Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1876-02-15
horticultural.
The Poultry Yard.


The hen-.ever Is q disease which has
attracted very many persons OF late years
especially those who have removed ttom
the city, having Qoetic visions OF rural
cottages embroidered IN e-.antiue,woodMne
aud all that sort OF sentiment. Such per
sons have also vivid visions Of pure, rich
cream I'm their coffee or on their straw
berries. delicious -jl,.ejgod butter, bol.et
chicken, omelets, sou.iiics, and similar
rura, deicacics, bat seldom realize any
thing except disappointment. This Is
caused BY suppo>ing that the latest thing
out is the best. and SO they purchase the
rarcst and most fancy fowls and other
animals at high prices, only 10 find That
they have verified the Oh aiage, "that
fools and their money are soon parted.
We speak fco.iDg'y and knowingly on THIS
subject, having had several attacks o.
mama gqi'R9cea
IL Is all well enough To- have e hobby.
and II one chooses 20 indulge IN raising
fowls with part-colored TOP knots, OF those
with top knots so large that the bird has
10 hold it back with her foot So that She
may see % pick mp grain Of corn, it Is
very well, or we may indulge a fancy for
birds with immense c1m.s, or horned
combs. or wl;t',>, whose size remind one
Of a chifonies's sack BI, al, this does
not provide eggs for omc,e,s, or Spring
chickens, "briling SIZE. To Got these we
mus, pay IS much attention TO breeding
the poultry as Is paid by breeders in
breeding fine cattle.
The breeders use an their skill to breed
all useless cScreSences, such as large
bones. large horns, large dewlaps, Gc.-
Hence those who propose TO raise poultry
Cor profit, We mean for household and not
marke; profit, should no, invest in large
boncd fowls such as those Of the Shanghai
family or In Polish ,op-knots or in Black
Spanish fowls with their immense wattles
OF in any other breed with remarkable
excreSenceS. They should select such
breeds as the Game, the Dominique, the
Lcgh0rn or the Dorking. In our expert
ence we have found that a cross between
the Game and the Dominique made o
remarkable fine and useful fowl using the
pominilues rs the mother birds. The
otfSprin.s were small houel, the carcaSc
very plump, the o-gs Of fair size and wei
favored. The birds were hardy and
come to maturity early.
OF course much attention must be given
. any poultry If we would be successful
in raising them. Ia Summer time the
old birds require bat little attention If
they can run at large, except feedingwith
grain, as theypick up as much animal and
vegetable food as they need. In Winter,
however, these must be provided for them.
Cleanliness Is also a very important point.
Chickens are easily raised If they can be
kept warm and dry. This is SO importau;
that We would not allow a hen 20 hover
her young on the bare ground, as this Is
the most fruitful cause Of disease among
them, that exists. Always provide a
flooring under the coop keep it clean and
You Will seldom be troubled with pip or
gapes among them.
We think this matter OF poultry raising
vii. shortly become a far more important
branch Of agriculture than it now Is, and
that much attention will be given to the
erOss-breeding of fowls. Ultimately,
there Is no doubt that We shall obtain
breeds Of as much value in their way as
shOrt-horn cattle or SOuthdown sheep are
in theirs. To accomplish this by well
considered experiments will add much to
the interest Of the poultry yard. Enough
attention Is not paid 70 raising poultry
among our farmers, they generally consid-
ering II too small a matter for them to
attend 10. Although we have never seen
comparisons made Is to the relative
amount Of human food TO he obtained
from the same amount OF grain fed to
poultry as when fed to cattle, vet
our observations leads us TO think
that one thousand pounds Of human
food from the poultry yard Is OBJ
tanned at far less expenditure OF grain
than Is required so produce the same
amount Of pork, beef or mutton. Should
this be so it would make the poultry yard
matter Of some Importance TO the far
mer from pecuniary point OF view, es-
peeially would this be the case in the
neighborhOOd Of large towns and cities.