SHEEP AND WOOL 



showing to this Assembly that since the repeal of the 

 late law granting a premium for destroying wolves, 

 they have increased and done much damage by killing 

 sheep in said Goshen, and consequently, he having ex- 

 pended considerable time and money for that purpose, 

 hath since the first day of May, last, taken, killed and 

 destroyed three grown wolves in said Goshen; praying 

 for such a sum of money to be paid him out of the pub- 

 lic treasury of this State as he would have been entitled 

 to receive had said act never been repealed: as per 

 memorial on file : Resolved by this Assembly, that the 

 memorialist have liberty to receive the sum of twelve 

 pounds lawful money and the Treasurer of this State 

 is hereby ordered and directed to pay the same accord- 

 Ingly." 



In 1786 a pack of four wolves descended on the set- 

 tlement of Norfolk and eighty men went out to hunt 

 them, fearing their depredations on the flocks. These 

 two incidents indicate something of the natural draw- 

 backs to the sheep industry from its beginning. 



That dogs were a menace to flocks even in those early 

 days is evident in the ruling that in 1736 gave to the 

 "sheep selectman" authority to kill dogs. In one town, 

 at the town meeting held April 26, 1742, it was "Voted 

 that there shall be three pounds drawn out of the town 

 treasury for every grown wolf that shall be killed within 

 the limits of this town, and for every wolf whelp thirty 



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