219 



sheep are remarkably liealthy. Eighty to ninety per cent, of lambs have 

 been raised this season. The great enemy to wool and sheep-raisers 

 is the large number of dogs that infest this State. They are a great 

 nuisance, and destroy more sbeep than all other casualties combined — 

 wild animals included. If a national tax of $2 on male, and $5 on fe- 

 male dogs was collected, it would give great relief to the sheep-raiser, 

 and prove a blessing to the wool interests generally of this State, besides 

 reducing an intolerable nuisance. This is the general complaint of all 

 owners of sheep. 



Sacramento County, Cal. — Urge upon Congress the necessity of having 

 a national tax upon dogs. '•^ Beicare of dogs ;^'' let us rid the country of 

 them, or if people will indulge in canine luxuries, let them pay for it. 



MOKTALITY AMONG SHEEP. 



Williams County, Ohio. — Since last report some flocks of sheep have 

 been decimated by disease, principally grub in the head. One of my 

 neighbors lost seventy out of a flock of about two hundred ; another^ 

 with a flock of seventy-five, lost all but eleven ; other flocks are in good 

 condition. 



Focahontas County, W. Va. — The mortality among sheep has been very 

 great during the spring in consequence of the unfavorable weather and 

 former neglect. Consequently the loss of lambs is very heavy. 



Bourhon County, Ky. — I have heard of no disease among sheep in 

 this county ; a very few have been killed by dogs ; I think three for each 

 one hundred in the county would probably more than cover the loss. The 

 loss of lambs results from inclement weather, as it is not the custom to 

 shelter or house our sheep. 



Adair County, Mo. — Fifteen out of each hundred sheep in this county 

 have died of the scab and other diseases. Five per cent, of the lambs 

 have also died. These t^re low estimates. 



Bates County, Mo. — A flock which, at the time of my last re])ort, com- 

 prised one thousand three hundred and fifty fine-wool sheep, have all 

 died but twenty of the scab. 



Tuscola County, Mich. — Sheep have not done well ; neither have lambs. 

 I think that fully eight per cent, of the whole number of sheep have 

 died. 



Appanoose County, loica. — The loss of sheep and lambs this spring is 

 very great. Entire flocks have been destroyed by scab, which prevails 

 to an alarming extent. The loss of lambs in early spring exceeds any- 

 thing I ever saw here ; in some cases flock-masters allowed their lambs 

 to perish by sheer neglect, and in other instances every lamb has been 

 lost. 



KanJcaJcee County, III. — Many sheep have died of scab. A large num- 

 ber are being driven west. 



Pike County, III. — The wolves have killed fully one-half of the lambs 

 in the county. 



Randolph County, 111. — The winter has been extremely wet, and, lambs 

 and sheep being without shelter, the loss has been almost total. 



Washington County, Ohio. — In one flock of twelve hundred sheep, four 

 hundred died ; in another flock there was a loss of two hundred. Out- 

 side of these flocks, the loss has been about as usual, eleven per cent. 



DISEASE AMONG COWS. 



Windsor County, Vt. — Cows in this and some other counties are abort- 



