The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-05-24
For the Good of
 the Community

 CHEEP culture in Alabama is fast disappear O ing yet the sheep industry is one of the most profitable of all the lines of agricultural en- deavor.
 According to the latest and best available data on the subject, there were 121 900 sheep Tn Ala bama in January, 1917, decrease of 22,OOO since 1910.
 This decrease is largely due to the dog, and Ii the dog continues to run at large it will not be many years until sheep on Alabama farms will be an unknown thing.
 R. A. Hayne of the agricultural extension de- partment of the International Harvester company, made an exhaustive survey of the sheep industry in the United States, which he summarized, and his company published in a 96-page pamphlet under the title, "A Bunch of Sheep on Every Farm"
 He secured reports from 5000 sheep owners, scattered throughout the country, whom he inter viewed or from whom he obtained data through correspondence All of these reported that dogs were the main cause of the scarcity of sheep. He finds that
 Sheep in all countries of the world are decreas- ing.
 There is worldwide shortage of wool and mutton.
 There is growing demand for meat and wool Sheep have decreased in the United States 12OO0,000 head, in round numbers, in the past IT years.
 These paragraphs selected from the pamphlet are Illuminating:
 '"There is positively not farm east of the Mis- sissppi river which could not profitably keep a small flock of ewes 25 to 50 or more, which would not only trim up the weeds at no cost, but the owner would never know he had them so far cost for feed is concerned. These small focks are always fat and free from disease"
 ''Sheep have decreased 30,0O0,0O0 head in the world since the war began"
 "There is more and easier money in sheep than in any other live stock, considering the amount in- vested made 125 per cent on lamb crop this year" r."-C G. Puckett, Sauble, Mich.
 Reports from over 1000 corn belt farmers show the average cost of feeding and her lamb to be $4.69 per year. Lamb and wool from the eve sell for $11.15."
 q have had cattle pastures covered so thickly with iron weed cockleburs and briars that the cattle could hardly be seen and after pasturing with sheep few years there were no iron weeds in the field and very few burs or briars "-George Y. Tedrow, Guysville, Ohio.
 "I have one neighbor who has 50 Delaine ewes from which he realizes every year $500 gross '- Wesley Brubaker, Ashland Ohio.
 "Seven years ago bought 23 head of Merino sheep and put them on my 320-acre farm. The fourth year my flock clipped l215 pounds of wool that sold for $216.5O."-W H. Ransberger, Cole man, Texas.
 And this from Alabama: 'Last August I bought five common ewes and one ram for $2125. raised seven lambs and then sold them and the ram for $51 and wool for $10.50. There is more profit in sheep than in cattle or hogs"-W. B. Green, Francisco, Ala.
 'The weeds in the corn fields and the lower blades of corn that go to waste in the corn belt would make thousands of dollars worth of high grade mutton, if good lambs were turned into the corn fields in August"
 "There are probably 25,OOO,OOO dogs in the United States and 5O,00O,00O sheep. federal dog tax, make it high enough, and provide that the tax shall be collected in every case or dog grave dug A few million dog skins will help re- lieve the leather famine"
 "The dog is a carrier of hog cholera, stomach and tape worms, lice ticks, feas, rabies and foot and mouth disease. He brings contagious dis eases home to the family. He runs at large, prac- ticaly unrestrained enjoying undisputed rights, and all for what?"
 "Unqualifiedy put the dog on the same legal status as sheep, hogs, horses and cattle Take