1907.] SHEEP BREEDING. 24S 



raising money to defray the expenses of the Assistant Com- 

 missioner of Agriculture in going to Washington to advocate 

 that bill. The man worked hard night and day, Went without 

 any compensation whatever, and it was not fair that he should 

 in addition pay his own expenses. We thought it would be 

 a good thing for the farmers' institute to undertake to raise 

 enough money to defray the expenses of the delegate from 

 that great dairy state to Washington to look out for the 

 interests of the dairymen, and, do you know, my friends, that 

 while taking up that collection, I saw farmers whose business 

 it was he was trying to protect, and who had a vital interest iia 

 that legislation, drop ten cents in that hat. I want to tell you 

 we cannot get anything out of the legislature in that way, 

 and we do not deserve to have anything. When the time 

 comes that the farmers will stand together and say, " We 

 demand this," then they will get some help and some en- 

 couragement from the legislature and they will get a dog 

 law that will protect. If there are drawbacks to the success 

 of the sheep industry in Connecticut there are none, I am sure 

 but what can be overcome. The greatest drawback that I 

 can pick out to the possible destruction of sheep by dogs is 

 the gross indifference of the farmers themselves. (Applause.) 

 I want to tell you that the small, poorly-tilled, behind-the-times 

 farm, with an indifferent proprietor, stands more in the way 

 of success of sheep breeding than all the dogs in the state. 

 A farmer will buy the best grain he can buy. He will select 

 the finest wheat. He will screen it until there isn't a trace of 

 a shrunken berry in it. He will buy beans and screen them 

 until there is not an imperfect bean in the lot. He will send 

 up to a man in some other state and get the best potatoes that 

 it is possible, the most improved variety, and the best quality. 

 And after he has done all that he will go and buy the cheapest 

 farm anywhere in the country, and then because it is not 

 satisfactory he will curse the whole business. My friends, you 

 cannot be and never will be successful in that kind of a way. 

 A man who starts out determined to succeed and who puts 

 some energy into his farming, who studies his work, and takes 

 a pride in it, that man, no matter if he is in competition with 

 men who are better located, and who perhaps are better 

 equipped, will get a profit that is greater than can be gotten 

 out of any other branch of farming. I just want to tell you, 



