18 SHEEP FARMING IN AMERICA. 



ever an unhappy flock," remarked an old 

 Eoman agriculturist, and in no other stock 

 can the ignorant or heedless farmer have so 

 great a variety of misfortunes as with the sheep, 

 i^'ew of these troubles are unavoidable. It is 

 to point the way to success and to indicate 

 the rough places that this little book is written. 

 It is to be regretted that a great change has 

 come over country life. The old intimacy be- 

 tween the farmer and his men, the farmer and 

 his fields, the farmer and his animals, has to 

 an extent gone, perhaps forever. Nevertheless, 

 the farmer who undertakes to keep sheep with 

 profit must go back to the ways of his fathers 

 and his boyhood, he must cultivate an acquaint- 

 ance with the individuals in his flock, must 

 learn to know instantly by sight whether or 

 no they are in health, must have their confi- 

 dence so that he can without much trouble catch 

 them afield, by aid of the shepherd's crook or 

 a bit of salt or a handful of shelled com. For- 

 tunately this intimacy is a delight as well as a 

 source of profit. "The eye of the Master fat- 

 tens the flock. ' ' Hired shepherds may be faith- 

 ful, but they need the suggestions and the in- 

 spiration that come from wise co-operation of 

 the employer. Best of all shepherds are the 

 men who own the sheep. It is a delightful oc- 

 cupation and one that interests the young. 

 There is room for work, for thought, for growth 

 in this work. Some of the happiest hours and 

 most helpful the author has ever known have 

 been spent in working among his ewes and 

 lambs, or seated beneath a tree watching them 



