124 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



Farmers in this section make a great objection to sheep on 

 account of fencing. They do not malve any trouble with us. 

 Sheep will adapt themselves to their accustomed places. They 

 will sometimes get over walls ; but I would as soon fence against 

 sheep as cattle. My sheep are kept in a pasture where the wall 

 is not more than four and a half feet high. I do not buy and 

 sell. I raise, a few, and keep their morals good. Sheep can be 

 taught not to jump. To always have a good fence is the best 

 way. 



Col. P. W. Taft, of Worcester. — Is it not rather necessary to 

 have a good pasture, to begin with ? 



Mr. Smith. — I do not know as it is so. I know one man who 

 always kept the same flock, where his walls are very low, with 

 no poles on them, and the pasture not very good. But we do 

 generally pole our walls ; it is very simple and easy. 



Col. Taft. — There are some sheep that like to travel. 



Mr. Smith. — Get the Merinos, short-legged ones. They are 

 like some short-legged men, who rather sit down than travel. 

 (Laughter.) There is a great difference between them and the 

 spindle-shanked sheep. Sheep prefer to eat where the grass is 

 short, where they have eaten before. 



We have taken pains to raise a good quality of sheep, though 

 perhaps not so good as they raise in Vermont. When there is 

 a dry time, and feed becomes short, the flock can be reduced 

 without any detriment ; because, if the poorest ones are culled 

 out from a flock of two hundred, and the best breeding ewes 

 are retained, the flock the next year will be nearly as large, and 

 of a better quality. The lambs will be worth nearly as much as 

 those sold, for wool, though not quite so good for mutton. 



A Member. — Is it a benefit to a pasture to keep sheep ? 



Mr. Smith. — I know that in the eastern portion of the State 

 it is thought that sheep benefit a pasture ; but in our section 

 the keepers of sheep are of a contrary opinion. A- few years 

 ago, when some thought their farms were running out, and 

 sheep were low, they sold off their sheep and went into cattle 

 raising. Almost every one of those men will say he lost money 

 l)y shifting, and that he could make more money by keeping 

 sheep. But they will say, also, that their farms are better for 

 the change. That is the experience of the farmers on our hills. 

 I know it has been said that sheep leave a great deal of manure, 



