The National tribune., 1888-11-29
OUR RUREL TOPICS.
Some Practical Suggestions for Our
Agricultural Readers
RATsrNa rAnI,Y RRoILERs.


secured from early operations. Many persons
severe weather, but it is the labor that is really
paid for when the chicks are sold. Remove all
Obstacles and the supply of early broilers would
be greater than the demand, with prices CORE
spondingly low. In all cases it must be con-
sidered that to realize the highest prices one
must earn them.
But much of the labor of raising early broilers
may be saved by making proper arrangements.
1t is not proposed here to speak of incubator and
brooder methods, as the majority of readers are
familiar with their use, but to explain some of
the causes of failures with hens. All hens are
not alike, as some are quiet while others are
nervous and excitable. In cold weather the
quiet hen makes the best mother, as she settles
often in order to hover her chicks which is the
most important matter in raising them, warmth
being more essential than food though the lat
ter should not be overlooked. A hen will pro-
vide warmth for large brood in Summer, but
she cannot do it in March. How often it hap
pens that 13 eggs are placed under hen, she
matches perhaps 10, and raises five. The num-
Der in brood raised to a marketable age sell
dom equals one-half of all that hatch. The
hen can hover the chicks when they are very
small, but as they grow few must take their
chances on the outside The result is that on
some cold night they perish or become so thor
oughly chilled as to gradually dro0p and die. A
young chick just out Of the shell is almost
entirely unprotected, its down being of little
service, and the proper Temperature for it the
first 4S hours is at least 900, and even 1902 is
not too warm. If the hen is not kept in
warm place she cannot impart this warmth, as
there are cold currents along the ground. If
there are one or two chick stronger than the
others they will induce the hen to follow them,
the result being that the weaker ones suffer
because the mother will not hover for them.
No amount of food can compensate for this lack
of warmth and if the chicks do not perish they
become stunted. There is no necessity for this
loss of chicks in a brood. In the first place, 10
eggs are enough for a hen to cover in cold
weather, and in the next, eight chicks make
sufficiently large brood for her to manage.
More chicks can be raised from a small brood
than from large one and to insure success in
cold weather the hen and brood must be we'll
protected, as well as confined to small space
until the chicks get strong.-American AgricaI-
tnriSt.
WITHDRAWING.
The New York Dairymen's Association mas
issued certain standard rules as a basis upon
which to found the details of the dairyman's
art in butter making. In the first place, it is
all-important that the cows be adapted to the
purpose of butter production rather than that
of creamless milk, The feed should contain
the proper elements for making butter-such
as a mixture of bran, cornmeal, ground eats
or peas. together with a small portion of lin
seed or cOttOnseed meal and the whole to be
mixed in proportions. The cows should be fed
and MIXED with regularity as to time; the
water should be pure, the stables we'll yenti-
lated, the cows kept clean and the most careful
Oh,
for perfect cleanliness. The cows should, if
possible, all be MIXED by the same person and
the milk set for cream as soon as drawn. The
utensils should be scalded always after being
used, and kept perfectly clean and sweet. The
cream should be skinned fronfthe milk within
"a hours of the time of milking, after which it
should be kept at a temperature of about 45o
until the ripeuing process begins, to perfect
which the cream should then be raised to
temperature of &c. in the meantime stirring
it frequently. The cream may be churned any
where between go ana go Fahrenh eit, accord
ing to the season and surrounding temperature.
No cream should be added after the ripening
process begins. In churnng, as soon as the
butter has come in particles about the size of
grains of wheat, draw off the buttermilk, and
supply its place with fresh water. repeating the
drawing off process until the water comes out
as clear as crystal Then take the butter out,
place it on the butter worker and salt it, using
an ounce of salt-to pound of butter, and after
working the salt in, form the butter into rolls
and pack Immediately Baltimore Sun.
BREAKING UP THE SITTING HENS.
There have been many suggestions given as
to the best mode of breaking up" the sitting
hens, in erder to compel them to desist from
incubation and begin laying again. If hen
begins to sit it is usually when she is in good
condition, and as rule she is fat. If she is
| prevented from carrying out her Intention of
sitting, by being broken up she will lay only a
| few eggs and begin sitting again. Now we will
| give an excellent plan which will save time and
| give more eggs after the hen is broken up In
! the first place, let her stay on the nest week,
giving her no food the first three days, and only
one meal the next two days, and one the next
| two, which completes the week, but let her
| have all the water she desires. She will then
| fall off in flesh, and should be taken from the
nest and placed in lath box with open sides
| and open bottom, with no nest or anywhere for
| her to sit, giving only one meal a day, which
| should be stale bread soaked in milk and lit
tie chopped clover. Keep her in the box two
| or three days, aud then let her be placed with
| the other fowls. She will then be in good lay
ing condition, not too fat, and will lay on, and
| not attempt to hatch, anOther brood for quite a
| length of time.-AirTOr and Farmer.
NOTES
Mud on the cows should not be allowed
Use the brush. COW should be kept as clean
! as a horse.
"A hard crust over the soil prevents the
rain and heat from entering. Always keep the
surface of the soil loose.
The soil should be more than supplied with
the clements removed by each crop, and it will
never lose its fertility.
1t is not necessary to use heavy plow in
the orchard, as it sometimes cuts the roots too
much. The cultivator is sufficient.
-YoH cannot make special butter cow OF
one that is not adapted for such purpose, but
judicious feeding will increase the yield to a
certain extent
An application of kerosene oil will mate
rally prevent rust on ironwork of implements
Implements should be put away in a dry place
where dampness cannot reach them.
--Assort your potatoes so as to have every loi
or bin of uniform size, and they will present q
more uniform and attractive appearance, as
well as bring higher price in market.
"A temperatureof 1902 in the manure heap
will kill the seedslof weeds but the materials
should be frequently handled in order that the
whole mass may be completely decomposed.
-Cabbages should not be stored away until
the weather becomes quite cold as they will
not keep well should few warm days occur
1t IS best to use them from the field as long as
possible before storing,
1t is claimed that If melons are packed in
sawdust and stored in the cellar they will keer
several months. Squashes may also be kept in
the same way, but care must be exercised as