Show SHEEP INDUSTRY 1 r Half a century ago almost every farmer with any number of acres of at pasturage at his disposal kept sheep In greater or l less ss numbers as his means and convenience permitted He found them profitable and good to have about the place There is nothing more as aa aaa asa asa a change from winter diet than spring I lamb amb and all through the summer these hese younglings came into use and the entire flock fiock was a source of Income small perhaps but generally sure to the owner Now one may roay make a days day's Journey through almost any thickly settled country without seeing sheep and there are many children old enough to ask questions who do not even know what they are The principal cause of the absence of ot this his valuable ble auxiliary to the farm is the he presence presence of Innumerable untrained dogs that scour the country and make the he keeping of sheep next door to an impossibility These animals animals animals ani ani- mals become very shrewd and crafty They have been known to watch until quite certain that no one was within eyeshot or earshot then suddenly spring upon a sheep or lamb and kill It t almost instantly A faint bleat from the he victim and a rapid scurrying away of the remainder of or orthe the flock fiock are the only alarm that these timid creatures can give Efforts have been made Inmany in inmany inmany many of the states to restrict the number number number num num- ber of dogs so that farmers could keep sheep but the law when any exists Is s a dea dead letter and one of the most important industries in this country Is practically abandoned on this account The wealthy farmer who can keep caretakers and dogs to guard his flocks may roay do well with them but the small farmer armer cannot afford such protection j jand and as it has come to that state of affairs when no guar guard no sheep is the the rule he has no choice but to pass by bya a branch of business that would yield him lim a certain though perhaps not very j jarge large arge revenue j |