Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1877-08-04
FARM, GARDEN AND HOUSEHOLD.
Hens Ono Year Old.

The best laying hens are those one
year old-fowls that were Matched the
previous season in April and May.
Hens two and three years old lay about
twenty-five per cent. less eggs than those
but one year old consequently the
best way for all fowl-breeders is to raise
chickens every season to be the layers
OF the next year and to kill all the old
stock regularly between December and
February of each year. 1t is doubtful
whether it be profitable to keep fowls
without run for them over grass land.
A small yard with grass in it soon be-
comes soiled and the grass all picked off ;
and then the hens begin to lay fewer
eggs, and the result generally is that
there is no profit in fowls thus confined.
1t seems to be the nature OF barnyard
fowls to require moderate run of some
twenty or thirty rods from their roosting
house, to keep them active and healthy
by searching for insects. A dozen hens
and one cock in n quarter acre yard
would do we'll; but if confued in a
yard twenty or thirty feet square they
would not be profitabl>, unless their
feed should almost entirely consist of
the waste of the family table. From a
bushel and quarter to bushel and
half of grain is consumed in year by
every fowl ut a cost of about 81, when
no waste from the table is given to them;
and good breeds, as the Brahmas, Ply
mouth Rocks, Leghorns and Hambnrgs,
will lay annually each about one hun
dred and fifty eggs, if not closely con-
fined, worth in most places from 50 to
$3. Then a family having fifteen or
twenty fowls may have poultry to kill in
the winter worth $50 at least, by raising
chickens and killing the surplus roosters
and the old stock, as above stated ; and
thus poultry keepingis certainly profita-
bic. The light Brahmas and Plymouth
Rocks are much better table fowls than
the Leghorns and Hnnburgs, the latter
being small and chiefly valuable for
laying. b. Miner, in MeaO York
World.
The Size Of Milk Pans.
Dairymen have Of late years used large
milk pans, in some cases single pan
being large enough to hold all the milk
from fifteen or twenty cows. These pans
are made by those who furnish dairymen's
supplies, and are often advertised in the
agricultural papers. When such pans
are used, it is best to have milk-room
50 constructed that water may be kept
lround the pans. Mr.. Willard, the most
experienced man in dairy matters in the
United States, says in the Rural Ne,U
Yorker "We prefer to have pan OF
sufficient size to hold the milk of the en-
ire dairy at one milking. Only four
pans comprising the set would then be
needed. These pans are arranged for
'unning cold water under and about the
ides of the milk. If running water from
prings cannot be had, the water may be
from wells into tank, and from
huo Soi1uuStCh w UllO SpuCc uuucI Ultc |
oans. Some persons use cistern water,
he needed quantity from day to day
'eing pumped into tank, which receives
cake of ice sufficient to cool it and keep
he milk in the pans at or below sixty
legrees. The waste water, after flowing
lnder the milk, is led back to the cistern,
nd by this constant circulation is kept
weet and sound. The plan works we'll,
nd excellent results in butter-making
re obtained"
Points Of n Good Cow.
Professor Tanner says The udder
hould be capacious, extending we'll be-
ind the legs, and also forward under
he belly &; the coat should be thin, with
soft skin, and show considerable de-
rease in size after the COW is MIXED.
he teats should be placed we'll apart
rom each other and not cramped TO-
ether, for this indicates want of SYM
athy in the udler. The udder may
ppear large and yet be found feshy
ather than capacious. Especial atten-
on is desirable to the mellowness of
le skin, and more particularly if the
nimal is poor. The milk vein is a sure
ldication of the quantity of blood sup
lied, and for all practical purposes may
e taken as q guide.