EAST OF THE MISSISSIPPI EIVER. 245 



who have continued in it have, by their skill and good judgment, partially redeemed 

 us mid h.ivc shown what may he done. They have made their sheep to average 

 (Franklin County, 1880) $4.50 each, which in 1845 were valued at $1.67 each, and the 

 lambs, thru worth $1.50, they have brought to the average of $4.50 each, and no end 

 to the demand. The wool, too, from these sheep has come to 4 and 6 pounds, worth 

 42 cents, against 2 pounds and 14 ounces at 38 cents, in 1845. 



Iii the closing words of his report Mr. Grinnell presents the reverse 

 of the picture : 



We can not, however, expect to have this line of profitable farm industry extended 

 as it should be, until an anti-canine millenium shall dawn on our great and general 

 court, and give them light and sense and independence enough to legislate for the 

 protection of our harmless, necessary sheep, against the bloodthirsty, carnivorous 

 brother of the wolf. Each succeeding year seems to be harder for sheep-raising than 

 the previous one; and we almost despair of relief as we see in the indifferent legis- 

 lator the grasping dog-owner and pot-hunter, and an occasional selfish farmer, who. 

 having lost no sheep himself, desires a repeal of all dog laws a trinity for the encour- 

 agement of mischief and the suppression of industry. 



It is the general opinion among observing people that the degree of 

 civilization or culture of the rural population is shown by the propor- 

 tion of sheep-killing or mongrel dogs that are permitted among them. 

 Massachusetts had 3 per cent of her sheep killed by dogs in 1890, and 

 yet, says a recent publication, "when it was proposed to muzzle all 

 dogs in the State ladies attended the sitting of the Senate chamber 

 with poodles in their laps, and an eloquent speaker made such a' moving 

 address on cruelty to animals that members were observed to weep." 

 The country in the vicinity of Fitchburg, Worcester County, is well 

 adapted to sheep-raising, and that county in 1836 raised 28,276 sheep, 

 against 3,224 in 1885. At a fair and cattle show held some time since 

 at Fitchburg no premiums were paid for sheep, but $2.25 was paid for 

 St. Bernard dogs and 50 cents to a pug pup. The secretary of the 

 Massachusetts board of agriculture reported in 1889 that sheep hus- 

 bandry would be profitable were it not for the increasing ravages of 

 dogs, and that it appeared to be only a question of time when sheep 

 would only be kept on the farms of those who could afford to guard 

 them from the ravages of dogs by shepherds. 



The value of sheep as fertilizers was early recognized in Massachu- 

 setts, and the valley of the Connecticut furnishes an instructive lesson 

 of the benefits of the sheep husbandry to the tobacco-grower. Prior 

 to 1869 long-wooled sheep were imported from Canada and fed upon the 

 tobacco lands as one of the most efficient and economical means of sup- 

 plying abundantly the animal manures required for the successful cul- 

 tivation of tobacco. This practice was found so profitable that it was 

 quite generally followed throughout the Connecticut Valley, both in 

 Massachusetts and Connecticut. Mr. J. F. C. Allis, of East Whately, 

 Mass., made a statement in 1878 of the plan pursued by himself, which 

 may stand as the course followed by other practical farmers engaged in 

 that industry: 



We feed from 200 to 600 sheep, buying in the fall and selling in the spring. We 



