for the protection of sheep. A
patont has issued to Captain Gilbert
and Mr.. Thomas ". Beatty, with all
the papers necessary to secure them
in the exclusive right to make, sell
aud use this wonderful apparatus.
Our contemporary says:
We have been permitted to exam
inc it minutely, and to study it's
adaptability; and we now affirm that
in our judgment sheep may hence~
forth enjoy perfect safety from dogs
and other carniverous animals, and
that, too, at trifing cost, and with
very little trouble. There is no
doubt about the adaptability, the
practicability, the feasibility, or the
utility of this wonderful apparatus.
Captain Gilbert has for q number
of years been tho most onterprising
and successful planters in Horny
county, and always gave particular
attention to sheep raising. Some
years since he noticed that all his
sheep which were destroyed by
dogs wore torn about the neck-so
much and so uniformly so that he
WAS led to believe that if their necks
could he protected they might be
saved from such wholesale slaughter.
He then set to work to perfect some
instrument which would secure this
object without otherwise damaging
the sheep. Fortunately he was
not long in contriving one which
gave entire satisfaction IN all but
convenience and cheapness. But
with his sheep SO well protected he
could well afford to experiment..
Indeed, there was necessity laid
upon him to do so. Dogs continued
at intervals to invade his flock but
not one was ever lost with this new
protector. Satisfied that it answered
the purpose of protection, he do
dermined to acquaint his friends
with it's character. On one occn-
sion, while in conversation with Mr..
Beatty, cheaper device was sug
gested, and this, as ultimately per-
tected, will soon be before the pub
lie.
The invention consists in a metal
lie collar or neck band, which is
fastened together by means Of q
slot and rivet or bnttpn, and is pro-
vided.with cross pieces having point
ed ends. SO simple is 1t in con-
struction, and SO perfectly adapted
to the end in view, that when once
seen any ono will be surprised that
it has not been in use for Thousands
of years. This is the sheep protec-
tor. The band or cross pieces may
be stamped with tho owners name
and the year it was placed upon the
sheep, SO as to keep a perfect record
OF every member of the flock. It
may also be painted in colors by
which one may at @ glance distin-
guish his own from other persons
sheep at a distance without the
difficulty often experienced of ascer-
tanning the ear marks. This band
also comes into use when the animal
is to be caught for shearing. BY
means of q hook somewhat resern-
bling the ancient shepherds hook
artistically wrought the sheep is
taken by tho collar and gently CON-
trolled by the shearer.
Besides this they have invented
shearing board which excels every.
thing of it's kind wo have ever seen.
The construction of this is not so
. mple, but exhibits greater thought
fulness, combined with mechanical
ingenuity and humane regard for
the animal to which we areindebted
for 80 many comforts. It consists
of o board with four projecting arms,
two upon each edge, to which the
legs of the sheep are tied during
the process of shearing, and having
also a spring which engages the me-
tallic neck collar aforesaid, and holds
the head of the sheep. BY this in
yention the sheep is securely held
without violence or injury and
shea2ed without the least difficulty.