294 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



. commenced his great improvements to perfect them into 

 the splendid " South-downs." 



The Merinos were introduced by Gen. Humphreys, min- 

 ister to Spain, from that country in 1802. 



DESTRUCTION OF SHEEP BY DOGS. 



For the purpose of ascertaining to some extent the opinions 

 and feelings of the farmers throughout the Commonwealth, 

 the Committee, adopting the plan of the Committee of 1860, 

 in this Board, sent out some two hundred circulars propos- 

 ing certain questions regarding sheep-husbandry. 



These were faithfully distributed by the members of the 

 Board, and a very liberal response was made from more than 

 one hundred sheep raisers and feeders in the State, who will 

 hereby please accept our thanks for the attention. 



To the inquiries in our circular, " Has the destruction of 

 sheep by dogs prevented sheep-raising, and to what extent? 

 and what cause is there, except the ravages of dogs among 

 flocks, why the keeping of sheep should not be general and 

 profitable ? " almost all of over a hundred replies are, that 

 the destruction of sheep by dogs has affected sheep-raising 

 injuriously. Some had not been troubled to a very serious 

 amount ; while many think it has nearly driven that indus- 

 try from their neighborhoods, and deprived them of a most 

 profitable business; and all, with a very few exceptions, 

 speak of it as a paying and desirable industry. Two or 

 three sheep-masters from Berkshire, where large flocks of fine 

 wools have for many years been kept on the extensive 

 ranges running over the southern end of the Green Moun- 

 tains, complain that depression in price, and fluctuations 

 in the tariff on wool, have discouraged their business of wool- 

 growing ; and two or three replied that poor fences and 

 inattention have had some effect in reducing the number 

 of sheep kept. We ought also to mention that one shep- 

 herd in South Berkshire thinks wild-cats have slaughtered 

 more sheep for him than dogs. He, however, proposes no 

 remedy. We do not purpose to enter into any discussion 

 of this question, nor to pile up statistics. The matter is 

 thoroughly understood throughout the Commonwealth ; and 

 the wrongs which farmers and those who would raise sheep 

 have endured must still be borne so long as Legislatures are 



