PROCEEDINGS OF THE FARMERS* CLUB 241 



flowers iu Eng'land are exotics. The rose came from France, Flanders and 

 Italy; the honeysuckle, hawthorn and passion flower from America; the 

 lavender, rosemary and mignonette from the south of Europe; the laburnum 

 from Ifnngary; the laurel from Portugal; the bay tree and daftbdil from 

 Italy; the weeping-willow from the Levant; .the foxglove from the Canaries; 

 broccoli, beans and cauliflowers from Greece; peas from Spain; carrots and 

 celery from Flanders; asparagus andkidncj'^ beans from Asia; lettuce, arti- 

 chokes and cabbage from Holland; parsley from Egypt, and potatoes from 

 America. The mulberry is from Italy; the apple and plum from Syria; the 

 grape from Portugal; the nectarine and peach from Persia; the gooseberry, 

 cherry and strawberry from Flanders; the currant and apricot from Greece; 

 the quince from Austria; the pomegranate, orange and lemon from Spain, 

 and the raspberry and walnut from America. The hop plant came from 

 the Netherlands. 



Taxing Dogs. 



Mr, Solon Robinson. — The subject of taxing dogs is agitated now in ma- 

 ny directions. The Ledger, Philadelphia, says : " The Legislature of Penn- 

 sylvania is Considering the propriety of taxing dogs. 



" In' the report of the Agricultural Department for 1863 is a very valua- 

 ble article on the whole subject of legislation in regard to dogs, especially 

 in the bearing- of it on sheep-raising. This very clearly shows that if we 

 would have sheep cultivated and wool clieap, we must abate the dog nui- 

 sance. Every year shows that laws of increasing stringency are being 

 enacted in the diflTercnt States against dogs. While in some countries of 

 Europe they are also of increasing severity. 



" In fact it would seem that, whether right or wrong, the days of dogs 

 are numbered. Sprung originally from the wolf, the fox or jackal, they 

 seem to have been domesticated, and thus entered into a sort of Gibeonitish 

 league with man, that has prolonged their term of existence. From the 

 i.ldest historic periods, dogs have been the companions of man. And the 

 very (,)pening lines of the Iliad of old Homer shows that even then they 

 were regarded also at times as his most fearful of enemies and tormentors, 

 both in this world and even the next. Cities have long since had to pass 

 laws against the race, of great severity, for fear of hydrophobia; but in the 

 interior of this State at least they have had a good time generally, free 

 from taxation, and, if the report may be believed, with even moi'e liberty 

 than was good for the community." 



Yet we are quite behind other communities, for instance : 



In Munich, Austria, all dogs are sent to the police twice each year. If 

 in healili, each receives a ticket, which he wears round the neck; if not, he 

 \A killed. In Rhode Island every dog has to be numbered, registered, de- 

 scribed and licensed, with the payment of $1.15 for each male, acd $5.15 

 for each female. Any one violating this law is fined ten dollars, and all 

 unlicensed dogs are to be killed and buried at the public expense, $1 being 

 paid for each dog so killed. Fifty dollars is the fine for removing a dog's 

 collar. Damages to sheep are recoverable from the town or city treasury, 

 and the town may then recover from the owner of the dog. 



[Ayf. IxsT.] P 



