87 
_ a8 it is, men, who are not able to buy their families bread, as a general thing, keep 
from two to tour worthless dogs, which at night flock together and attack hogs, 
calves, or sheep. I have known as high as forty head of sheep to be killed by 
dogs in one night. Why cannot dogs be declared a nuisance, and taxed so high 
that the owners will be compelled to destroy them ? 
Essex county, N. J—In the above territory, comprising about one-tenth of 
the county, and the portion chiefly devoted to agriculture, there were formerly 
kept about one thousand sheep, but owing to the great losses by dogs the rais- 
ing of them has been almost entirely abandoned. 
Pontotoc county, Miss—The loss of sheep by dogs is variously estimated 
from 500 to 2,000, but an average of 900 I think about correct. ‘There is one 
fact with regard to sheep-killing dogs worthy of mention: a full-blooded hound 
will not killa sheep; he may run after them, but will not kill them, while the 
cur or cross-bred hound will kill sheep whenever he catches them. 
Putnam county, Mo.—I cheerfully respond to your inquiry in relation to the 
ravages of dogs, as it is asubject of great importance to the farming community. 
I have taken no little pains to inform myself upon the subject, very few, if any, 
being aware cf the enormous damage done by these animals through the country 
in various ways. I presume that $100,000 would not more than meet the bill 
for our State within the past year for damage done to sheep and other stock, to 
say nothing about hydrophobia and other damage they cause. Farmers generally 
tell you that it costs nothing to keep a dog, but the truth is it costs more to keep 
a dog than a hog, the dog being a flesh-eating animal, and flesh he will get by 
fair or foul means. 
Miami county, Ohio —To answer your question about killing sheep, I have sent 
for report from the auditor of the State, and find that during the year 1865 the 
number of sheep killed by dogs in the county was 452 ; wounded, 162. Valueof 
sheep killed, $1,071; damage to wounded, $162 ; total, $1,233. Number of dogs, 
2,138. Sheep killed in the State, 31,603; wounded, 20,030; total killed and 
wounded in the State, 51,733. Stocks are increasing, and damage from dogs in 
proportion. 
St. Francis county, Mo.—I think it safe to say that at least fifteen per cent. 
of our sheep are destroyed by dogs, and until there be some law devised to 
reduce the number of dogs in our county, sheep-raising cannot be made profita- 
ble, nor will it be followed to any great extent, although there is no branch of - 
business better suited to this locality. 
‘ CALIFORNIA WINES. 
A variety of wines, received from several parties in California, attracted much 
attention in the museum of the Department of Agriculture during the past win- 
ter. Deeming the progress in wine manufacture upon the Pacifie coast in the 
highest degree encouraging and important, a number of congressmen and other 
connoisseurs were invited to test their quality, and a committee was appointed 
(Hon. G. V. Lawrence, of Pennsylvania, chairman) to report, with the following 
result : 
REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE. 
WASHINGTON Curry, March 4, 1867. 
Hon. Isaac NEWTON, Commissioner of Agriculture : 
Sir: The committee appointed by you at the request of the California dele- 
gation received from you the following communications : 
