78 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Jan. 



in my opinion ; and I would advise cautiousness in regard 

 to breeding sheep. 



Mr. Sage of the " Homestead," Springfield. I believe, if 

 we are to bring about the salvation of our hill towns, it is 

 more by the use of sheep than in any other way ; and I would 

 like to ask Mr. Cruikshanks whether it is not practicable to 

 employ trained shepherds, with trained dogs, to watch the 

 flock. Suppose a syndicate should buy up a thousand acres 

 of Berkshire land, and fence it, and also provide a competent 

 shepherd, and make him responsible for the flock, — what do 

 you think of that ? 



Mr. Cruikshanks. I should say, in answer to the ques- 

 tion, that I have had no experience in the matter. I left 

 my native land before I was old enough to have anything to 

 do in that way ; but I have read a great deal about it, and 

 I can distinctly remember seeing the shepherd driving his 

 sheep, with his short petticoat, plaid over his shoulder, 

 Scotch cap, and dog by his side. I can remember distinctly 

 all that ; and it may be in the memory of some how the late 

 Richard S. Fay brought a Scotch shepherd to this country 

 to herd his sheep at Glenmere, near Salem. I went to the 

 place and saw Mr. Fay at the time, and likewise the shep- 

 herd. It is the practice in Scotland, and it is the only way 

 that sheep can be kept there, because they have no fences. 

 On those large mountain ranges, sheep are herded in that way 

 by the shepherd and his dogs. One dog is worth a dozen 

 men. A dog understands just as well by a simple word 

 what direction to take, and he will bring the sheep all 

 together into an inclosure. One thing may be interesting 

 to this audience, and that is the test of a good shepherd 

 dog. There are prizes ofi'ered in Scotland for shepherd 

 dogs. Their trainer takes ten or a dozen sheep, and puts 

 them into a pen full of sheep. The prize is offered for the 

 dog that will go into that flock and pick out his own sheep 

 in the shortest time. A man with such a dog can herd sheep 

 on the mountain side. 



Prof. H. E. Alvord. While at Houghton farm I em- 

 ployed a shepherd for the care of a flock of sheep rang- 

 ing from two hundred to four hundred in number. Sheep 

 for mutton, and early lambs should be kept out throughout 



