SHEEP HUSBANDRY IN THE SOUTH. 2S0 



stances, Mr. Peters gives, in the American Agriculturist, the foil )wlng 

 rharactinislic illustration, copied from a Scotch paper: 



" The master of the bitch purchased at a fair some eighty sheep, and having occasion to 

 tay a day longer, sent them forward and directed his faithful Colley to drive them home, u 

 distance of about 17 miles. The poor bitch, when a few miles on the road, dropped two 

 whelps; but faithful to her charge, she drove the sheep on a mile or two farther — ihen 

 allowiug them to stop, she returned for her pups, which she carried some two miles in 

 aivauce of the sheep, and thus she continued to do, alteniately carrying her own young ones, 

 and taking charge of the flock, till she reached home. The manner of her acting on this 

 occasion was gathered by the shepherd from various persons who had observed her on the 

 rocd. " 



The CoUeys aie not novr uncommon in the Northern States, and I have 

 often seen pi oofs of their singular sagacity in collecting, driving, and 

 guarding siieep, and in catching out one from the flock when directed by 

 their masbus. I have often seen one drive a flock of fifty or sixty sheep 

 through a crowed street, encountering teams, pedestrians, and other dogs 

 at every Hlep — without the slightest assistance. 



Acciij.sioMiNG THE oHEEP TO THE DoG. — It is a mistake to suppose that a 

 trained sheep-dog will manage any strange flock, however wild and unac- 

 customed to such company. The sheep must be gradually made acquainted 

 with, and accustomed to the dog. They must know — and they will 

 readily learn it — that he is their friend, their guardian and protector, 

 instead of that hereditary enemy which their instinct teaches them to fly 

 from. A ■•'vant of knowledge of this fact has frequently led to disappoint- 

 ment and disgust, to a giving up of the valuable dog which it has cost 

 pains and money to procure. Mr. Skinner relates a ludicrous incident of 

 Mr. Jefferson, arising from his not being apprized of this fact. A thoroughly 

 broken sheep-dog had been sent him from abroad, and the great Sage of 

 Monticello, after having held forth ore rotundo to some visitors, on the 

 value of these dogs, and their immense convenience — nay, their indispens- 

 abilily in managing flocks, led forth his guests to give a practical exempli- 

 fication of the qualities of his dog. At the word, the latter made for the 

 sheep. The terrified animals fled in all directions, some of them dashing 

 themselves over precipices and breaking their necks. The dog either 

 shared the same fate, or, mortified at his failure, felt his pride too deeply 

 wound<jd to return. Mr. Jeff'erson never recovered him ! 



WOOL DEPOTS. 



Comirlf-oion merchants who confine their operations exclusively to thi 

 sale of Wool, have opened large stores or " Depots," at three or four points 

 in the Northern States. Of the origin of this system, Mr. H. Blanchard, 

 of Kinderhook, N. Y., thus spoke at the Agricultural meeting at the 

 Assembly Chamber, Albany, Feb. 3, 1848 : 



" From farts that were ascertained by Hon. J. P. Beekman, (then President of the N. \ 

 State Agricultural Society,) at the State Fair held in Poughkeepsie. in 1844, he became con 

 vinced that the growers of Dutchess county, by reason of the superior facilities afforded 

 then- for tlie sale of their iine wools, were procuring from six to eight cents per pound mora 

 than many wool-growers in other sections of the State wno produced the same quality of 

 wool. The large quantity of fine wool grown in that county, offered great inducements foi 

 aianufactniv^rs ana purchasers of fine wool to make that a place of resort to obtain their sup 

 plies, and thus a fair competition was awakened, which resulted in a just appreciation of the 

 relative value of their wools, and remunerating prices to the fine wool grower. Soon after 

 Dr B.'s return, the evils consequent upon the system of selling wools in our county, as wel. 

 •S) elsewhere, became a matter of discussion between him and other wool-growers in out 

 "•'ciuity and myself, the result of which was a request from them that I would open what 

 we now term a " Wool Depot." The principles involved in the depot system are not new 

 tt Deing conducted \i\>on those of a commission business ; but it is only the details and appli 



3 O 



