The miners' express. (Dubuque, Iowa) 1849-1854, 1850-02-20
FARMERS DEPARTMENT.
sThe farmers crop their living from their crops,
And each manshares the blessing Of their shares"
Feeding Poultry.

Professor Gregory, of Aberdeen, Scotland, in
IN epistle to one ofhis friends, remarks on this
subject as follows
GAS suppose you keep poultry, may tell
you that it has been ascertained that if you mix
with their food sufficient quantity Of egg shells
or Of common chalk, which they will eat greedily,
they will lay twice or thrice as many eggs as be-
fore. A well fed fowl is disposed to lay vast
number Of eggs, but cannot do so without the
material for the shells however nourishing, in
other respects may be her food, Indeed fowl
kept on food and water, free frome carbonate Of
lime, and not finding any in the soil, or in the
shape Of mortar, which they often eat off the
walls, would lay no eggs at all with the best will
in the world
have this season kept twenty three hens and
cock, feeding them mostly on grain, green
vegetables, sour milk, and meat; but as the year
is not yet completed, during which my expert
ments with them are to extend, forbear enter
ing into detailed statement of profits at present
as it cannot be fully ascertained or approxima-
ted. | have found that by giving them meat
regularly every day,-the offal from the sham
bles, or when this cannot be readily obtained,
fresh fish, an abundance of which can be sup
piled from ponds and streams,-they will lay
continually, if provided with ashes, lime, egg
shells or sand to supply materials for the shells.
Brick dust is an excellent substitute for the a.
bove; but it is more expensive and will be rare
ly resorted to whenever lime can be Obtained
In August commence setting my hens, allow
ing thirteen eggs,-which are many can
be covered or incubated by one fowl,-to each
hen Care is had to secure good nest, where
the sitting process will be performed comforta-
bly, and without interruption. Some commence
setting their fowls in January; and when poultry
is wanted for early use or marketing, this is no
doubt better month than August; but prefer
the profit on the eggs during the preceding
months, as l have never failed to have enough
poultry for my own use, and considerable
quantity for marketing, when no chickens have
been Matched till the last week in August,
to the first or even the middle of the month fol-
loving. .....u.
AS soon as the broods are Matched, the hen is
removed to a coop, conveniently situated for
feeding, and carefully attended for three weeks,
when she is permitted to range the field with
her brood,-a shelter being prepared for them at
night, to which they ordinarily resortd volun-
tarily, and without any trouble or extra induce
ment being offered after the first night or two.
In setting my hens, am guided by the sugges-
ton of Columella, who wrote nearly three thou
sand years ago, and who appears better to have
comprehended the legitimate law of poultry rails
ing than most of our modern authors who pre-
tend to great skill and accuracy in the art he
marks that all the long-shaped eggs, having con-
centric circles developed on the smaller ends,
invariably produce male birds, and those who
have not, femals. This I have found to be
strictly true. When intend to produce fowls
for market, or for home consumption, select
the long eggs, as males are heavier or more har-
dy than females; but if my object is brood fowls,
the shorter and smoother egg are taken.