Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1871-07-28

ing
'M-m-my dear sir, said the paragrapher,
urbAuely, the g-g-gentloman asked me if
ha-he-had any objections 10 his TIT taking
a box Of the backing, and hadn't any Oh
lection at all. and d-d-don't know why
should have And he walked quietly ON in
pursuit of his iabors, leaving Messrs Day
Martin to charge a gross Of paste backing to
| profit and loss
The CARE or PouLTEr.-Alrs- Henry Ward
Bcecher, in the ChriqiaR Jill0R. gives her
views as TO the management ofpoultry:
We make no pretence to any great skill or
/ experience in raising poultry, and may not
! be able to furnish satisfactory answers q
/ questions which have been sent by some Of
! our readers, who appear well nigh discourag-
ed by repeated failures; but We venture a
few suggestions, which, if acted upon, will,
We think, m part at least. overcome some
| portion Of their difficulties and pcrplexitics,
and may be acceptable to others in their first
attempt. The agricultural papers are filed
with descriptions and recommendations OF
many ianciiul and no doubt very excellent
heneries and poultry-yards. We have very
little acquaintance, however. with these
modern improvements. The few we have
seen do not excite our enthusiasm, and we
| cannot see that the income OF gain in any
! degree c0mpensates for the extra expenditure.
1 We do not learn that Nero's horses were
much benefited when fed on golden oats and
/ sh0d with shoes of the same precious metal ::
nor DO we believe hens sheltered in sumptuOus
/ palaces Will be more productive than cur
I LeghOrns and COchins. But each one has a
| right to his own peculiar fdncies: We are
| speaking now to those who have not yet found
time or means to build fancy henerics, but
/ content Themselves with more simple arrange
ments. We think 1t important, if possible.
to have a good yard and commodious hen
| house, in which laying, setting, and To0SffHg
apartments can be kept separate. These
conveniences cannot always be secured as
ample and pleasant as Is desirable but how
/ ever simple the accommodations may be, it is
indispensable that the building be kept
/ scrupulously clean il You would insure sue
/ cess. The ro0a requires the most care. 1t
should be swept out once a week, the poles
and sides being well brushed of with a stiff
| broom, and the loose feathers and droppings
( from under the poles collected in barrels, re
moved from the henhouse and kept dry 1t
| Is an excellent manure OF guano, and very
valuable when well clmp0sted. The same
I care Is needed in the laying and sitting rooms.
/ 1t Is wise. once a week, to take all the straw
/ from the nests, brush the boxes out clean
and replenIsh with fresh straw. \ little
ashes or a few bits Of charcoal. put under the
straw, helps 70 keep the nest sweet. The old
straw and filth should be put on the compost
/ heap. In the sqtiHg apartment the nests
must not be disturbed till the eggs are all
| Matched, and the little chicks, with their
mother, removed. Then the box must be
emptied, well washed, dried, and white
washed, ready for new occupant. 1t takes
/ time and some trouble to keep the hen-house
/ and yard always clean but it well repays
/ the trouble. and. if well done every week.
will really take less time than 70 have q
/ grand 'cieGrmgup' once or twice q year.
/ These clearing days in dwellings or out
buildings are great nuisances and t1rments.
making everyone cross and uncomfortable ;
but If in each department i; is understood
that everything must always be put into its
/ appropriate place, and that once a week the
whole is to be 'tidied uD, the most careless.
if once tempted to Try the experiment. would
be ast0nished at the increased ease Of the Ia
Dor, and the pleasure would certainly be
fouT-f5ld. Evey fall and spring, and oucc,a
least, during the summer. the birds should
/ be turned out OF the house and ward. that
the inside of the building may be well smol,-
/ ed with sulphur, and then thoroughly white
washed, to secure the destruction Of the YER
min and the good health Of the occupants
\ day should be selected when no hens arc
setting, and then some charcoal must be kin
died in an old tin or pan. kept for the pur-
pose, in each compartment, and when well
burning, sprinkle some bits Of sulphur over
the Goals. This done, shut the doors aud
windows tightly, and leave the sulphur t.
burn out which it will do in lew hours /;
then throw open the doors and windows. and
let in the air.
After this, every part must be well white
washed, filing the cracks, holes or corners
with the wash, particularly the nests or box
e5 for the laying and setting hens. W hen
dry, sprinkle a few small bits of charcoal in
the nests to keep them sweet. fiji them with
fresh straw, and recall the fowls to their
clean home. \ box OF bin Of wood ashes
should be placed in one corner Of the roost-
ing apartment, and kept always filed and
free from filth, for poultry to roll in and free
| themselves from vermin as far as possible.
The roost should be made so that the poles
can be raised or let down at pleasure. In win
ter have the poles raised as high as NAV be as
the heat asccnds, and the fowls need as warm
a place as possible for winter. In summer
lower the roost, that they may sleep where
the air circulates freely. II possible, pro-
vide a good, ro0my yard back of the hen
house, where the hens may have ample space
to range Plums do well in such yards, and
the hens do much toward destroying the cur
culO. Old pans OF wooden troughs filed
with water must be kept in the yard, that
the hens may have drink ct all times. IF
YOU have plenty Of skim-milk or butter-milk,
they will be grateful for all you can spare.
and show their gratitude By the increase Of
their daily offerings. Heaps Of old plaster or
oyster shells must be kept in different parts
of the yard if part Of the shells can be
burned and pounded, it will be better. ANY
slops from the house VIII be of great benefit,
and If no pigs are kept, everything that is
thrown into the 'swill pail not salt can be
used to advantage. Keep all water in which
POTATOES and vegetables are boiled; throw
their parings or skins into it, and after each
meal put in all refuse bits, bring this water
to a boil, stir in a handful or two of coarse
meal, and in winter feed il to the hens warm
and You viii find it very acceptable and
profitable. Every scrap Of fresh meat, soup
bones, but no salt meat will 10 them good.
IL near butchers shop, they viii sell you
for few pennies, or give you, the lights or
the head Of one Of the animals. Chop it up
and throw it into the poultry-yard. Worms
and grasshoppers will help them through the
summer months but they must have some
thing in the way Of fresh meat in winter.
Every morning and evening, scatter cracked
or whole corn about the yard in clean
place. In picking it up, they will take with
1t a little gravel, which is very Necessary to
keep them healthy. In many cases it is not
convenient or thought necessary TO provide a
hen house and yard, all the poultry being
allowed TO roam at will over the premises.
4 little care will train them from doing any
great mischief in the gardens but you must
not expect to much; and if you have grapes
currants, or small fruit, they will be TOO
tempting for hens nature to resist, and, in
the end, twill be found to be worth consid-
cradle sacrifice of time and money to place
them out of the reach Of temptation. Besides
if allowed to roam, it is impossible to track
their nests at all times, and you will be left
without an egg IN the mouse whcn most need
ed. With very little care and by selecting
the best and most reliable breeds, this need
never happen where hens are kept in an en-
closure and with a suitable house. The pure
Leghorns molt but six weeks in the year-in
November and December. If they bring out
their brOods the first of April the pullets will
begin to lay in October, just as their mothers
begin to molt. If Matched in August or ear