1861 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



303 



still loaded with fruit, of a superior size, and re- 

 sembling the best wild strawberries in flavor, 

 which was also, in other respects, very excellent. 

 I think that Cutter's Seedling Strawberry is des- 

 tined to take the same rank among strawberries, 

 as the Baldwin apple among apples. Like the 

 Baldwin apple, it may be excelled by some fancy 

 varieties in some particular quality, but no varie- 

 ty will compare with it in general qualities of 

 standard merit. 



Every man who owns a piece of land, ought to 

 have a strawberry bed, which will supply his fam- 

 ily with fruit, at a season when all fruit is scarce, 

 and when it is very necessary to the health ; and 

 as there is no other variety of the strawberry that 

 remains so long in a bearing condition, or that 

 produces so great an abundance of excellent fruit, 

 as Cutter's Seedling, I hope the public attention 

 will be directed to it, especially in connection 

 with Mr. Manning's nursery. 



Wilson Flagg. 



North Cambridge, April 2, 1861. 



For the New England Farmer. 

 DOGS VERSUS SHEEP. 



Mr. Editor, and Farmers of New England: 

 — Over one hundred thousand dollars damage 

 done by dogs, in the single State of Ohio, in one 

 year. So says the Report from the State Agri- 

 cultural Society — and this loss from the destruc- 

 tion of sheep alone, besides the other mischief 

 and trouble done by the race of curs, amounting 

 to about as much more, giving to these a money 

 value. When I read this statement, I could not 

 help thinking it was high time "every dog had his 

 day," and that a short one. I venture to say, that 

 in this country, taking the whole race of dogs to- 

 gether, not one in one thousand, is worth its 

 keeping, for the amount of good it does solely. 

 I have nothing to do now with those feelings of 

 love and attachment we naturally have, to a great- 

 er or less extent, for such an animal, after being 

 introduced into the household. 



Then, too, the enormous expense which is year- 

 ly incurred for the support of such a vast num- 

 ber of almost useless "pups," is frightful to con- 

 template. I think I could point out some fami- 

 lies, where the expense of maintaining their dogs, 

 of no value whatever to them, useless to all in- 

 tents and purposes, a constant source of annoy- 

 ance to their neighbors, is sufficient to give them 

 three hundred and fifty pounds of good A 1 pork 

 on Thanksgiving day ; and such a case is not 

 rare. In the vast majority of cases, this expense 

 falls upon those who might spend the money to 

 a much better advantage. In fact, there are fam- 

 ilies in this town, who receive aid from its trea- 

 sury, that keep from one to three dogs. Is this 

 right or just ? I merely ask for information. 

 We live in a free country — North. According 

 to a late report, here in this good, old, progres- 

 sive Commonwealth, the equality of numbers be- 

 tween the dog and sheep is about equal. I have 

 read a statement that the reason of the decline 

 of sheep culture in Massachusetts, and also in 

 some of the other States, is owing to the great 

 number of dogs ! In Ohio, and it will do for this 

 section, the question for the farmer to settle is, 

 •which shall be given up, dogs or sheep ? Now 



that the subject of sheep culture is occupying the 

 attention of our farmers to a larger extent than 

 for many years, is it not worth while to investi- 

 gate this "dog question" a little more ? As it 

 now stands, it is dog versus sheep ; but if the 

 former, after a fair trial, shall be weighed in the 

 balance, and found wanting, which seems to me 

 will be the verdict of an impartial jury, then let 

 the question be, sheep versus dog. 



If this matter is to remain as it is, and has 

 been, for years past, and by the payment of one 

 dollar each, every cur, of whatsoever name, shape, 

 size or description, protected in his life, liberty 

 and pursuit of sheep, in Heaven's name, let there 

 be some provision made, whereby the breed of 

 dogs may be improved, in place of the worthless 

 curs which are now so plentifully maintained, and 

 if the people must have dogs, have one worth 

 keeping ; at any rate, let us have the sheep. 



It is a sound maxim of farm economy, that "ev- 

 ery cow can carry one sheep," with little or no 

 additional cost ; and if every farmer would put 

 this maxim into practice, what a vast amount of 

 wealth would be added to the resources of our 

 country. Farmers, think this matter over a little. 

 As it now stands, it is useless to attempt the 

 keeping of sheep, expecting a profit by so doing; 

 the dogs will eat that up as surely as the attempt 

 is made. There are persons who seem to be af- 

 flicted with hypodogativeness ; they are not con- 

 tent with one useless "pup," but take all that 

 come, and keep all they can "breed," and never 

 seem more happy than seeing children, as well as 

 those of larger growth, appear glad when at a 

 safe distance from their house, and "night made 

 hideous by yelling curs." The question is a se- 

 rious one : Is there no way to stop the enormous 

 tax which dogs impose upon the community ? 



A thing which costs so much to keep it in run- 

 ning order, ought to return a fair equivalent for 

 that cost. Reader, just think this matter over. 

 Do you think our dogs do this ? Every man who 

 has a dog which is really valuable, is willing to 

 ])ay well for its protection. A tax of five dollars 

 for every male, and twenty-five dollars for a fe- 

 male, is none too high, and when this is done, or 

 something equally as effective, we may keep sheep 

 at a profit, and have dogs of some value. 



King Oak Bill, 1861. N. Q. T. 



Drying Rhubarb. — Rhubarb dries very well, 

 and when well-prepared, will keep good for an in- 

 definite period. The stalks should be broken off 

 while they are crisp and tender, and cut into 

 pieces about an inch in length. These pieces 

 should then be strung on a thin twine, and hung 

 up to dry. Rhubarb shrinks very much in dry- 

 ing — more so than any plant I am acquainted 

 with, and strongly resembling pieces of soft wood. 

 When wanted for use, it should be soaked in wa- 

 ter over night, and the next day simmered over 

 a slow fire. None of its properties appear to be 

 lost in drying, and it is equally as good in winter 

 as any dried fruit. Very few varieties of rhubarb 

 are suitable for drying, as most of them contain 

 too much woody fibre. The best variety of rhu- 

 barb for any purpose is the Victoria, when grown 

 in a suitable situation. The Mammoth is worth- 

 less, owing to its fibrous nature, as are also some 

 other kinds. — Prairie Farmer. 



