The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1886-11-12
Mrs. Slocum's Brahmas.
(Continued from last geek. J
From Prairie Farmer.

Continued from last geek
From Prairie Farmer.
But for all the feeding, no eggs re-
suited, and the price of hen fruit ascend
ed higher every day. The debt side of
the hens account also increased with
alarming rapidity, and Jake began to
feel discouraged. "Why don't those
hens lay?" he asked, one evening, after
he came home from the store, where
he had listened to good many inspir-
ing remarks about the chicken business
in general, and the Slocum chicken
business in particular. 1T looks to me
as if it were about time for the returns
to begin to come in. If they don't be
gin to lay pretty soon, we shall be the
laughing stock for the whole neighbor.
hood" awe are that now" remarked
Mrs. Slocum calmly. "but it does not
trouble me. The laugh will be on the
other side before long. The pullets are
singing from morning until night, and
their combs are very bright. IF we
don't find eggs in less than week, it
will be strange
The next morning, when Mrs. Slo.
cum fed her fowls, she improved the
occasion" by talking to them about the
error of their non-laying way. "You
great white Beauties she exclaimed to
Brahma pullets, "you are big enough
old enough, and have good house,
and food enough, and you ought to lay.
You must lay; your regulations and
mine depend upon it; and besides, it is
awfully EXPENSIVE keeping you in idle
ness" The "great white beauties"
looked thoughtful, and winked at each
other in knowing way, but they made
no promises.
The next day was Christmas, and for
some reason, probably because it was
Christmas morning, Mrs. Slocum was
little late about the chickens break fast
Such cackling as greeted her ears
when she entered the Brahma house!
At first Mrs. Slocum thought her bid.
dies were scolding her for being so late,
but Master Johnny said: 81 guess they
have laid some eggs" and looked into
all the nests. "Hcre it isv' he shouted
as he looked into the nest, "and it's
warm, too, but what made them all
cackle so? Did it take them all to lay
it? l should think they might lay one
apiece" His mother thought SO too,
still one egg was better than none: it
was, as Jake remarked; an "encourag-
ing sign"
Within week the Brahmas were all
laying. The common hens, not to be
outdone by their aristocratic cousins,
also commenced laying, and for the
next two months every pullet on the
place laid at rate which delighted
Mrs. Slocum's heart, added considerably
to the credit side of the poultry &C.
count, and "astonished the natives"
1T does beat all, Mrs. Slocum, what
luck you've had with your chickens,
this winter" said neighbor who came
in to buy dozen eggs for the cake for
her daug hrer's wedding, "here you are
selling eggs at 80 cents dozen. and
our hens haven't laid an egg since last
October" "Luck!' exclaimed Mrs.
Slocum, 'there isn't any luck about it.
I've learned how to take care of hens so
as to make them lay in winter, that's
all. Your hens would have laid as we'll
as mine if they had had warm house
and everything they needed, as mine
have" WELL" said the woman en-
phatically as she counted out thirty
cents, eff 1 can coax Jim to fix up
hen house, and you will tell me some of
your ways, III try my hand at making
hens lay next winter"
cake" said Mrs. Slocum as the
neighbor woman went out the gate, 81
begin to feel like missionary. There
goes my second convert. 1 believe l
am destined to do great poultry work
among this people"
Mrs. Slocum's four Brahma ROSTERS
caused that lady great deal of what
the hired girl called "worriment of
mind;" not that they misbehaved in any
way, for four more peaceably disposed,
well-bred. gentlemanly ROSTERS it would
be difficult to find. The trouble was