The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1890-12-25

minister to the poorest Of cod, cro.,
ures. Domestio pets have in won n,,s.
fond and tender guardian; sbo dos
not neglect or abuse her CHARGE. IN.
feels the responsibilities of her ~,
ton, and her maternal duties a,y,.,.
prompt her to look after their we'll
being.
In the early spring, when the Arc.
sign of broodiness is seen, the inans.
trious woman is found assorting M.
largest and best-shaped eggs fron, ~.
extra layers for setting. She Ioolga
about for coy place away from noisa
and confusion and as near the kitchen
or woodshed as possible to make bar
nest. She fixes it in the most natural
way breaking and crushing the straw
to avoid Jumps and rough edges against
the hens tender breast, and molds il 10
her form as potter does his CLAW. she
dQos not approach the broody hen with
ten mudhoolzs" held out as If to lacer, -
her, but tenderly both hands are clasne5
around the wings the fingers RESTING
on the breast the fowl gently raisod
from the nest, an apron is thrown over
her head, and in this way she Ia trans-
ferred to the incubating nest witbont
fright or injury. Food and water ara
placed near her, and during the tbree
long weeks Of incubation she is daily
visited. and all her wants supplied.
Women feel proud to tell their neigh.
bors of their success with chicks and
show them the fruits of the seasons
work. They do not, however, rush in
to print and make extravaganza state
ments about their cockerels Growing
whom a mouth old, and their pullets
Smelling out" when they reached their
third month. The model woman punches
a hole in the family almanac the dav
she puts down the eggs for ineuba-
ton, and when they are due she goes
out in time to take away the shells
after the chicks are liberated, and she
does not brighten the excited hen or
mash couple of chicks with clumsy
fingers. She does not play second I'D
die" to the hen in midwifery except in
very urgent cases, and then she uses a
pin or needle to pick and raise the she'll
to free the head of the imprisoned in
mate, but never attempts to liberate
one with nail or iack-knife, as is Gus
tomary with men poulterers.
Women are particular about the sit
uation OF coops. II there be a SUNNY
and sheltry side to the house the coop
and chicks are sure to be there. The
hard-boiled egg, milk and bread crumbs,
custard, cottage cheese and meal pud-
ding are prepared to suit their delicate
stomachs, and placed on clean saucers
or sheets of brown paper to catch their
eye and whet their appetite. If per-
chance a rain-storm threatens all the
old pieces of carpet and bagging are
called into requisition to cover the coop,
and if it pours down to flood the ground,
and threatens the lives of the brood, She
forthwith sallies out and gathers the
famished chicks into her eapacious
apron without fumbling in the mud A
word from her starts the children gath
ering shavings or straw to start a
quick blaze in the stove, and the lit
tie dripping things are wrapped in
wooden clothes and placed in the oven
to await the vivifying action Of heat
and toning up with peppered drink.
Poultry fanciers may blow their own
horns as much as they like learnedly
write about this or that breed; eritieise
the standard and awards Of poultry
judges; discuss the chemical properties
of food and egg shell materials; but
when they come down to practical
work in their own yards their wives do
the most particular part of the work.
and largely contribute to their success,
without so much as a word of acknowl-
edgement or mention of their valuable
aid by their selfish lords. = Joseph
Wallace, in Orange County Farmer