Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1878-06-20
[From tho Anderson Intolligcnoor.
Sheep HusbaMdry in South Ca
rOliM0.

Mr.. EDIToRi I have boen "keopor of
sheep" sinoo q STRIPPING, and speak know
iDgly when I say | never know a shoep to
"die in debt" to its owner, savo when it
was killcd by dog. Sheep will subsist
entirely on noxious woods, herbs and sour
grasses that no other domestic animal will
eat My sheep eat about three bushels Of
cotton seed, and small quantity of oat
straw or hay, ehoh. during the winter, aud
in somo instances | have gruzcd them con
different folds, and fed thom nothing from
tho barn during the whole year. Tho FIRST Of
May shcarcd some shccp that ran all win.
ter without uny feed, cxoopt that Which
they gathered in tho woods, and these same
| shocp will now bring five dollars in mutton
and WOOL.
The statistics of Georgia shows her per
cent. on Investment in sheep husbandry to
DO G3 upon an average, notwithstanding shc
has 2a dogs for oach sheep. South Caro-
lima has 4 dogs to caoh sheep Coy county.
1t is not necessary here for mo to figure
moro on the profits of sheep husbandry, for
it's readily copoedcd by all Intelligent far
mcrs, who have any experience in shcop
raising, that aside from tho loss by dogs,
their sheep yicld larger profit OH invest
nrent than any other interest on their farms.
| The question just here is, why is it that all
farmers do not keep sheop7 Tho answer to
this question is tho problem to which this
| article is directed. When NO look upon
that timc-honored and world renowned
animal, tho sheep, wo see just bohind him
tho yawning jaws Of tho canine destroyer,
| tho dogs Of tho irresponsible, who arc al.
loved by the laws of South Carolina to kill
as many sheep as ho chooses, and tho
owner Of tho sheep has no compensation or.
redress save to kill tho dog if l,o socs him
killing his sheep. ~.
All our efforts to foster and encourage
sheep husbandIy in our State must bo com.
parativeiy futile in tho absence of laws to
protect those who would engage in it; tor
until tho '1ion and tho lamb shall lio down
together in peace" dogs will kill sheep.
'ris truo wo have very insignificant and
poorly enforced dog law in our State, which
is mere mcckery so far as protecting sheep
rnising
Using tho language Of Col. Polk, of
North Carolina: "It has cver been an enig-
ma to us why our Legislators ..rc so wcury
of this question of dog law. Wo can only
surmisc that it is like unto o nightmare to
the GROSS roads politician, and he sees no
advancement to himsolf if he arrays him.
solf in antagonism to his upwashcd consi.
tucpoy and his affections for yellow shoop
pu,ps" Will our coming Representatives
make an effort to protect and encourage
sheep husbandry, or will they continue to
quietly tolerate tho dog nuisance now SO
prevalent ezra
Tho honor and dignity Of tho shophord's
vocation has over been established, for Abel
tho martyred, tho brother Of tho first born
of tho human raco, "was keeper of shoop.'
| By this we may infer that tho sheep has
bcen longer domestic animal than any
other animal. Abraham and his descend
ants, as woll "a most of tho ancient patri-.
arohs, wcro either shepherds or shophcrds'
sons. Job had ID 900 sheep, aud wo may
surmise TINT if thero woro any dogs in his
| neighborhood his patience was tried by dogs
| killing his sheep. It is said Of Rachel,
! "she care with her father fooks, for sto
kept them! Moses, The future statesman
and lawgiyor, drew water for the seyenl