The Middlebury register and Addison County journal. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1883-1885, 1884-01-18

plC VI SlCdG btduul, anu NtolldDlO 40
ornaments to the grounds. AS ordin-
arily transplanted, they are rarely
satisfactory. If the whole top of these
shrubs, every branch, be removed, leav-
ing only stick with as much root as
can be secured, success is quite certain.
We have removed the laurel (Kdlmia
lotUolja) safely in this manner; the
shrubs show no signs of their rough
treatment -Ame1icdn AgricuIturtSt
Feeding Poultry 10 Produce Eggs.
a correspondent writes that his
chickens are in good condition and
have the free run of the barnyard and
farm, but are not laying eggs, although
the season for laying is at hand. lie
asks what he shall feed to his poultry
to produce eggs. This query is an
opportune one, and the reply may be
of general interest.
Before considering the question of
food, it may be well to state that as
soon as old fowls have ceased laying in
the autumn, and before they have lost
condition by moulting, they should,
unless IIamburgs or Brahmas, be
either killed or sold off, and replaced
by pullets Matched in March or April,
which will have moulted early. These
pullets, with proper food and housing,
will all produce eggs by November.
When fowls are kept for eggs it is
essential to success that every autumn
the stock be replaced with pullets
Matched early in the spring. BY no
other means can eggs be relied on.
The only exception to this rule is in
the case of Cochins, Brahmas, or HAM
burgs, which will lay through winter
up to their second and sometimes their
third year.
a judicious system of feeding is
essential in winter. There is danger
in overfeeding. A fat hen is not only
subject to disease but ceases to lay.
On the other hand fowls are not re-
munerative unless sufficiently fed.
The almost daily production of an
article SO rich in nitrogen as an egg
demands an ample and regular supply
of adequate food. There is one simple
rule that always holds good with adult
fowls, viz, give them as much as they
can eat eagerly and no more. When
fowls begin to feed with Indifference
the supply should be stopped.
If the fowls have run of moderate
extent, 50 that they can forage for
themselves, two meals per day will be
found sufficient, one in the early
morning and the other the last thing
before they 90 to roost But when
fowls are kept in confinement they
will require scant midday meal.
The morning meal should consist of
soft, warm food. Small potatoes and
potato peclings, boiled until soft and
mixed with bran, or meal slightly
scalded, makes an excellent soft feed.
In mixing soft food always mix it
rather dry. The evening meal should
be of grain. Barley is excellent, and
Indian corn may be advantageously
given every second and third day.
BuckWheat has a stimulating effect on
the production of eggs, and could it be
obtained at cheap enough rate would
be recommended. Another Important
article of diet is green or vegetable
food; give cabbage leaves, turnips,
etc, in small quantities every day. In
addition to their regular food it is
needful that fowls have supply of
lime in one shape or another Old
mortar pounded is excellent, 50 are
burnt oyster shells. Never leave the
fowls without plenty of clean water.
Nests may be of any form, but are
best placed on or near the ground. A
form of nest employed abroad and
advantageous because readily cleaned,
is basket shape, flat on one side and
hung low to nail in the wall. These
baskets are of wire, hence do not har-
Dor vermin. The straw placed in the
nests should be changed as often as
there is. any foul or musty smell.
y change of food at times will be
beneficial. When the weather is warm
and the production of eggs abundant,
the food should abound in nitro-
geneous or llesh-forming material, and
not contain too much starch or oil,
both of which, being carbonaceous,
have thanksgiving and fattening
properties; but in cold weather, when
the eggs are fewer than in summer,
less of the heterogeneous and more of
the carbOnOceouS food will be re-
quired.
One word more. Fowls require
Of