22 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [P. D. 4. 



gram is, perhaps, as important as ajiy, for the waste of food on 

 our farms is proverbial, and should be stopped. Practically 

 every farm can support a number of hogs on the crops which 

 would otherwise go to waste, and as this is one of the animals 

 which will do much toward correcting our meat shortage, more 

 hogs should be kept. Possibly in some sections, where there is 

 plenty of pasture, beef cattle could be kept instead of hogs. 

 Each and every method to conserve food should be practiced. 

 The revival of many of the old-time methods in New Eng- 

 land, as the grist mill, the pork barrel and the smoke house, 

 would do much toward making ourselves independent of the 

 rest of the country. 



The Sheep Question and the Dog Law Commission. 



The introduction of no less than 14 bills in the last Legisla- 

 ture relating to sheep and the dog nuisance led to the appoint- 

 ment of a commission to revise the dog laws of the State. This 

 commission consists of Judge Sanborn G. Tenney, A. E. Sea- 

 grave, assistant Attorney-General, W. C. Adams, chairman of 

 the Fish and Game Commission, and Wilfrid Wheeler, and was 

 organized by electing A. E, Seagrave chairman and Wilfrid 

 Wheeler secretary. This commission has held a number of 

 meetings, and has drawn the first draft of a new law. Already 

 one hearing upon the proposed draft has been held at Green- 

 field, and two more are planned before the Legislature assembles. 



In drafting this law the commission has endeavored to first, 

 restrain the dog, and second, enforce the law through the State 

 rather than by counties and towns. Opposition seems already 

 to have developed to changing the enforcement from county to 

 State, but the whole question must be looked at from a State- 

 wide standpoint. We know at this time that the present dog 

 laws are not enforced nor are dogs restrained. We know that 

 there is a decided demand to increase sheep in the State. We 

 also know that the dog is a retarding factor in the sheep in- 

 dustry. Therefore, knowing all this, the people of the State 

 have got to decide between the sheep and the dog; that is, 

 w^hether we will produce wool, mutton and hides, or allow this 

 important industry to lapse. 



