REPORTS OP DELEGATES. 207 



breed with reference to draft. Of swine there is no reason why 

 they should not have the best of all the improved breeds. Over 

 500 hogs are annually raised. But of all branches of agricul- 

 ture, and of places suited for it, sheep raising is the business 

 and Nantucket is the place. As early as 1653, Capt. Humphrey 

 Atherton obtained leave from the old Provincial Government 

 to pasture sheep on the Island of Nantucket, subject to the 

 rules of the Colony regulating the keeping of sheep. 



From that time till about a dozen years ago, sheep have been 

 kept upon the island in great numbers, running at large upon 

 the uninclosed lands, of which there are several thousand 

 acres. About twelve years since, some of the owners of the 

 common lands, who were not owners of sheep, determined that 

 the lands should not be fed, and proceeded to impound all 

 sheep going at large ; a bitter strife arose, which resulted in 

 driving the sheep from the commons, and the island, and none 

 are now kept except in inclosures, there being now only some 

 1,200 to 1,500 in all ; while the thousands of acres which 

 might be so profitably used are growing up to foul weeds and 

 bushes. The extermination of sheep seem to me to have been 

 a great mistake, and they who did it, like " the base Indian, 

 threw away a pearl worth half his tribe." The number of 

 sheep at that time was about eight thousand ; they averaged 

 three pounds of wool to the fleece — worth perhaps 35 cents per 

 pound, which would be $8,500. The lambs, carcases, and 

 pelts would easily bring enough to make an annual income 

 from the sheep, of ten thousand dollars. 



I see no reason why this land, more profitable and more 

 valuable for sheep raising than for any thing else, should not be 

 profitably occupied by the employment of shepherds to tend 

 and herd the sheep. In Scotland, Spain, France, Texas and 

 New Mexico, the sheep are pastured the year through on 

 moors, prairies or vast uninclosed lands, from 500 to 600 being 

 under the charge of one shepherd, who, with his dogs, manages 

 them completely. 



The wages of a shepherd would not be very high, and he 

 might not be wanted in winter when the sheep are put up — at 

 any rate, when divided on each sheep, the amount would be 

 very small, much less than would be the cost of pasturing else- 

 where, or the interest on the cost of fencing an equal amount 



