176 



Shepherd's Dog. 



Vou IX 



ble, with their flock of a dozen hens, have 

 fresh eggs in plenty, ckiring the whole year, 

 say in all, 20U0, and 100 full grown chick- 

 ens ; and of all the animals domesticated 

 for the use of man, — if such be the fact, — 

 the hen is capable of yielding the greatest 

 profit to t!ie owner. It is a pleasant recrea- 

 tion to feed and tend a bevy of laying hens. 

 Care should be taken to change roosters 

 often, as otherwise the best variety in the 

 world will run out, and cease to be profitable 

 from breeding in and in : and I feel great 

 confidence that much improvement may be 

 made by due attention to crossing, and in 

 this way some of the evils from breeding be 

 averted. I have stated that I give my fowls 

 meat : this is indispensable, if they are not 

 allowed to go at large. If corn is fed out, 

 it should be soaked, and 15 bushels is a fair 

 yearly allowance for 12 hens and a rooster. 

 But they should always have food by them, 

 and after they have become habituated to 

 find enough at all times in the trough, they 

 take but a few kernels at a time, except just 

 before retiring to roost, when they will take 

 nearly a spoonful into their crops; but if 

 they are scantily or irregularly fed, they 

 will greedily snatcli up a whole crop full at 

 a time, and stop laying, and not unfrequently 

 engender some fatal disease. 



From the Central New York Farmer. 

 Shepherd's Dog. 



Messrs. Editors, — According to promise, 

 I send the description and character of my 

 Shepherd's dog. He is of humble pedigree; 

 his dam was of a poaching disposition, 

 caught pheasants on their nests in tJie sum- 

 mer, and was shot by the game-keeper, after 

 producing Boxer under a manger. His sire 

 was of a similar kind, caught hares in their 

 forms when out on dut^, and although 

 owned by the shepherd of a nobleman, even 

 the influence of aristocracy could not save 

 him; he was hung for his transgressions, al- 

 though he procured his master many a luxu- 

 rious meal, and he gave Boxer a good edu- 

 cation. 



Boxer's phiz is rather a remarkable one ; 

 though not beautiful, there is an animated 

 and intellectual look in his eye, and appear- 

 ance of quick imagination before action, that 

 make him interesting; he is of medium size, 

 a long curly coat, and without a tail, a good 

 criterion of the true kind. 



This dog is one of the most faithful and 

 affectionate of the brute creation, and I 

 should say knows as much as many of 

 the human race. His temper is exceeding- 

 ly docile, except when imposed upon, then 



he will defend himself with true cpurage; 

 going through the city, twenty dogs rnay 

 run, bark and growl, but Boxer will turn, 

 give a counter snarl, and bid defiance to all. 



He will go round any lot on the farm, 

 and fetch every sheep to you, and keep ' 

 them together until you examine the whole 

 flock, or take any number from it. He is 

 generally very obedient, and a moi-e indus- 

 trious animal never stood on legs; he is 

 more useful in driving a flock of sheep than 

 three men. If his assistance is required 

 among the cattle, he will take them to any 

 point required, and he knows a strange ani- 

 mal equally well witii myself Boxer is no 

 friend to hogs; if he sees one on the premi- 

 ses, out of the ?tye, he is off without orders. 

 If the peacock, fowls, turkeys, or ducks, en- 

 ter the garden, Boxer discovers them, or if a 

 whistle is given, they take to their wings or 

 legs innnediately. Should the geese enter 

 any of the lots, a whistle will soon bring 

 them into the road. Once show Boxer the 

 proper place for an animal, and he will 

 always bear it in remembrance. Make him 

 understand what you want him to do, and 

 he will perform his work with great saga- 

 city. 



It is sometimes my practice to let my 

 sheep in tlie road a few hours in the day, 

 wlien the feed is good, and take them at 

 night to very short pasture, to leave the 

 manure they collect; one evening Boxer 

 going to fetch them, brought all but one; 

 as soon as they had entered the gate, he 

 barked at the shepherd, and walked toward 

 the lost sheep, the pastor followed him to a 

 fence where a lamb was fastened; had he 

 remained, he must have died before morn- 

 ing. Two flocks of sheep came to the 

 washbrook at the same time, into one yard, 

 Cotswold and Merino. Boxer kept the di- 

 vision equally well as a board fence, not a 

 sheep escaped from either, the whole time of 

 washing. The old dog did this with much 

 judgment, and in a very quiet way, and the 

 good acts he had done elsewjiere, elicited 

 many complunents from his friends and 

 "■acquaintances.''' Give Boxer a fair chance 

 at a rat, and he is certain death. A ''skunk" 

 must die, notwithstanding its odor; a wood- 

 chuck must run, if he has far to get home; 

 and a dog must fight, — and bravely too, — if 

 Boxer catches him among the flock. 



He comes to his meals as regularly as 

 the cloth is laid, and if he is not noticed, he 

 will put his paw on each at table, until he 

 is fed. He fares as well as his master, who 

 is perfectly aware of his partiality and ster- 

 ling worth, and well compensated for every 

 meal. He is a more interesting companion 

 than many who call themselves men. Boxer 



