120 MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURE. 



to the kinds of sheep we would choose for our purpose, none 

 better than these of which we have spoken could be selected ; 

 and for adaptedness of locality, of plain, of hill and valley 

 and character of soil, none better could be found than is em- 

 braced within the limits of this agricultural district. There 

 is no part of it but is exceedingly well adapted to sheep 

 husbandry. On both sides of the Connecticut, away on the 

 east, across, and on the plains of the Wilbraham highlands, 

 and on the west as it stretches its undulating way to the very 

 summits of the Berkshire hills, — all this country is admirably 

 suited for this purpose, and it seems as though the finger of 

 Divine Providence pointed significantly to these grand pasture 

 ranges, these broad plains and fertile valleys, as the natural 

 home, of the shepherd and his gentle flocks. 



From these natural conditions, .one would expect to find 

 these hill-sides and valleys abounding in flocks of fine and 

 valuable mutton sheep, and would suppose that the intelligent 

 farmers of this region would appreciate the great advantages 

 to be derived from them, and upon every farm more or less 

 of them would be found. This, however, is not the case, and 

 it is rare to find any flocks, even of moderate size, within the 

 limits of the county. 



Objections are raised against the keeping of this kind of 

 stock as being less profitable than the dairy ; that the keeping 

 of cows for their milk and butter, together with the raising 

 of tobacco, yields a larger return ; and then, also, the constant 

 loss and injury to the flocks of sheep by dogs, interferes 

 materially with the success of this kind of husbandry. The 

 profitableness of the production of milk and tobacco depends 

 mostly upon the surrounding conditions and circumstances. 

 Our valley farmers, whose nearness to market admits of a 

 ready and profitable sale of their milk, and whose laud is 

 well adapted for raising tobacco,- undoubtedly oftentimes 

 realize large profits from these products, and yet even on 

 this account we fail to see how it need prevent the keeping a 

 suitable number of good sheep, or how they would tend to 

 diminish the profits of the farm. In r gard to those who are 

 more distant from the market, and whose milk must first be 

 converted into butter or cheese before it is sold, and whose 

 land is more hilly and not adapted to the culture of tobacco, 



