No. 4.] REPORT OF SECRETARY. xix 



plant, and best results have been obtained when wheat or 

 rye has been sown with the alfalfa. The first cutting of 

 alfalfa and rve or wheat may be put in the silo if conditions 

 are bad for curing hay. 



There have been formed quite a number of alfalfa-grow- 

 ing associations or clubs during the past season, among which 

 are the Worcester County Alfalfa Association, the IS'ew Eng- 

 land Alfalfa Growers' Association and the Connecticut Al- 

 falfa Growers' Association, thus showing that there is a lively 

 interest in the question, and that steps are being taken to 

 grow the crop in a large way. There is no reason why our 

 lighter soils should not be used to grow alfalfa, as there is 

 a ready sale for the product at good prices, and no better 

 food for dairy animals has yet been discovered. It is diffi- 

 cult at present to obtain good seed, but we hope soon to have 

 an abundant supply either from th6 government, which is 

 conducting some splendid experiments, or from private 

 sources where good seed is recognized as the most important 

 factor in growing the crop. 



Sheep. 

 One often wonders, while going over our State, why more 

 sheep are not raised, and when the question is brought up 

 for discussion one generally gets the answer that dogs are 

 the chief reason why the farmers do not raise sheep. There 

 is no doubt that dogs do destroy many sheep ; but if the busi- 

 ness is, or could be made, profitable is it not a fair question 

 to ask why dogs are allowed to ruin the sheep business any 

 more than the San Jose scale or other insects are allowed to 

 ruin the fruit business ? ISTo doubt the sheep business is not 

 profitable as at present conducted; but if enough farmers 

 could get together and pool their pastures and engage a man 

 to care for the sheep in large flocks, there would seem to be 

 a fair opportunity for profit in the business. Much land 

 remote from markets should be used for this purpose, while 

 crops could be grown for winter sheep food that would not 

 pay if grown for distant shipment. Sheep are being raised 

 in England, Scotland and Wales on much more restricted 

 areas than here, although their dogs out-number ours five 



