The Portland daily press., 1883-09-25
How to Cure Egg Eating.


Sometimes the habit is formed by the
carelessness of the kitchen maid, or house
keeper, in throwing the egg shells into the
pail and giving them with the other waste to
the hens. This should never be done, if you
want the hens to respect their own eggs.
Understanding the cause Of this unthrifty
habit, it is not very difficult to provide rem
edy. From a recent experience, we have
found that the habit is very much broken by
anabundant supply of crushed shells. 1t had,
grown so bad in a flock of twenty Light
Brahmas, owing to neglect of this ration,
that they devoured every egg, without the
closest watching, at the cackle of every lay
ing hen. Giving the shells every morning
the craving ceased, and we found the eggs
remaining in the nests undisturbed. AS an
assistant to this remedy, we manufacture an
egg-trap from common nest-box. This is
so simple that any one accustomed to the
use CT tools can make it in an hour or two.
A slight inclination. of the board upon which
the nest-egg is fastened will cause the new
laid egg to roll away from under the hen,
beyond her reach, as soon as it is dropped.
The rear board has the same inclination to-
ward the center, and projects over the other
board far enough to protect the egg when it
has rolled away. The space between the
boards is just wide enough to give free pas
sage to the eggs. The egg-box may be
protect the shells from cracking. If the
back board be furnished with hinges, it can
be used as lid, to allow of the removal of
of the eggs. 1t is complete egg trap, and
with the oyster shells. in our case, abated
the nuisance Of egg-eating. Many think,
that when hen has contracted the habit of
egg-eating, the shortest way is the best, and
instead of eating she is put in condition TO
be eaten. But good layer is too valuable
f,h a frfua 1xxyifh off To
her bad habit, often acquired through the
negligence of the owner. The egg-trap
works admirably and secures the end de-
sired by placing it out of the power of the
hen to do mischief.-Americap Agriculturist
for October.
How to Successfully Transplant Trees.
Many think it cheaper and better to take
up large trees from the woods. and trans
plant them to their grounds or to the road
side, than to buy nursery trees. AS rule,
such trees die; they fail because the proper
precautions have not been taken. In digging
up the tree, all the roots outside of a circle
few feet in diameter are cut off, and the tree
is reset with its full head of branches. Who
ever has seen trees in the forest that were
upturned by tornado, must have been
struck by the manner in which the roots run
very near to the surface, and to great dis
bduce. w ucU Tue TOOlS Vi tHtSC JT6eS are
cut off at two or three feet from the trunk,
few or no fibrous or feeding roots are left;
and il the mass of tops is left, the expansion
of the buds in the spring will not be respond
ed to by a supply Of sap from the roots, and
death must follow. If such trees have the
tops completely removed, leaving only bare
pole, they will usually grow when trans
planted. The tree is little more than an i'm
mense cutting; but there are roots enough
left to meet the demand of the few shoots
that start from the top, and growth above
and below ground are we'll balanced. We
have seen naples, elms, and Eastwood trees,
fifteen feet or more high, transplanted in
this manner, without a failure. Some trees
treated in this manner were planted in our
neighborhood about ten years ago. They
have now as fine heads as one would wish,
and shows no signs of former ro1gh treat
ment Trees in pastures, or on the edge of
the woods, are better furnished with roots.
These should be prepared for transplanting
by digging down to the roots, and cutting off
all that extend beyond the desired distance.
This will cause the formation of fibrous roots
near the tee. 1t will be safer to take two
years for the operation, cutting half of the
roots each year. Such trees may be removed
in safety, especially if good share of the
Top is removed at nting.-American
Agriculturist for October.