| OCR Text |
Show flHCEP INDUSTRY. Halt a century ago almost cery farmer wllh any number ot acre ot patturago at hla disposal kept sheep In greater or leas numbers, a hi mean and convenience permitted. lie found them profitable, and good to have about tbo place. There li nothing moro drtlr.iblo a n change from winter diet than spring lamb, and all through tho summer these joungllng rame Into use, and tho entire flock wi a tourre ot Income, ' mill, perhaps, lxit generally sure, to the owner, Now one may make n day's Journey through almost nny thickly settled country without teeing threp, and there aro many children old enough to nak queatlona who do not even know what they are. The principal cause of the absence ot thli valuable auxiliary to the firm It tho pretence of Innumerable untrained dogt that scour the country and make tho keeping of sheep next door to an Impossibility. Those troublesome animal ani-mal become very eliroml and crafty. They hate bcn known to watch until quite certain that no one wa within eyeshot or earshot, then suddenly spring upon a iheep ur lamb and kill I It almost Instantly A fulnt bleat from the victim and a rapid scurrying away of ihe remainder of the flock aro tho only alarm that theatt timid creature can give. Effort have been made In many ot the state in restrict tho num.- j ber of docs so that farmers could keep sheep, but Ihe law, when any exists, Is a dead letter, and ono ot tho most Important Industrie In this country Is practically abandoned on this account The wealthy farmer who can keep caretakers and dogs to guard bis dock may do well whh them, but tbe small farmer cannot afford euch protection, nnd aa It lms come to that state ot affairs when no guard no iheep It the rule, he hat no choice but to past by a branch of business that would yield ' him a certain, though perhaps not Yery large, revenue. |
