136 



points to a loss of half a million sheep killed and as many more wounded 

 by dogs, involving an actual loss of two million dollars, and a construc- 

 tive and none the less real loss to production of many millions more. 

 Millions of dollars' worth of rich grasses and other vegetation annually 

 go to waste in the open and grassy forests, and in the old fields and 

 waste places of the South, because there are no sheep to feed ujjon 

 them ; and the reason why sheep are not thus utilizing this spontaneous 

 production is, the presence of dogs. 



The following not<^s are but samples of complaints coming up from 

 every quarter of the land : 



Essex County, New Jersey. — ^jSTo sheep kept merely for fleeces, on ac- 

 count of dogs. 



King George, Virginia. — More than half the flocks destroyed by dogs 

 this winter. 



Greenville, South Carolina. — Dogs increasing faster than sheep ; wool- 

 growers are slaves to dogs. 



Sumter, South Carolina. — Thirty sheep killed by dogs in one night. 



Yazoo, Mississippi. — Half the sheep have been killed by dogs. 



WilMnson, Mississippi. — At one time, twenty-three killed. 



Lincoln, KentucJcy. — Dogs are a serious drawback to wool-growing. 

 Our legislators have been importuned, time and again, to give protection, 

 but they have turned a deaf ear to our appeal. 



Eush, Indiana. — The slaughter is severe in every township. 



Ripley, Indiana. — Sheep do well when not molested by dogs. 



Warren, Indiana. — Large numbers killed by dogs. 



Parlce, Indiana. — The loss has been ten per cent, by dogs last winter. 



Fayette, Ohio. — No losses except from dogs. 



Morgan, Illinois. — Selling off for mutton, on account of dogs. 



Edicards, Illinois. — Our correspondent lost sixty fine grade South 

 Downs killed by dogs, and many injured. 



Scott, Illinois. — Dogs destroy more than all diseases. 



Scott, Missouri. — Sheep could be profitablj" kept but for dogs. Many 

 persons thinli the United States government should levy a tax on dogs. 



loiva County, loiva. — There is no disease but the dog disease. 



Rusl; Texas. — ISTo disease among sheep, but great loss from dogs kill- 

 ing them at night ; and, unless dogs are restrained from running at 

 large, as they do here, sheep will become extinct in the county. 



Similar notes could be multiplied indefinitely. While the reduction 

 of taxation is the tendency of the times, a tax by the general govern- 

 ment upon dogs, like that of British and European governments, would 

 prove a hundred-fold more benefit than hardship, relieving the poor of 

 the great burden of keeping them, and society of the intolerable nui- 

 sance of worthless dogs, at the same time improving the animals worth 

 the value of a tax, and taking from the industry of wool-growing one of 

 its greatest burdens of taxation. The following table of actual returns 

 is appended : 



