Common Sheep. 367 



dogs, equally dangerous with the wild beasts of our forests. The 

 sheep-killmg dogs are more difficult to destroy ; because many of 

 their owners are scarcely ever sufficiently sensible of their enormi- 

 ties ; and seldom liberal enough to permit, without resentment, or 

 opposition, their destruction. So far are just sentiments from 

 being generally entertained on this subject ; that some owners of 

 common dogs, have indulged their vindictive passions to the inju- 

 ry of flock-masters ; whose faithful guardians have, in defence of 

 their charge, wounded or killed other dogs, lying in wait, or act- 

 ually found, under the most suspicious circumstances, among 

 flocks. 



It is idle to keep inferior sheep ; which are equally expensive 

 *With the best breeds, and yield the smallest profit. In the selec- 

 tions of breeds we should, however, be regulated by a sound dis- 

 cretion and attention to circumstances. Varieties and plenty of 



" the state of New -York, by Ezra L'Hommedieu, vice president of the soci- 

 " ety. 



" Mr. Walter Briggs, a respectable farmer in Scoharie, who keeps a lai-ge 

 "number of sheep, informs me that he loses noiie of them by wolves, which 

 " are plenty in that part of the country, and cannot be driven off or desti-oy- 

 *'ed except by traps. — He makes an ointment, composed of gunpowder and 

 *• brimstone, powdered fine and mixed with tar and gurr}-, or currier's oiL 

 *' With this he anoints the under part of the throat of the sheep. It must be 

 "renewed as often as the ointment becomes dry, or loses its moisture, which 

 " will be four or five times in a season. — He says he has lost no sheep since he 

 " has been in this practice, and has often seen the wolves' tracks among the 

 " shecps' tracks in the fields. He had a parcel of sheep which had been out 

 *' a number of weeks, and no care taken of them, except their necks being 

 " anointed with this ointment, when he was informed by his neighbor that the 

 " sheep were at his house, and that early on Sunday morning they came 

 "running into his door-yard — he looked out of the window, and saw a wolf 

 "among them, who ran from one sheep to another, and jumped upon them, 

 " but did not offer to bite any of them. The sheep were brought home, and 

 " none of them injured by the wolf 



*'I tliought it advisable to make this communication to the societ}% as 

 "many parts of our country are so infested i)y wolves, that they are obliged 

 *' to yard tlieir sheep every night, to prevent their being destroyed by tho.sc 

 " voracious animals." 



