GRAY WOLVES AND COYOTES 239 



land, with an area of only 50,867 square miles, has 

 about five times as many as Montana. In Montana 

 sheep are herded in immense flocks ; in England every 

 landowner and farmer keeps a small flock. 



"The advantage of sheep upon the farm as weed- 

 destroyers is not usually appreciated in America. 

 The Iowa Agricultural Experiment Station reports 

 that out of 600 species of grasses and weeds, cattle 

 are known to eat only 50, horses 82, while sheep eat 

 550. "With abundance of pasturage, favorable cli- 

 mate, good prices for wool and mutton, and increased 

 fertility and productiveness of the soil upon which 

 sheep are grazed, there should be a decided advance 

 in the sheep industry. 



' ' The chief discouragement seems to lie in the dep- 

 redations of worthless dogs and coyotes. The evil of 

 worthless dogs can be best remedied by a resort to 

 taxation. Dogs should be regarded as property and 

 taxed sufficiently to put all of the dangerous and 

 worthless curs out of existence." 



The methods which have and may be used to 

 lessen this pest by traps and poison are dis- 

 cussed in the final chapter. Here it may be said 

 that none of them are as satisfactory as fenc- 

 ing, in spite of the stimulation of bounties by 

 States and counties, and of the encourage- 

 ment of hunting coyotes as a sport and good 

 sport it is when one rides to Russian wolf- 

 hounds or greyhounds. 



