110 Circular Na. 18.
of the small farm flock is with us and from all indications it
is to become of great importance on the waste lands of these I
regicns. Probably no section of the country is more ideally
lccated or adapted to` sheep raising than Kentucky and sec-
ticns of Tennessee and Virginia. Here we End large areas of I
upland. excellent for sheep grazing, which produce little or
ncthing in the tvay of live stock. True, this land is often too . _
rcugh te cultivate, but left in grass it affords the best of feed `
fer sheep. t »
Sheep raising goes hand in hand with any successful, per-
manent system of agriculture. It is a valuable asset to any ‘
farm, Sheep are not adapted to a changing, temporary farm-
ing enterprise. and for that reason no sheep are found in a
t cttninuinity cf dissatisfied renters who move every spring. _
Int·ai·iahiy. it might be said that where these little balance wheels
cf the- farm industry are found. there usually exists a substantial,
pri~;tsp~:·rniis. satistied neighhnrhond. W
Wliile it   not desirable to make any state a strictly sheep
T reglicn. regardless of her other advantages, both agricultural
and industrial. yet, in order to·develop the most successful ,
- system ci permanent agriculture, sheep are a real necessity '
and shenld he an important factor in the different farm enter-
prises. r
Decrease in Sheep Industry. a
At the present time, Kentucky ranks sixteenth in line of
sheep p:·tt·;lucti0n in the United States. This State, as well` as
zmst cf tip; eastern and middle western states, has been rapidly
».iep}2:ii‘;g the farm tlorks. ln 1003. there were over 64.000.000
sheep in the United States, while today there are less than
élllylll‘l.0l*ltl. Several causes have brought this about, such as low
n1fce< f\~~r nr»i·ul and inuttnn in the past. the tendency toward
».Ea£r;rir;¤ in s·¤iue regicns and tmvard grain farming in others.
3};-;· ·;iepZeti»ui tit the western tlochs and the ravages of dogs.
Other lines nf fariuiug have seemed more attractive during the
  Teri   and. as a result. the sheep industry has rapidly
~€~=t·lit;t·tl. l{e·itu»·lty. hist year. saw n decrease of 77.000 head and