New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-09-09
RECLALMING THE FARMS
Nero England Hillsides Mag Be
Covered 1cith Sheep Again.

There is a tremendous struggle going on IN
New England to reclaim the abandoned farms.
The trolley and the rural telephone system have
gone far TO make life in the country places worth
living. and agricultural colleges with their
farmers special trains are Identifying the work
of planting. ploughing, wedding and milking.
Still there is steady march OF boys and girls
TO the cities. and finally the old farmers fol-
low. TO take up such precarfous occupations as
selling favoring extracts peddling cosmetics or
running fruit and news stand.
But up IN Greenfield. Mass. another agency
has been set at work to reclaim the farms. and
this Is a sheep raising plan. Years ago, before
the Civil War. sheep raising was New EngIand's
most profitable industry but with the reduction
of the tariff wool and the increase Of sheep
numbering dogs the farmers found wool grow
ing decidedly Improbable and a nuisance So
hills which were built for sheep" according TO
Frank Sherman Peer. OF Cornell Heights. Ithaca
n. Y, have been given up to stones and few
COWS.
Mr.. Peer is the life Of the movement The
Greenfield Board OF Trade. with it's substantial
business men. is behind him. and a body OF
progressive and prominent men are stockholders
forming the New England Farm Stock Company.
OF Greenfield. Among the stockholders are
Speaker Wadsworth Of the New York State AS
sembly. Howard Willetts, OF New York; 8. W.
Woodward. owner OF large department store
in Washington; Frank Babcock, OF New York;
A H HOuseman. the New York stock broker:
the Cranes. Of Dalton. and Mr.. Markham, Of
Avon. n Y. the well known sheep breeder
Mr. Peer is the manager for the company and
this means that he has the enthusiasm ana an
ergy Of ten men and that he win not rest until
the hill lands OF Massachusetts,. Southern Yer
mont and New Hampshire are covered with
grazing sheep.
when that f. DONE" he saws. the urobIern
OF the so-oaIled abandoned farms is solved.
When IL can be clearly shown that there Is 4
reasonable profit IN keeping sheep on these hills
the boys and girls viii not be so anxious to
leave the farms and go to the centres IN the
experiment which Is now being tried a reason
able profit must be made for those who invest
their money. 1t is not much the making OF
money which has caused me TO try the expert
ment, but an ambition to see these abandoned
farms and hills made profitable. believe L can
prove. with the assistance OF the farmers, thai
the problem can be solved have unboundsd
faith In it's success. have never seen land IA
any country that Is better adapted to shsep
than the hill pastures Of Massachusetts, and
Vermont Besides that. they are at the very
doors Of the best markets in the world"
The plan is a simple one. The company has
purchased about seven thousand sheep. the ewes
mostly Ramboullettes. brought from Idaho. The
rams with which these sheep are crossed have
been imported from Scotland These sheep are
placed on shares with the farmers. the farmer
receiving share of the wool and increase for
the caring OF the focks
But the minute thu sheep are installed on ths
| farms. big obstacle has 10 be confronted
namely, dogs No one knows Just why helpless
sheep viii arouse the fercest nature Of the
gentlest dog living. but certain il IA that the
scent Of sheep will inspire murder In thu hearts
OF Newfoundland and setter, blooded bull and
yellow cur The things which dogs will do to
get at sheep almost give rise 70 fear that thew
are only wild beasts after all. and not to be
thought OF az pets. They win Journey twenty
or thirty miles day after day to get at the poor
creatures; they will lie craftiiy hidden for hour,
In the immediate vicinity of a flock waiting for
| the best possible time to kill without being de-
tected; they VIII tear their own skin Off In great
patches. by crowding under a barbed-wfre fence
which surrounds a sheep pasture; they win
/ jump the highest board fence that farmers have
built; they will show all the cunning Of a for
| IN planning escapes from their homes 10 go on
their marauding expeditions. and they win be-
come wOlf-like in their fercensss IL they are de-
tected IN their numbering act
They do not eat sheep. They suck the blood
Of the defenceless things. and they viii kill lamb
| after lamb. until they themselves are Ioathsoms
with blood dripping from their jaws and snesred
over their breasts. And once a dog gets a taste
OF sleeps blood nothing will break II OF the
habit Of sheep killing.
1t is this sort OF thing that the sheep raisinx
farmers have been most hopeless about. eff the
farmers endeavor to keep their sheep within
certain limits. so they cannot roam about and
| cause damage. the dog owners ought to do like
wise with their dogs" they said despairingly.
knowing deem I'm their hearts that tina most RAJ
sOnable man Immediately becomes unrsason-
able when his dog Is complained Of The states
assistance in paying a farmer for sheep killed
by dogs IS not at all satisfactory for 10 cannot
really repay him for the loss Of the sheep by
giving him the price OF II.
IF a crazy man should suddenly rush into
your home" says Mr. Peer in indignation. "and
kill a member OF your family. would you feel
satisfied If the state gave you a sum OF money
and made no attempt at restraining the crazy
man?''
The New England Farm Stock Company has
imported from Scotland shepherd, with two
sheep dogs. and has Installed the trio on the
COmpany's own farm In Leyden- There he, with
the aid OF his logs tends ABOUT one thousa ii
sheep. and all marauders are kept successfully
st bay. He instructs the farmers how sheep
dogs may be trained TO look after the nocks'
and keep all enemies away.
William AIfIIar the shepherd. Is twenty-six
years old and his father and grandfather were
expert shepherds before him. and the line or
shepherds goes still further back. All his life
he has been trained to know the sheep, aIN
he knows how TO interpret their actions IN a
way that seems almost marvellous On the COM
pany's farm at Leyden, which really comprises
three farms. and which is situated so FAR up In
the air that IT seems to bump the clouds he
lives all alone with his dOgs-Pete and fleet
cooking his own meals and doing his house
work Although he is ten miles from Greenfield:
ten miles which are really one hill on TOP or
another he says he IS not lonesome and can
easily walk to town IN two hours. His stride
reminds one Of seven-league boots. and he says.