The Arizona sentinel., 1888-09-22
SOUTHERN AGRICULTURAL.
A Remedy for Mites.

would like the readers of the Cult9-
 UGtor to know how 1 succeeded in get
 ting rid of that dreadful foe to South
 ern poultry-mites, which had been
 terror to me for years. l am firm
 believer in white-wash and cleanliness,
 but these alone will not keep off mites.
 Neither will these old "chestnuts,
 sulphur, carbolic acid and tobacco
 avail any thing. The remedy is quite
 simple, and the only agents required
 are energy, perseverance and boiling
 water. It is necessary to begin early,
 before the mites have commenced to
 hatch out their millions of torments.
 l commenced in January, and one day
 in every week thoroughly cleaned
 the fowl house, taking out the
 old straw in the nest-boxes and
 burning it, scalding with boil
 ing water the sides of the house,
 roasting poles and nest-boxes, which
 must he separate to reach the vermin
 with hot water. After placing nice
 clean hay in the nests, if there are
 setting hens, their eggs are wiped off
 with cloth dipped in warm water,
 taking care to put them in nest-box
 occupying the exact place in the house
 they did before. My setting hens en-
 joy the fresh, clean nests given them
 once week. With the assistance of
 small boy can in one hour clean my
 fowl house in this way, and to poultry
 raisers who think this too much trouble I will say that it is just as easy, cleaner, cheaper and more effectual than kerosene. For two years 1 have been free from these pests,
 and have hens setting every month
 in the year. I raise a great many chickens, besides nice flocks of turkeys, guineas and peafowls. The only foes l have to contend with are the two pirates. hawks and ''cuffee," and I often wish that it were possible to reach them with the same element boiling water. In April I received a clutch of fine eggs, and having no broody hen, rented one of a negro woman. For fear of vermin placed her in a secluded spot some distance from my fowl-house. She took the nest so nicely that did not go near her till next cleaning day, when I discovered that she was literally covered with mites. I put her hen ship in coop till 1 could scald her quarters, then conveyed her to the nearest dust and ash pile that had been under blazing sun all day and was pretty warm. After throwing this hot fine dust among her feathers, buried her body in it. Irepeated this several times, shaking the dust out of her feathers after each performance, then placed her on clean nest In a few days l went back and examined her and could not discover a single mite, but to make sure repeated the 1 had no more trouble | with her. After she had matched a nice brood of chickens, examined her i nest carefully, but could not discover a | mite. A few weeks ago a friend | of mine who had been greatly | troubled with mites, tried this on her | small flock. After cooping her entire flock she thoroughly scalded their | premises and gave each one a good dust bath. In week she repeated it, and she says that the vermin vanished | like magic. Sisters, try this plan and i you will be blessed with healthful | fowls. Some of the brothers will read | this simple remedy with scorn and go | on with masculine stupidity to use ] tobacco stems, sulphur and such stuff | in the nests to prevent vermin. One of them declared, openly and above board, that hot water would not kill | mites. Mistaken, brother! Try it | right and it will kill every whack.- Farmers WJe, ip Southern Cultivator.