The Loss From Dogs
For every dog kept, a loss of $36.50 must be pocketed every
year. For every sheep kept, a profit of $27.60 may be pocketed ever year.
At least that is the way the proposition was itemized on the
blackboard of a mountain schoolhouse by a farm demonstration agent in Kentucky.
And the figures were convincing. There was not a sheep in the district at the
time the figures were placed on the blackboard. Somebody said there used to be
one sheep—a wether—“down the mountain a ways,” but the dogs ate him.
A few weeks from the time the agent placed the figures on
the board 15 boys each had contrived to buy a sheep. Eleven dogs had been
killed. Several other families, pestered by their small sons, but still
unwilling to kill their dogs, were trying to give the brutes away.
Similar movements were started at other schools. Now, in
that district, there are 622 boys who are members of the sheep club. Among them
they own nearly 2,665 sheep. By the tax returns, the dog population appears to
have increased also, but the agent says this is not true. Formerly there was no
sentiment for enforcement of the dog law, he says, but now there is a very
strong sentiment that way, and, while there has been a considerable decrease in
the number of dogs, there is an apparent increase, because people who formerly
evaded the dog tax now have to pay it.
No comments:
Post a Comment