Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1873-08-29
Gbe 1Rarpt

Poultry as Farming Stock.

of new accommodation for poultry, by
simply making use of the buildings
they already possess? and how many
farmers consider fowls unworthy of
consideration, because of some suppos-
ed difficulty or expense in erecting suit
able houses? And worse than this,
how many farmers try to make poultry
pay, without any result beyond eontin-
ual vexations, merely from lack of in
genuity in bringing ordinary appli-
ances into play? "Why, bother" they
ask, "about raising chickens in cow
sheds and outbuildings, when you can
set out as many coops as you like on
the grass of paddock, the gravel Of a
stable yard, or upon the scattered rick
yard straw"
Because, generally speaking, half
your chickens die under the common
farm-yard treatment. They get wet
feet, and die of cramp; they drink rain
water out of cart ruts, or drink the
high-colored saltwater of manure
heaps, of straw-yard DRAWINGS and
other filthy Stops, and consequently
sicken and die by dozens. We have a
troop of adult breeding fowls loose in
the barnyard; they pick up large
part Of their living there. But they do
not thrive SO well or keep so healthy as
other troops of breeding stock which
we have stationed at houses purposely
erected in grass fields, far from the
homestead. For very small sum you
may knock up square boarded house,
tarred outside, lime-whited inside, and
covered with asphalted felt. Each of
the four sides is in a separate piece, the
roof Gf of gable form) in two pieces all
hooked together at the corners by sta
pies and pins. So a house (say six feet
or seven feet cube) can be popped into
a cart, and temporarily set up in a pas
ture, on stubble, or wherever there
may be good picking for the fowls.
A couple of perches, a few nests and a
drinking pan form the furniture, while
the ground covered in by the house (for
there is no wooden floor is spread over
with loose earth, ashes and mortar
Such is the home for one cock and
eight or ten hens and pullets during
the breeding season, or the home of
double this number of half-grown
chickens. The house should be placed
against a fence, or in a corner where
two fences meet, so that few poles and
posts may protect it against cattle.
Or, if you wish to move the house a.
bout to avoid killing the grass, have
each house raised about two inches
from the ground, resting on the axles
of two wooden rollers so that every few
days it can be moved, by the aid of a
lever, on to fresh soil, thus avoiding
the destruction of the grass underneath,
and preserving the air of the roosting
house in condition of purity.
There can be no good reason against
grazing fowls as well as other Cant
mails" and the farmer who tries it for
the first time will be surprised at the
amount of grub,' Qiterally, perhaps,)
which the active scratchers and peck
.ers find in q grass field, in and under
the droppings Of sheep and cattle, a.
mong hedge-roots, upon ditch-sides,
and SO on; only small supply of grain
being necessary twice day. We wish
that many farmers may take our ad-
vice-procure what hardy sort you
most fancy, Coachins or Brahmas that
endure close quarters, Game that are
strong birds, Dorkings or some other
good breed, and try this mode.
Preparing the Land for Grass.
We are apt, very apt, to overlook the
fact that land intended for grass should
receive more thorough culture than any
other, because for years while in grass,
it has not the advantage of the plough
and other implements to stir the soil,
but must rest and pack, and get more
and more in a condition to keep out
the air, and let in and pass off less read
lily the water. We should, therefore
thoroughly prepare the soil. Plow as
deep, as may be, and subsoil we'll; pull
verize and enrich the soil-enriching
it will make it more loose and mellow,
and keep it longer in that condition,
as well as increase the yield. Such
land will "catch'' its seed, and if plen-
tifully applied, will be certain under
anything like favorable circumstances
to form thick set. A little top dress
ing, aided by the aftermath, which
should never be fed close, will ensure
good crops-two cuttings year.
But let there be cold hard under
soil, and the seed put in the usual way
little of it and on harsh reduced soil,
without manure-what can be expect
ed of it? Just what we see: light crops,
getting lighter each year until it will
hardly pay for harvesting. Such land
when the pillow turns it down, will be
found to be hard. The sod amounts
to but little, whereas, in properly treat
ed land, it will yield from sixty to sew
enty loads of manure per acre.
A mellow seed bed, deeply loosened
soil, well enriched, plenty of seed sown
as early as possible-are the points to
be secured in putting down grass land.
WATER CURE FOR FOUNDER A
correspondent Of the New York Tri-
6uaae cured a bad case Of founder as
follows: In the first place, I physiced
him; then took a tight, strong box,