McCook weekly tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 188?-1886, 1884-08-28
Successive Crops of Poultry.

Where labor is too costly, or where,
as in a large family, no account is
made of the labor of the children, it is
possible to obtain large income from
a comparatively small flock of fowls.
This is accomplished by raising sue
cessive crops of chickens during the
season. The first crop should be out
of the shell by February 1, and the last
installment by June Is. We are speak
ing now of raising chickens for mar
ket. The first Matched will be ready
for market by the 1st of May, and the
last by thanksgiving. The old fowls
should be disposed of in July, or as
soon as their services as layers and
mothers can be dispensed with. The
successive broods should be disposed
of just as soon as they will command a
fair price. The earliest will be in
marketable condition in from eight to
twelve weeks. They can never be
more proftably disposed of than at
that age, for as they increase in size
prices decline, and so the extra food
bestowed on them is actually thrown
away. By this method of promptly
disposing of the chicks as they mature
the premises do not become over
stocked and the soil of the runs foul, as
in the case when large flocks are kept
throughout the season to be sold at the
holidays. By selling off the old stock
in July the greatest possible profit is
obtained from them. After this date
they lay but few eggs, begin to moult
in the fall, and perhaps lay not sin
gle egg before winter. The extra
pound or two of flesh they put on does
not pay for their food. By killing off
all surplus stock by Thanksgiving the
yards are cleared out and opportunity
is given to feed and care well for the
few that are to be kept over for next
seasons breeding. The extra care
these few receive will induce early
laying and broodiness in the spring,
and these two points are essential to
success. We have only outlined
method that is followed by many in
the eastern states who have been sue
cessful in raising eggs and poultry for
the food market. The plan will have
to be modified according to locality
and other circumstances.
The Beet Sugar Problem.
Rural new YORKER.
Our friends of the Ohio Farmer seem
to differ from our recent remarks in re-
gard to the present impossibility of
making beet sugar in America. But the
O. F. is clearly misinformed upon sew
eral points, and especially in two very
important points; for beets are not SUI
gar beets, and fifty tons of sugar beets
per acre have never been produced in
this country. Of field beets and man
gels even, we doubt very seriously if so
tons have ever been grown; 80 or IS
tons may have been, but this yield has
been produced only by heavy manur-
ing and high culture, such as would
produce 80 or 100 bushels of corn per
acre. Having had a good deal of ex-
perience in growing roots and sugar
beets, we are free to say that IA tons of
sugar beets worth $40 per acre may pay
the farmer in some cases, as when the
season is very favorable; but that he
would do much better to grow 80 tons
Of mangels or common field sugar beets
(not suitable for sugar, however,) Just
as easily, that would be worth So ton
or more TO feed to COWS or beef cattle,
or even to hogs to. make wholesome
sweet pork. And then it seems to have
been shown by the repeated failures of
the manufacturers that S. a ton is
more than can be afforded for the beets.
We are in favor of every industry that
can be made available to add to the re-
sources of our agriculture, but so far
beet sugar-making in America has had
SO unfortunate destiny that we feel it
to be unMise to try to boom it I'D.