130 [Assembly 



SHEPHERD DOGS AND POULTRY. 



JYew-York, Dec. 1846. 



Sir: — I received a circular a few clays since, notifying me that I 

 was awarded at the late Annual Fair of the Institute, with three co- 

 pies of agricultural books, for my exhibition of a dog and poultry, 

 and also, a silver medal for the best specimen of Rye. You request 

 a statement of the peculiarities of the different breeds, and the quali- 

 ty of the soil, mode of culture, &c., of the rye. 



The dog was a Scotch shepherd dog. These dogs, I consider, the 

 most valuable breed that we are acquainted with, for the farm, un- 

 less they are required for the churn, for which purpose they would 

 be found rather too small. With little training they can be taught to 

 driv^e cattle and sheep, which appears to be to them a delightful em- 

 ployment. They will remain faithful to their duty at all times, un- 

 til their feet are cut and almost worn to the bone. They will seldom 

 bear whipping, but if well treated by their owners, will be their 

 constant companions about the farm, always ready to do their bid- 

 ding. The mother of my slut was perhaps the best broke dog we 

 have ever had in this country. She was used at the upper Bulls 

 Head, where she was employed daily to drive droves of cattle from 

 the pasture grounds near the city, to the pens where they were ex- 

 posed for sale; and then to drive such as remained unsold to their 

 pastui'age again in the evening, which she would do w'ith the direc- 

 tion of a single individual on horseback, whose commands she obey- 

 ed with great alacrity. She would also drive large droves of sheep 

 from the country to market, keeping them all together both day and 

 night, exercising at all times the greatest vigilance over them, and 

 becoming so well acquainted with each individual sheep as to be 

 able to separate him from any other flock. These dogs are peculiar- 

 ly valuable to the western farmer, who feeds his flocks upon the prai- 

 ries. I have sent four of my slut's pups for such purpose to Wis- 

 consin and one to Illinois. 



The geese which I exhibited were of an unknown breed; for the 

 want of another name, I called them the Dutchess breed. They some- 

 what resemble the Poland. Tiiey are larger than the Bremen geese, 

 small boned, and very fine when well fatted and killed young. The 

 smallest goose we had weighed thirteen pounds alive. I had a gos- 

 ling of this season, for my table, which R^eighed, dressed, sixteen 

 pounds. 



