THE SOUTHEAST STATES. 255 



author beyond a doubt. Where these dogs are kept in more than 

 usual numbers, no flock is safe at night outside of a substantial 

 enclosure, or in the daytime without an attendant. A method of 

 protection, however, may be made available in traps and fence- 

 guards, such as have been described in a previous chapter. 



THE REGION OF THE SOUTHERN STATES. 



Sheep-keeping in the Southern States has suffered greatly from 

 competition with cotton-growing. Heretofore, the peculiar system 

 of labor was better calculated for working in gangs in the cotton, 

 tobacco, sugar-cane, and rice fields, than for the independent labors 

 of ordinary farming. On the plantation, sheep were out of place, 

 excepting where grain, grass, and live stock were produced, as in 

 some notable cases in Virginia. On the farm, sheep are an ab- 

 solute necessity to the most economical management, wherever 

 they can possibly be accommodated. 



Now, under the changed system of labor, the farm is rapidly 

 taking the place of the plantation ; and amongst the varied 

 industries belonging to the farm, the rearing of sheep must 

 undoubtedly take a foremost place. For the fine- wool sheep there 

 are few better localities than are afforded by the Southern States. 

 The climate is very similar to that of countries where the Merino 

 has attained its highest excellence. Northern Africa, and Southern 

 and Central Europe, have been the homes of this sheep for more 

 than two thousand years, and our Southern States not only offer an 

 equally favorable climate, but possess in their native grasses, 

 equally good, if not a better pasturage. They have also immense 

 tracts of land covered with the grasses which are useless for any 

 other purpose, and are consequently to be purchased for very low 

 prices. 



The grasses of the Southern States of the greatest value for 

 sheep pasture, have hitherto been considered the greatest pest of 

 the planter. " Bermuda-grass" (Cynodon Dactylori), " Wire-grass" 

 (Aristida stricta), " Crab-grass " (Elem'ne Induct), and " Crow- 

 foot" or "Barnyard-grass" (Panicum Crus-gall!), have been re- 

 garded as not only worthless, but plantations have been abandoned 

 on account of being overrun with some of these in spite of efforts 

 to keep them down by cultivation. Fortunately it is now known 

 that these abandoned fields will keep several sheep to the acre the 

 year round. In addition to this native pasture, a wonderful vanety 

 ef fodder crops are easily grown. 



In Dr. Howard's " Manual of the Cultivation of Grasses and 

 Fodder Plants at the South," are mentioned Lucern, the 



