The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1919-08-28
For the Good of
the Community

&c HEP raising thrived in the south
~ number of years ago" says H. c..
Hallam, publicity representative of the
Southern Settlement and Development
Organization. ''War conditions, local
conditions and legislation or lack of it,
have been operating against the industry.
The opening up of the free ranges Of the
west contributed but in recent years the
entry of large areas of land in that section
under the 32O-acre and 640-acre home
stead laws have closed up much of this
free paSturage
Mr. Hallam points out that control or
extinction of the sheep killing dog is es-
sential to the future of the sheep industry
in the south; that it's present condition is
due more largely to the depredations Of
dog than to any other cause
Some time ago bill was introduced in
the Alabama legislature looking to the
curling of the activities Of the sheep-kill-
ing dog, which was the first, step in the
movement to rehabilitate the sheep indus
try in the state. Under the direction of
committee of Civic association members
the bill was prepared and this committee
is and has been trying to work up senti-
ment all over the state for the passage of
the bill
1t is modelled somewhat after the Ken
lucky law which requires tax to be paid
on each dog in the state, and penalties the
owner of sheep-killing dog by making
him pay for the death or injury to sheep
killed or injured by his dog The state re-
imburses the owner Of the sheep and
through court proceedings if necessary,
collects from the dogs owner
IL !, 81 20
sheep in Alabama has decreased more
than so per cent in the last ten years and
is constantly decreasing Unless some
thing is done to protect the industry the
next ten years will see the last of the sheep
herds in Alabama
1t is doubtful if the bill pending in the legisa-
ture at Montgomery will be passed at this session
There are too many other matters deemed OF
more Importance ahead Of it. The general rev
enue bill, which has engaged the attention of the
administration and the legislature the past six
weeks to the exclusion of everything ese is not
yet out of the way, and may not be for several
days. When it is finally disposed of, however,
there will be an appropriations bill and the edu-
cational, health, highways, convicts, public util-
tiles and others that are considered part Of the
administration programme. Therefore, they will
have first consideration.
It is important, therefore, that friends of the
sheep should get busy with the members of the
legislature anu set tlaC IIe uOg COnlrOl Dill is
passed There is and will continue . be oppo-
sition to it, but it is believed that if the proper
effort is made it can be passed before the end
of the Sc 3sion.
An idea of the damage caused by the predatory
dog to the sheep industry may be had from Off
cial statements of the department Of agriculture
that in recent year "a 900 sheep were killed
by dogs in SOP counties reporting 6,8O000o sheep
within their borders "And dogs uncontrolled
are officially declared" the report says, Ito con-
stitute of the chief reasons for not increasing
the raising of sheep in So farm states where the
department estimates "a, 00O, 900 additional sheep
could be placed without interfering with other
live stock"
Continues the report: Government experts
say that number of grasses and forage crops
that thrive in the south are especially suited to
sheep. They deny the popular idea that sheep
will live and thrive on weeds The latter are
eaten, but the sheep require more tempting food
ALSO They can get along fine with velvet BEANS
carpet grass, crab grass burr clover, soy beans,
COW peas or other southern forage. The wide
spread wire grass and broom sedge Of the south
is not the best forage, but annual southern grasses
are The latter have been injured by burning the