[20] 



CHAPTER II. 



STATISTICAL INFOEMATION. 



Tennessee has labored under many disadvantages in re- 

 gard to sheep raising, and consequently the actual capacity 

 of the State has never been tested. In the first place, pre- 

 vious to the war between the States, the attention of farmers 

 was directed mainly to horses and mules and to the crops 

 from the soil, instead of to the production of sheep. The 

 work was mainly done by negroes, a large number being 

 owned in the State, and the cultivation of cotton, tobacco, 

 hemp and corn mainly engaged the attention of farmers. 

 But few saw proper even to raise enough wool to make the 

 necessary clothing for the population, hence there was an 

 actual falling off in sheep from 1850 to 1860. 



What few did engage in the business became greatly dis- 

 couraged by the inroads of dogs. Almost every family 

 raised dogs; many of the well-to-do farmers owning packs 

 of hounds, and no negro considered his outfit complete with- 

 out one or more worthless curs. Being half fed in many 

 instances, they naturally sought to provide for themselves, 

 and the sheep being a remarkably timid animal, running 

 from the sight of a dog, they fell an easy prey. Thus it 

 was that the flocks of the few who did engage in sheep hus- 

 bandry suffered so severely that many abandoned the busi- 

 ness in sheer despair. 



At the same time but little effort was made to utilize 

 the immense natural pastures with which the State 

 abounds. Men thought it too small a business to watch 

 constantly the sheep as they roved through the highlands, 

 and hence many sheep were totally lost by straying, were 

 stolen or were destroyed by wolves, foxes, eagles and vul- 

 tures. Although many of the same advantages presented 



