The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1890-12-11
OUR RURAL TOPICS.
Some Practical Suggestions for Our
Agricultural Readers
RAIsING VILE PLYMorrH RocKs.

hAlrlSG WHITE PLYMOUTH ROCKS.
Onr small flock Of fowls having become
mixture Of different varieties we determined
last Spring, before selling of the old stock, to
raise the required number Of -bloOded
chickens. As the White Plymouth Rocks
seemed to combine all the requisite qualities
desirable ia fowls, in May we obtained four set
tings Of eggs, from which were Matched 30
fine, healthy chickens We found them to be
hardy, vigorous and very tenacious of life;
several times during the Summer the pelting
rains flooded their eOOps and thoroughly wet
them, which would have been death to common
chickens; but after they were picked up aud
dried by the Kitchen fire they We're as lively as
ever. They are white without any markings
of color, except that when first Matched some
Of them showed blending Of gray about the
head, but this in short time entirely disap-
peared. They have very large frames, and
are somewhat slow at reaching maturity, but
when one takes into cOnsideTatiOn the size and
weight they attain at full growth, there is
nothing remarkable about il. They are said to
be good layers and nearly nOn-sitters. They
arc also desirable fowl for table use, as their
| flesh is white tender aud fne-favOred. At
this date our flock Of chickens are nearly six
months old, aud while they have attained a
/ twO-tniTds' growth, IL il difficult TO ascertain
( their sex with any degree Of accuracy; the
males 10 all appearance largely predominant,
aud we are holding the entire flock for future
1 development
la connection with the White Plymouth
/ Rocks We raised a brood or two of chickens
/ from our old stock Of fowls. While the males
\ have been slaughtered for table use, the
| pullets have been laying since the first Of the
/ month, which, with our mixed breed of fowls, is
\ an uncommon occurrence. We have just one
/ Brown IeghOrn hen whose record we wish to
| give, and il "A Farmers Daughter" or any other
/ poultry raisers can show better record from
1 this variety any other, will they please to
/ make IL knOwn2 In September of last year a
| neighbor had brood OF Brown LeghOrn
chickens come of, and as cold weather came
on they all died but one. Through some un-
accountable freak this one orphan chicken
| took up It's quarters i'm one OF our barns and
persisted in remaining there. John was indig-
nant aud said he would not have his fowls
mixed up with such an Insignificant breed, and
| If the neighbor did not keep il at home he
! would wiring its neck. After one or two un-
successful attempts TO keep the chick at home
the neighbor gave 1t up, aud the chicken
picked up its living wherever IL could, and
became permanent bOarder through the entire
Winter. But judge of our establishment when
this half-grown chicken began TO lay in April.
| At first ITS eggs resembled doves egg In size.
| From April To the present time there have not
been many days at time but that this fowl has
| produced an egg. John says If he had a
dozen such hens he could glut the market with
eggs.-A. q. b., in The CultiUdtOr.
ERRORS IN BLANKErISG.
The blanketing Of horses, like everything
else, requires TO be done with discretion, in
order 10 derive full benefit, says q correspond
ent from across the border lines. From our
observation and way Of thinking many errors