394 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE Off. Do 



good judges of wool would hardly believe, when told that the wool 

 was grown on sheep, hied and raised in Western Pennsylvania. 

 The length of staple was much shorter and the wool was lull of a 

 gray sand which colored it. This wool could not in 1 sold for the price 

 which it would have commanded if ii had been grown in Western 

 Pennsylvania. So it appears that parts of Western Pennsylvania 

 arc well adapted to growing good wool. 



Put from present appearances in Washington county those en- 

 gaged in the sheep and wool business will have to direct their atten- 

 tion to some other business. With the development of the gas or 

 soft coal it is bringing into the western counties of the State, a popu- 

 lation of miners and with that population about two hungry, worth- 

 loss dogs per family, the owners of which are moving from one 

 mine to another and do not pay any tax on the dogs or if they remain 

 long enough in one place, to have a tax assessed against the dogs, 

 the collector is unable to collect it as there is nothing he can levy 

 on unless it would be a house full of ignorant children. And the re- 

 sult is w r e do not get any revenue from the owners of a majority of the 

 dogs to pay the loss sustained by the flock-master for his loss. 'In 

 our county in 1904, the dog tax collected was $5,656, but this was 

 insufficient to pay the loss to the flock-masters. 



We say, if the sheep-breeder and wool-grower cannot have better 

 protection to his flocks from dogs by better legislation in the State 

 of Pennsylvania, they will be forced to give up the business of breed- 

 ing and growing sheep and wool. 



Mr. Taylor called attention to the fact that he had samples of wool 

 upon the table, representing wool from various kinds of sheep, each 

 sample tagged to show from what kind of. sheep it came, which he in- 

 vited any of the members present to examine. 



On motion, duly seconded, the report of Mr. Taylor was adopted. 



The CHAIRMAN: The next number on the program is entitled 

 "When Shall We Leave the Farm?" by Mr. E. E. Chubbuck, of 

 Rome, Pa. 



The following is the paper read: 



WHEN SHALL WE LEAVE THE FARM? 



By E. E. Chcbbuciv, Rome. Pa. 



It is with much hesitation that I even attempt to address this 

 audience, but I have been so impressed with certain conditions that 

 I venture to present a few thoughts. 



You are all familiar with the fact that throughout the New Eng- 

 land states, as well as our own and adjoining slates, there is a 

 vast number of rented and abandoned farms. In a certain village 

 in New England an abandoned church lifts its spire among a cluster 

 of abandoned homes. The vacant store keeps company with the 

 empty blacksmith shop. The silent street hears no footfall, and 



