Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1878-11-27
The Profits OF Saeep.

shall know something about 1t.
The world has wonderful capacity
for understanding every mans business
and interest better than he does him
self; and in its zeal for The promotion oil
his interest, it often forgets that he has
any rights. & +
There are two qualifications which all
men possess IN an eminent degree the
one is to advise others as to their IN
terest; the other to make better laws
than have ever been made. But it very
often happens that what everybody says
is every body's interest, nobody prac-
tees. receive regularly FIVE agricul-
t1ral journals and as many political
papers, besides having occasional access
to.others, andI rarely open one Of
them, or sec one agricultural address or
essay, whether by a lawyer, doctor,
preacher, politician, or farmer, without
finding glowing accout of the marve-
lous amount OF wealth, individual and
general, that is to be dug out Of the
Big Bonanza Of sheep husbandry. /
sometimes think l would like to know
how many of them have tried it and
with what success; and if l had not read
and heard so much of that kind Of talk,
l should wonder why there is not flock
of sheep on every farm in the country.
But my observation has taught me that
there is a sort of natural, perhaps IN
tuitive, common sense in the masses
which guards them against these fine
theories, except wien something like a
Mo57ts. Mstkico,,l,S fever SEXES them, OF
which they are soon cured by a Aor~s
NulticaIlis result.
Most Of these enthusiasts will tell
you, All! fit wasn't for the dogs.
And they give you that reason not only
forthemselyes, butevery body else. III
tell you presently about the dogs. But
why don't everybody raise hogs: Fl {
dogs don't trouble them, and they are
as easily raised, and, with the same care
as profitable as sheep; and when l find
. n Southern city, town crrailrOad station
where Western bacon is not a staple
article of trade. shall conclude that
dogs prevent people from raising sheep,
Now as TO dogs. For several years ]
had kept small flock of COtswelds,
which, as l paid high price for them,
returned me no very great profit. -Four
yeas ago bought fifty very good com.
mon ewes. for which, paid 5000. With
the use Of my Cotswold buck the lambs
and wool have every year paid the
original cost OF the fifty ewes, and most
ifnOt all The cost of keeping; but they
did not live and thrive on bushes, briers
and aoXious weeds They had plenty
OF good grass in summer, and hay and
grain in winter, and were well attended
to all the time, and especially in lamb.
ing season. They require more at
tention than any stock | know of. liza
had Kept TIVE hundred instead Of fifty, il
IS probable that l should have made a
loss instead Of q profit. particularly il
they had been left to the exercise of the
peculiar merits claimed for them o.
'lviDg and thriving where no Other
stock could live. aud keeping fat or
business, briers and other noxious
weeds
1t is now five years since have hac
a sheep killed by dogs. One of my
Cotswolds had been Killed, after which
had every dog found on the place with
out his owner shot, but as they were
numerous in the neighbOrhood, and
were prowling about at plight, l pu
strychnlne on meat and laid it about il
the paths they would be likely to travel
first notifying my ne:ghbors that my
farm was unhealthy for dogs, and adyis
ing them If they had any that were
valuable, 10 keep them at homo, a,
they were ofne use 10 them when NJ
my farm at night and might be hut'u
20 me. Dogs are not numerous IN m,
neighborhood now. There is no patent
on this remedy.
The papers are full of heart-rendn!
accounts Of the destructive ravages 0
worthless curs.' Last year every do.
Of every degree in this county was taxec
dollar to pay for sheep killed by them
Of course every sheep killed, whether
by the dogs Of the owner or Others wa:
faithfully reported. The loss by then
was less than two per cent. OF the sheer
in this county. The percentage Of NJ.
loss from disease, accident or negligence
was more than that, and mine was les
than anybody heard Of.
In several cases, at was known tina
the sheep ~ere killed by the owners
dogs. The sheep were paid for; tn,
dogs were notkilled. ..e ~.
1 have not owned dog in five years
and in that time have not had a shee
killed ny them. So far as l hare hear
every man WHO had sheep killed. owne
one dog If not more. It's at least al
even chance, that in nine cases out G
ten the sheep are killed by the owners
dogs, though l suppose there are not
dozen nen inthe United States, who
according 10 their own account, eve
owned a dog lAat ever did or eve
would kin sleep; It was always don
by somebody else's worthless cur -
Everybody says everybody ought to g
into sheep hlsbapdry,, bnt everybod
keeps out Of it because everybody i
afraid Ct everybody else's 'WOrthles