Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1880-02-14
AGRICULTURAL SELECTIONS

AS protection against phyll0Xera, Euro
pean vine-growers are advised by DR.. Blan-
kenhorn to propagate new vines from the
seeds of the grape. He finds that the con-
tinuous propagation from cuttings has under
mined the constitution of the vine.
AMERICAN Meyinos are 10 king up again.
For instance, it is reported that during the
eight months ending September l, 1879, there
were shipped from Middlebury, VT, twenty
car loads averaged 100 sheep each. Six loads
went to Ohio and seven to Texas.
THE production of cider in France attaiHs
the very respectable annual value of $40, 0O0,-
900. Much stress is being laid upon the
substitute for the failing supply of wine, and
also as an article for export. Consignments
of cider from France to South America have
been made with profit, the article arriving
in good condition, and finding a ready sale.
Does this not suggest an opportunity for our
American farmers?
Mr.. PETERSON, editor of the Mich Zeitang,
in his report on the exhibition of dairy
products in London, last fall, refers in glow
ing terms to the growing Importance of Ger
man dairy products in the English markets.
The Germans are likely to be hard to beat in
this line and the great increase in their ex-
ports of late years is good proof of their in
dustry and perseverance in improving the
quality of their butter and cheese.
WILL POULTRY PAY?-The question, xviii
poultry farming pay?" is being asked more
than ever this winter-and, everything taken
into consideration, it is rather hard one to
answer. If the person wishing to engage IN
keeping poultry on an extensive scale-in.en! :
ing thereby to make living or something
L.. ct,ch
business, and can take pleasure in properly
caring for his flock, and follows the directions
so often laid down by those long engaged in
the business, my answer would be yes. But
let no one without experience in keeping poul-
try lima CINE for a moment that it is all sun
shine and pleasure in managing poultry
farm. [ know of no business that demands
more close attention. even to the minutest
detail. My advice would be to start with
comparatively a small number-say 100
and see how you get on with that number,
and as your experience grows, so let your
flock increase. Your buildings need not be
expensive, but they must be comfortable and
roomy. My own plan was to fence in ten
acres with fence five feet high-rough
pickets. My houses are scattered around on
this patch so that each flock is comparatively
by itself-al the yards / have are for my lit
tie chicks, which as fast as possible are mar
keted early for broilers, saving the best early
pullets to replace half of the old stock each
year These pullets ase turned into the ten.
acre Enclosure soon as they are old enough to
determine whether they are fit to be saved.
About 800 hens can be handily land | find
successfully kept ON this amount of ground.
From this number of hens one should aver.
age about 4, 900 chicks each year. Allow the
hens to set as soon after January LIST as they
i. 1at ofka V,,y,n Let
Late chickens are mo good" as rule.-[J.
II. W., in Prairie Farmer.
POULTRY HoUsEs.-Ajax, in Prairie Far
naer: Noticing request for description OF
some readers poultry houses, hereby offer
mine: The house is built of concrete walls
II inches thick at base, 10 inches at top, 10
feet by 20 inside measurement. North side
II feet high, south side feet, door in east
end, opening for ingress and egress of fowls
exactly in the center south side. Dividing
the roof nearly in the center is 80 feet square
of glass west of this the roof is hinged at
the top so the lower end can be raised feet
if desired, to admit air during warm weather,
still affording shelter from rains and heavy
dews. The roof is of the best shingles, ceiled
up on the inside except under the glass. In
side have seven perches 9 feet long, inches
wide, one end resting in holesin west wall, other
can be removedin amoment. Perches 1Sinches
above a good board fioor balance of the house
has no floor. Over perches 2 feet on west
wall have six nests covered with lsth in such
manner that hens cannot roost on them. On
north side, feet above perches, have frame
of fourteen nests two rows of seven each) ar
ranged so fowls cannot roost on them. Dur
ing the day a perch is placed so fowls can
easily reach any nest. Six feet from east
wall is lsth partition-lath running diagon-
ally-to partially shade fifteen nests that are
used for setting hens. Nests are high, and
FIVE rows in one frame, with partitions be-
tween nests. A lath door connects the set
| ting-room with the roosting and laying ROOM
Each room is supplied with dust box 2 by
8 feet, made of 12.inch boards set bottom
less 3 inches in the ground and above ;
kept supplied with ashes and road dust,
and occasionally a handful of sulphur
mixed in charcoal supplied in the ashes.
Lime and gravel outside in abundance to all
except the setting hens, who are supplied with
gravel. water, mixed feed of bran and meal,
with occasionally some meat scraps The
laying and roosting room has two yentilators,
and the setting room one, that can be opened
and closed at pleasure. Eggs have not frozen
in this house the coolest weather we have
had, 14o below zero. Pullets have laid all
winter, some of them now setting. The
building required six loads of broken stone
for the foundation, which is Is inches wide
and feet below ground. The wall required
twelve loads of gravel and four loads OF
broken stone. The cost of the stone and
gravel was merely the cost of hauling. The
lime cost So rs, plastering inside and cut
81 80, glass in roof 81 10, shingles and other
lumber S.; total. S14 35. Part of the lum-
Der for the roof had on the place, also VIVA,
was used for inside work Were l to build
another house | would put the glass in the
south wall instead of in the roof, for several
reasons.