American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1879-01-18
Fresh Eggs the Year Round.

Make hen comfortable and she will
lay; if laying breed, so much the bet
ter. 1t is with Biddy much as with
Brindle; good treatment disposes to
maternity-in the hen, to the greater
production of eggs; in the COW, to the
increased secretion of milk. How then
are we to make the hen most comforta-
bleP This depends upon circumstances,
some situations being more favorable
than others.
In winter there must be warmth rs
well as light. Windows will readily
give entrance TO the light of the sun and
the reflection of the snow, but they
should be made double, so as to secure
warmth, and well fitted in, especially
the outside sash. Keep firmly secured
during the winter, and have ventilation
elsewhere. Secure the sides and roof
well against the cold. In no case per-
nit a crowded condition of the fowls.
The light will make it pleasant; the
roominess will dispose to ease and free
ment of the fowl which can not be
abridged much without harm, though
the Asiatics are somewhat an exception
to this, probably from their long habit
of close quarters and petting in the
thickly inhabited countries of the East,
hence they are well calculated for our
cities. Cleanliness and fresh air are a
necessity. Ventilation and disinfectants
are the means to secure them, the latter
not lacking in variety to meet circum-
stances, among which dry air, secured
by cold stove, stands first, the stove
also serving as q superior ventilator to
carry off the heavy noxious air below.
This for the more imposing structures.
The windows, of course, are to be on
the south side, and, if the north side is
secured by rise of ground or the wall
of another building, any thing that eff
fectually keeps out the cold, all the bet
ter. This for winter.
Summer requires a different thing,
and largely the opposite. How to attain
GOODNESS instead of warmth must now
be the study. Not only ventilation but
shade is wanted. Trees are one of the
greatest advantages-trees and plenty
of fresh air. These can be obtained reg
ularly by movable buildings, which are
somewhat in vogue, and which favor the
other advantage of turning about the
building, the south side with the win
dows now facing the north, and getting
the morning and evening sun and shade
the rest of the day. In the great major
lily of cases, however, this is not done
and can not be done in the cities, but is
the best of all plans where practicable,
curing cleanliness; also affording pas
ture and freshness for the fowls. Where
the hen-honse is a fixture temporary
awning is great help in securing re-
lief from the heat.
These are mainly the principles that
govern in keeping fowls successfully.
AS circumstances vary, so the means
for carrying out the principles will also
vary, so that every one must judge for
himself what is best suited to his case,
how most readily and cheaply he csn
conform to its requirements, for the
man who has not aptitude enough for
this is not likely to succeed after he is
furnished with what is necessary. But
| with intelligence and prompt action
success is always attainable, mot somuch
at first as after experience has aided
him. 1t is trade, like all othe! bust
ness, which even the most capable must
learn before they can realize is great
est advantages.
To carry out the true spiritof a-suc-
cessful hennery the keeper must be on
good terms with his feathersd family,
and permit of no strange irtrusions to
frighten the fowls, for no frightened
fowl will lay; all disturbance of what
ever kind must be avo-dd, and kind
ness and good treatment exercised from
earliest chickhood to the end. This
makes fowl at home, and eager, if
prolific breed, for propagation. If she
now has sufficiency, lot an excess, of
food, the necessary variety, so that she
is satisfied, is stronghold not fat, with
pure water wheneve' she wants it, and
some gravel to grindher food, also room
enough in her quarters SO that she does
not feel CONFERENCE.-THE word, if she
is happy, she viii lay. Avoid by all
means an exclusive diet of corn. Let
corn be one among several other grains,
buckwheat leading. Scraps of meat or
other animal food should occasionally
be given, as well as green vegetable ma
terial, or in sumner access to grass and
a range in the fresh air. An occasional
forage of this kind, say once day, is
of vast benefit and a pleasure to the fowl,
as well as to the keeper who observes it.
But who will take all this trouble?
The answers, those who succeed. You
can not succeed if you treat your fowls
indifferenty, whatever the breed may
be. There may be eggs, and some
times quite abundant, but in the long run
they will cost more than they are worth,
and Otter do SO in the start. However,
q little judicious management goes a
great way, only let it cover the more
prominent points; but full success can
only be obtained by observing all that
relates to the well being of the hens;
then family can possess itself of cheap
and fresh eggs the year round.-Utica
Herald. .-.
A California Story.