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thought it not beneath them to devote the same abilities to 

 their home occupations that they carried with them into the 

 forum ; doubtless, much of their inspiration was drawn from 

 their constantly communing, when at home, with nature 

 and nature's works. History tells us that the great Roman 

 Empire did not begin to decline till her patriots and states- 

 men forsook their landed estates to dwell within the narrow 

 confines of walled cities. Let our landed proprietors look 

 to it in time, lest a like calamity should befall our own 

 country, for history is constantly repeating itself among all 

 nations. 



Instead then of lounging and loafing around our inland 

 towns, telling the news of the day and laughing at anecdotes, 

 let our men who own lands resort to them and engage in the 

 beautiful occupation of the agriculturist in some one of its 

 many branches. It is not to be expected that many persons 

 will devote themselves wholly to sheep raising, as our farm- 

 ing is, as a general thing, of a mixed character. But the 

 object of these pages is to teach those who wish to raise a 

 few sheep as well as those who wish to make it a specialty. 



There are so many advantages in having a few sheep on 

 every farm that the reader must pardon us for making a re- 

 sume of them, with the hope of impressing its importance 

 on some few of our many farmers who are without them. 

 They add to the comfort of the poor man, for it gives him 

 the means of clothing his family warmly, and since the abo- 

 lition of looms every observant man will see the shabby 

 manner in which many of our farmers are clad. When the 

 good housewife held sway over the clipping of her sheep, 

 she, with the daughters of the family, could find no better 

 occupation, during the long, tedious winter night, than to 

 spin and reel the fleecy rolls from the carding factory. A 

 willing hand and a cheerful spirit come of employment, and 

 soon the supply is hanging on the walls in the shape of 

 hanks of fine or coarse wool, some for wearing and other for 

 knitting. A few days are only required to convert these 



