INDIANA   FARMER.
Devoted, to Agriculture, Horticulture, mechanic* aud tne  Useful Arts.
D. P. Holloway, W. T. Dennis, j
R. T. Reed.—Editors. |
RICHMOND, DECK 15,1854.
!Holloway & Co., Publithtrs.
Vol. IV No. 4.
E«RiTi.—Not living in the city, and therefore not always
seeing the proof-sheets, typographical errors sometimes occur
in our editorials, not at all calculated to improve them. Injustice, however, to our printers, we should say that with few exceptions, they maDage to decipher our hieroglyphics with remarkable correctness.
In our article -Employ your leisure hours," in No. 3, line 7,
for "this,'* read they, and omit "world."
Same article, in line ISth.from the bottom, after "place," read
—of honor and profit.
In our article "On the improvement of land," first column
and fifth line from the bottom, for "continually,'* read eventually.
In second column line 8th, for -'animals read annuals.       R.
Sheep Killed by Dogs.
A few nights since one of our neighbors had
a number of excellent sheep killed by dogs. A
few months previous, he lost several in the same
way. In both instances, we understand those
killed were the finest and best of his flock. Like
all other good farmers, he has been trying to improve his stock, by crossing with superior animals, and having twice suffered the loss of his
lambs, by these nocturnal prowlers and marauding vampires, he is now ready to sell off his remaining flock, and give up the busine ,s of sheep-
raising altogether. And who follows him?—
Would not the most enterprising and energetic
become discouraged under such circumstances,
especially when he sees the difficulty increasing
rather than otherwise?
The present state of things has existed with
little variation from our earliest recollection; but
never so much as at the present time, were its effects of such a serious nature. Not that the evil
is so rapidly increasing, but it operates as a very
heavy discouragement on our iarmers who are
desirous of improving their flocks by purchasing
new and valuable varieties of sheep, as the only
way of effecting their object. The man who
purchases a few superior sheep at very high prices,
and nothing less will obtain them, has no kind of
security, that they will not all be devoured by a
gang of blood-thirsty dogs, within a fortnight.—
Is it strange then that so few of our farmers incline to go into the wool-growing business? No
plan has yet been devised or discovered which
will secure a flock of sheep from the attacks of
dogs, so far from it, that we know of nothing
which will even increase their chances of safety.
It was once thought that good bells on the neck
of every tenth or twentieth animal, would by
their jingling when the sheep began to run, frigh
ten the dogs away. But this is found, in practice,
to be of no avail. A sheep-killing dog is generally up to his business, and is not to be frightened by any such means. How long are we to
submit to the existing state of things? Is year
on year thus continually to pass away, and no effort be made to secure our flocks from the fangs
of these midnight depredations? Is there no
remedy? We answer unhesitatingly, there is.—
It were better that the whole canine race were extirpated from the State, than that such devastations among our flocks, should always continue.
But there is no need of this. Other means less
sanguinary, may in our opinion, be adopted
which will effect the object.
But there is, certainly, nothing short of a special enactment of the Legislature that will reach
the disease. That body will soon be in session,
and if the farmers, who feel an interest in the
matter, and who of them does not? would send
in their petitions from all parts of the Siate, their
representatives at the capitol, might be induced
to pass a law for this object the present winter.
They could scarcely employ a few days to better
advantage. Will not our Representatives from
this county make a vigorous effort to procure the
passage of such a law. Were we honored with
a seat in that body, we should certainly use our
best efforts to bring about such a result.
Let it be provided, in the first place, that every
man who owns or keeps a dog about his_ premises
shall pay therefor a heavy tax, say 8100 for first
(50 cts. at least) twice as much for the second,
and so on; this tax to be assessed and collected
as other taxes, and expressly set aside to pay for
all sheep killed by dogs, on the application of the
owner of such sheep, with well attested evidence
as to the facts in the case, the amount of loss, etc.
Then let it be made unlawful for the owner of
any dog to allow him to roam at large after nine
o'clock at night; that is compel every such owner to confine his dogor dogs after that hour;and on
failure so to do, let a suitable penalty be attached, and let it be lawful for any dog not habitually
confined at night, to be killed wherever and whenever found.
Such a law can, and ought to be, enacted and
enforced in our State, and would go far, very far,
toward removing the insecurity now generally