Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1885-04-06
A G RICUL UR AL,
HOW TO RAISE CHICKENS.


tunity for all lovers Of poultry to suit
their own fancy. Yet II IL difficult for
farmer to get just the kind that he
wants. He desires a flock OF hens that
will lay plenty Of eggs, produce good
meat for the table, not try to set ali
Summer, or do too much running over
the grain fields. We have found the
Leghorns excellent layers, but they
forage too much, 20 to the back end OF
the farm 70 scratch up the corn and fiy
to the highest part of the barn TO get on
the wheat NOV or grain stacks. Nest
strains of Brahmas are intolerable set.
ters.
We have finally made choice of the
Plymouth Rocks for q farm breed. al
though In eome respects they may be
surpassed by others. The fowls should
be provided with q building for their
exclusive use. With we'll planned
poultry house the care of fowls Is
lessened, and the annoyance Of having
them scratching everywhere Is prevent.
Cd. Considering the value ola good
flock OF chickens, the profit in keeping
them well, aud the fertilizing qualities
of the manure, 1t liz strange that the
fowls should be neglected as they are
on many farms.
The horse and cow stables are cleaned
every day, why should not the hem
house? Keep their house clean and
odorless, II You would be successful with
fowls. Have . good floor under the
roost, which can be ecraped clean every
day. After cleaning, sprinkle sawdust
over the floor. Wbitewash the inside
OF the building frequently, and keep
the air pure. Keep lice away by plac-
ing tobacco leaves In the nest OF the
setting hen. Pour small quantity of
keros' No along the roosting poles.
II You do all this and cannot kill the
lice, then kill the hens. In Summer
the chickens should have the run Of q
roomy, grassy gard, il they cannot be
allowed at large on the farm. In
Winter feed plenty of green food, such
as cabbage leaves, etc. Summer and
Winter give the hens milk, sour milk
or buttermilk, and the eggs will be
plentiful. Have an arrangement for
watering, SO that the young chickens
will not be tempted to drown them.
selves In the water-trough where the
horses drink.
CABBAGEs AS A FARM CROP.
Last year millions Of cabbages were
imported into this country from
Europe. and such was the case in 1882.
They are nsed largely for sauerkraut.
In foRgy weather cabbages are liable to
heat or mould on the steamers, and the
expense Of getting them here is very
great The price in the New York
market ranged from ten TO fifteen cents
per head. Prices in the inland cities
we're still higher. A farmer can we'll
afford to raise cabbages for three cen Is
q head.
And tie crop hiss this advantage-if
it cannot be sold it may be- fed out on
the farm to cows, sheep or pigs. As a
farm crop cabbages should be planted
in rows, three feet apart to admit the
use of horseshoe or cultivator. Low,
swampy land, that Is too wet for corn,
can often be planted to cabbage with
great advantage. If the land Ia smooth
and clean, the plants may be set in
rows two and half feet apart, but il
rongh, and not in fine condition, make
the space wide.
1t 10 very little work to set out an
acre Of cabbages. Mark out the land
as you would for planting corn. set out
O cabbage plant. The better way is to
mark the land both ways, and let a boy
drop the plants where the rows cross.
II the land is in good order man and
boy should set out at least an acre a
DAY. You should get more plants than
you need. in order to have enough TO
replace any tina. may fail to grow.
If you plant three feet apart each way
there should be 4,84O plants Oh an acre.
II 3x2l3, $500 per acre ; ii 3x2, 1890
plants per acre II 2Hx2H feet, which
will answer for Winning stadt cabbages,
there will be G,970 plants per acre.
When the plants get fairly started,
nothing more is require, d except to use
the cultivator freely between the rowe,
and TO dress out the weeds around the
plants with hoe. Thorsugh cultiva
tion is the essential point. II yon are
afraid of the green worm, set out five
acres instead of one acre. There will
DO about as many worms on the small
patch as On the large one.
CIDER VINEGAR,
Ii 1t Is desired TO change cider to vine.
gar as quickly as possible, it should be
placed Ia one corner OF the cellar where
IT cannot easily be got at. Keep it on
tap, and every day draw out a little
and turn 1t into the barrel again
through the bunghole. Insert bellows
into the cider every day aud blow seve.
raj pints Of air through 1t. The OK ygen
OF the air Ia what changes the cider to
vinegar. II the entire quantity 10 taken
from the barrel aud run back through
wood shavings, the cider will turn very
rapidly. as this exposes larger surface
to the air.
HENS EARLY EIsERs
Hens are early risers, and do not like
standing around on one foot waiting for
their breakfast. The morning meal with
them IL the most important one OF the
day. Boiled potato es, turnips, carrots.
anything In the vegetable line, mixed
with bran or shorts, seasoned with pep
per and sal. and fed warm, will make
any well regulated hen cackle with
satisfaction. Feed few hs ifuls Ct
wheat screenings at noon, and at right
give liberal feed of whole grain of
some kind.-Poultry and Fam
Journal.
WOOD ASHES.
Sandy land Is generally too dry. Ad-
ding potash In the form Of wood ashes
supplies needed moisture, beside fur
nishiug mineral in which sandy soil
Is usually deficient. Next to wood
ashes the German potash salts will
answer good purpose. Sandy soil
should never be plowed more than tso
years without seeding with clover or
some other crop to be plowed under, SO
as TO supply the requisite amount of
vegetable matter.
LAND PLASTER
Land plaster should be kept on hand
to sprinkle over manure heaps and In
the stables every day. When ammonia
can I've smelled, tho valuable Intro
gen is being wasted. The sulphuric
acid IN the plaster will catch aud hold
1t for delivery to the growing crops In