INDIANA  FARMER.
Devoted to Agriculture, Horticulture, Mechanics and the   Useful Arts.
». P. Hollowly, W. T, Dennli,
R. T. Reed.—Editors.
j    RICHMOND, FEB. 15, 1855.
(Hollow*? * Oo., PuMilHr,,
I    VoLIV No. g.
The legislature and Sheep Killing Dog*.
Our readers need hardly be: told at this late
date, that the State Legislature, early in the session, notwithstanding the recommendation of the
State Board of Agriculture, decided that farther
legislation on the subject of sheep-killing dogs
was unnecessary. We do not know precisely the
purport of the present law on the subject, but this
much is apparent to all, that it is about as valuable
to the farmers and sheep raisers of Indiana, as the
old Blue Laws of Connecticut. One provision,
we believe, is that a dog may be lawfully killed
when found alone off his owner's premises;*but
the wording, or something else, renders it a delicate business for one to shoot a neighbor's dog at
last, unless caught "in the very act", of killing
sheep. As to the fund provided to pay for sheep
thus killed, nobody thinks worth while applying
for it.   We rather suspect it isn't there.
In the existing state-of things, sheep raisers
have a law of their own, the most important provision of which is a well-loaded and ever-ready
musket. This law is of course clandestinely enforced, which has doubtless a tendency to ereate
in the minds of boys and young men, who are
generally encouraged to become the executioners
—a disposition to violate all laws which, do not
correspond with their notions of right and expediency. But enough.. The Legislature'doubt-
less finds matter of greater importance, at least in
the eyes of its members, on which^o spend the
people's money. .Wonder if it ever, occurs to
them how large a proportion of their pay is furnished by farmers, and how large a proportion of
these are sheep-raisers? If the Legislature will
not afford any protection to the wool growers of
the State, we will try to take care of ourselves—
that's all. '
■ .I...     ——««*t*)»-»11' —;**
The Prosressive Farmer.—Another new Agricultural paper has reached our table, bearing
the above title. It is to be published in the city
of Brotherly Love, by J. H. Bryson, and edited
by A. M. Spangler. Price 25c. per annum. The
Progressive Farmer is a medium sized quarto,
and the specimen before us will.compare favorably, both in mechanical execution and the value of
its contents, with any paper of the kind in the
country. We hope the publishers will meet wUb.
ample encouragement.
Next Patent Office Agricultural Report.
The Dollar Newspaper, speaking of the Commissioner of Patents, says:
"He has engaged a "competent  naturalist to *
write the histories of the most destructive insects, ,
their habits, peculiarities, transformations, how
they attack the fruits of the earth, and how they
may be the most easily exterminated.    This is to *
be published with tbe'mass of useful information
the Patent Reports contain.   Engravings of the
insects, in all their various stages of growth and
different changes, their mones of attack and concealment in tho buds, germs and fruits will accompany the written descriptions.    These liave
been elegantly executed by Mr. Towasend Glov- ;
er, the gentleman employed on this scientific ?
work.     The insects represented will be those
which are destructive to corn, cotton, wheat,
grapes, frnits, with' also a description and representation of the insects which are beneficial to
agricultural operations by destroying the pests of
the farmer."
If this is correct, we may reasonably promise
ourselves that the result will add something of
great value to the knowledge of the farmer and \
horticulturist.    The great need of something of
this kind has long been felt.   At the late discussion before the State  Board of Agriculture,  on
the Hessian Fly, it was evident that the speakers :
lacked information on the habits and character of
the insect, and in fact on Entomology in general.
The shyness of many of our insect pests, added
to their many transformations, have prevented us
fromlearning by observation very much about
them, except that they sometimes almost totally -
destroy our crop.   Notwithstanding the ravages
of the cureulio, which, year after year monopolizes almost our entire plum crop, besides making
great havoc among other kinds of fruit, we venture the assertion 'that one half of our farmers
and others who grow fruit, do not know the insect when they see it.   An intelligent farmer,'
being asked how large he supposed the curculio
was, described it as being about the size of the
end of one's little finger!   We really questioa ,
whether as much as one in ten of  our wheat .
growers know the Hessian Fly by sight, in any
other than the larvae state, as it is found in the '
joints and straw of the plants on which it feeds.
How, then, can we expect such men to make any
valuable observations on the habits of: insects
which they do not know.   We cannot but hopei
that the work in question will furnish such draw.