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cents per pound, would bring $480,000. Now the use of the improved 

 rams would increase the carcass fifty per cent., or to 90 pounds each, and 

 the value of the mutton fifty per cent., or at 3 cents per pound, giving a 

 gross income of $1,080,000, or a gain in mutton alone of $600,000 thus 

 you would have an increase to the revenue of the farmers and breeders of 

 sheep from wool and mutton alone, about one and one-fourth million of 

 dollars, and that without adding one sheep to the flocks of the State 

 enough to pay the current expenses of the State and the interest on her 

 bonded debt at the scale. 



In making these estimates I have placed them far below the actual 

 weights and sales of imported mutton sheep. My own mutton sheep, the 

 past season, averaged 166f pounds, (nearly double the estimated weight). 

 After clipping lOf each of wool, which sold for 37*> cents, nearly double 

 the estimate on wool, and the mutton sold for 6 cents per pound, just 

 double the estimated price. 



Increase the number of sheep improved, to the capacity of the State, 

 and give to the sheep raiser proper protection by law, and the beneficial 

 results would be almost incalculable. In one sense of the word, sheep 

 husbandry may be classed among the smaller industries of the State, be- 

 cause it is so economical in all its bearings, and so little capital is required 

 to engage in it, even on an extensive scale. Yet in, the aggregate it is, or 

 ought to be, one of the greatest industries of the State. The small amount 

 of money that can be put into sheep husbandry by any one persom, suffi- 

 cient to stock their farms, is one of the principal objections urged against 

 it by men of capital while they admit that there is no live stock, which 

 the fanner handles, which pays a better dividend, in proportion to the 

 capital invested, than sheep, yet the income, in the aggregate, is too small. 

 Herein is where the profit of sheep husbandry will be to the masses of the 

 farmers of the State. With very little outlay of money each farmer can 

 add to his live stock as many sheep as he may desire, or can properly 

 handle in conjunction with the other duties of his farm, " here a little 

 and there a little" will the profits accrue, each sharing his portion, and 

 the industry will be so greatly diversified there will be the greater assur- 

 ance of protection. 



Our Supreme Court, although some of our Judges held to a contrary 

 opinion, decided against the constitutionality of the dog-law, which was 

 one of the best laws ever enacted by the Legislature, and although it has 

 been repealed, and it was in force but a very short time, its good effects in 

 ridding the State of many worthless dogs, and the" saving of sheep was 

 great, and is still manifest, without saying any thing about two hundred 

 thousand dollars or more that was paid into the State Treasury from this 

 canine luxurv. 



The farmers of the State should not rest until they get protection by 

 law for this industry. Within my knowledge parties from the Northern 

 States, who want to come to Tennessee and engage in sheep husbandry on 



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