20 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



THE SHEEP INDUSTRY IN MASSACHUSETTS. 



BY MR. L. B. HARRIS, LYNDONVILLE, VT. 



Within the memory of many of us the most of the farms 

 in Massachusetts had a small flock of sheep. They did not 

 go out of existence as the result of any one cause, but dropped 

 out one by one, the owners hardly realizing that their indi- 

 vidual act was the part of a great movement, Neither did 

 the onlooker realize what was going on. The first we knew, 

 there were no sheep. Is it a cause for regret 'i Is their dis- 

 appearance a loss to Massachusetts agriculture i Some of 

 us enthusiasts in the business will, under the influence of 

 sentiment, perhaps, maintain that the State has suffered a 

 loss. I am not certain that such is the case, and is not the 

 fact that all these level-headed men have dropped out of the 

 business sufiicient proof that it was for the best ? 



The dairy interest in the State has increased to a wonder- 

 ful total in this movement. The modern dairy barn is as 

 poor a place to keep a sheep as can well be imagined ; besides, 

 to operate a dairy to its utmost requires the undivided at- 

 tention of the owner. 



Again, the necessity of a flock for its wool is gone. Who 

 of you would think of having your clothing made in your 

 own homes, from the backs of your own sheep, as your fathers 

 did ? Few indeed have even their mittens of homespun now. 

 The difiiculties of supplying the table with meat the year 

 around is not as great as in the olden time, so that dressing 

 a lamb or a wether for the family use is not as necessary as 

 then. 



Although I should not dare to assume a mortgage and ex- 

 pect to pay it by any other means, I will not quarrel with 

 the men Avho have quietly dropped out of the sheep business 



