Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1878-12-07

4 practical chicken-breedsr re-
marks that there is no good reason
Why q proper race Of fowls may not
be made to lay eggs during the
Winter months on this coast, If not
90 beautifully rs in the Summer, at
least TO a profitable degree. The
law Of reproduction Of species is
an instructive one in all the lower
animals. No sooner Is the period
Of CESSATION among mammals con-
pleted. the young brought forth
aud able to provide for themselves.
than the parents, by an all-wise and
unvarying provision OF nature, are
impelled, rs it were, to supply the
world with another influx of their
kind, and so the great chain of vi
tai existence has gone on and will
continue to extend indefinitely. So
it is with the feathered species.
When, in the fullness of time, the
period of incubation is complete,
the chick liberated, grown and cut
loose from the restraint and care Of
the mother bird, nature again as
serts hes sway by putting in oper-
alton the processes to which we
have already allrded.
The period of incubation with do
mestic hens is usually'pGt at tive MY
one days. Hence, it is folly to sup
pose that the laying instinct should
recur but once q year. New, by ac-
tual count, there would be q little
over seventeen incubation seasons
comprised in the three hundred and
sixty-five days of the year. 1t is safe,
then to say, that, during the Winter
months, when the eggs are taken
from the nests as fast as laid, hens
properly cared for would continue
to lay with nearly the same regu-
larity as in Summer. On account Of
the mildness of Pacific coast Win
tiers, many species of vermin which
infest the chicken-house are en-
abled to breed and pursue their de-
Wasting career the whole year round.
1t is a vital point, therefore, to
have we'll ventilated and clearly
kept quarters for the fowls. One
thing, often overlooked, should never
be left unprovided. The farmer
should cover few square rods Of
his chicken.yard SO as to allow the
ground to remain perfectly dry dur
ing the longest rains, thus allowing
them to take their accustomed "dust
baths" the same as in Summer.
By wallowing in the dust and filing
their feathers with its fine particles,
the fowls are enabled to free them
selves of q vast number Of vsrmin.
which would otherwise stick to them
through thick and thip, oil the year.
Nothing is more important to the
health Of domestic fowls housed up
for the Winter, than pure water, to
drink. Stops should never be given
them. In regard to the best vari-
cites Of hens for Winter layers we
cannot do better than to quote the
remarks Of q noted writer on this
topic. He says'
"For laying hens, select large. strong.
with large square bodies, without regard
o line points, such as pure white fiat ear
lobes. or very yellow legs, or combs with
just five points, or plumage that is per-
fectly white in the white variety, or with
that these points are any detriment to the
health or the vigor of the birds, but con-
stitutiOn has been too Often sacrificed to
them. which often results in q train of
enfeebled though handsome fOWls. The
Leghorns are acclimated American breeds,
which originated from birds brought from
the Mediterranean, and they have been
improved in this country by circumstan.
ces that have given them prc-eminent
position for the farmer, when birds such
as are above recommended are selected"
In regard to fowls for market. he adds !:
"Other breeds or crosses from them, are
much better then the Leghorns, or any OF
the smaller birds. Chickens that are the
result OF Dorkin cock and Brahma hens,
are larger and mature much earlier than
the other. Moreover, they are hardy,
fieshy, tender and fine favored. HOu-
dams in place Of Dorkings are also good 70
cross on Brahlnas, or to breed with the
first mentioned cross, as they keep MP
size and quality.
Ply mouth Rocks are also good table
fowls, and are good to cross with the
above"
IT is not generally known that The
Cowlitz river is now navigated Ia