258 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Jan., 



with a sheep. If you have good pastures, your sheep will 

 stay on them. I have been breeding the large mutton breeds 

 of sheep, and in my experience it is not necessary to run high, 

 strongly built fences across the meadows. I just stick a stake 

 down and nail on a wide board at the bottom, and carry my 

 bands above. The sheep do not want to wander because there is 

 nothing outside that is half as good. If I were to recommend 

 a fence for sheep, I should say build a fence, perhaps, as high as 

 that table. I would just put the posts about fifteen feet apart, 

 put a board or band wire rather thickly together at the bottom, 

 and stretch it further apart as you go up. Sheep are not the 

 disorderly animals that some people make them out to be. Of 

 course, there is a difference in breeds of sheep as to their 

 wandering propensity. There is one breed, in particular, the 

 Cheviot, that is naturally a wilder animal, and they will jump 

 more than any other. They are used to rustling up on the 

 boundary hills between England and Scotland. But for most 

 of the ordinary breeds, a low wire fence will be sufficient to 

 restrain them. 



The President. At about what age do you dock your 

 sheep? 



Mr, Ward. It depends somewhat upon the weather. If 

 the weather is good, I just as lief dock them at two days. 



The President. What time do you recommend ? 



Mr. Ward. Well, usually about a week later. Preferably 

 at about two weeks old. 



The President. Now if there are no further questions, I 

 believe we are to hear from Mr. Stadtmueller. 



Mr. Stadtmueller. Mr. President and Gentlemen: I 

 am on the program, I presume, more as a matter of formality 

 than anything else, and only by virtue of my position, perhaps 

 as the President now of the Connecticut Sheep Breeders' As- 

 sociation. Perhaps, in that capacity, however, I should have 

 a few words to say to you in discussing this matter. First, 

 along the line of desirability of sheep husbandry in the State 



