88 SHEEP. 



not to take advantage of the opportunities within our reach. Hun- 

 dreds of acres of pasture land in the County, partially worn out, 

 and full of shrubs which the cattle reject, may be improved by 

 stocking with sheep. At the same time the animals themselves will 

 probably pay a better profit than any other farm stock. 



There are two objections sometimes urged against the breeding 

 of these useful animals. One is the risk of loss from dogs. We 

 have not time to go into a dissertation on dogs. Those only are 

 valuable which remain at home. From such, properly restrained, 

 there is little danger. Roving dogs are dangerous and without 

 value. To kill all such is doing injury to nobody, but rendering 

 their owners and the public a positive charity. If farmers would 

 act in concert in this matter the risk of loss from these nuisances 

 would be vei'y little, for the nuisances themselves would be soon 

 abated. The other objection is insufficiency of fence. Formerly, 

 when sheep in much larger numbers than at present were kept in 

 the county, our fathers kept them within their own enclosures. It 

 is but a poor commentary on this age of improved farming, to say 

 that we cannot keep in repair the fences which they built. And 

 yet whoever travels over Essex County will be forced to admit its 

 truth. If our pastures are not fenced so as to secure sheep, they 

 ought to be. The improved breeds of she'ep give us an advantage 

 in this respect too, for being heavier than the old racers, they do 

 not leap fences half so readily, and are, therefore, restrained with 

 comparative ease. 



Every farm is not adapted to sheep breeding. Those best adapted 

 to the purpose are where there is an extent of elevated pasture, 

 such as we see in all parts of the county, being overrun with moss 

 and worthless bushes. The improvement of such would add much 

 to the agricultural value of the county. In the opinion of your 

 Committee the stocking of sheep would bring about this result. 



In short, your Committee recommend to ,every farmer, whose 

 land is adapted to them, to make trial of a few sheep. Give them 

 a fair chance in summer — bestow upon them moderate care at all 

 seasons — but at yeaning time give them your undivided attention — 

 feed well afterwards, particularly if the lambs are dropped early 

 in the year, and we think they will amply repay the pains and ex- 

 pense which may be bestowed upon them. 



T. E. PAYSON, Chairman. 



