The record-union., 1891-05-18
FARM And ORCHARD.
Some Observations as to the
CheapneSS of Fat.

Setting Hens Can be Moved and Made
to Set Where You Want Them
Young Mutton for Profit-The Com
post Heap.
The wise men of the East were guided
on their way by a star. The farmers
wife is guided on her way by the light of
experience. There is no need of writing
anything upon this subject for the en-
ightenment of Mother Goose or Mother
Hubbard, because they know too well
how to perform this work; but it is for
young Mrs. Grundy that we write of our
method, because we know she will tell
others of our successful ways, and they
will do likewise, and thus the good seed
may be sown and bring forth its kind
some ten-fold, etc.
In the first place, be sure the hen wants
to sit. Early in the season, when cold
spells are liable to come any time, be
sure that she wants to sit bad, as a short
absence from the eggs, after they once
begin to terminate, may chill them so
they will not hatch. In the next place,
be sure she is sitting in place where no
other hens viii bother her. If you have
a Matching room so much the better.
would not think of getting along without
d Matching room. The sitting hen can be
moved to her new quarters after night,
the nest kept rather dark for day or
two, and she will get down to business
without any danger of quitting her work.
Last season | bought some three dozen
sitting hens right off the nests, took them
home, some three miles, in sacks, put
on wit fnHtr i'm w
Matching room, and had no trouble with
the whole outfit. 1t proved to my mind
that sitting hens could be moved and
made to sit where you want them. OF
course you must take them off for feed
and water and see that they go back on
their nests, for a few days.
l like nests on the ground. where there
are no SllunkS or animals to bother; it is
less liable to cause broken eggs, in getting
on or Oft of the nest. These tobacco cad
dies make excellent nests. Dig a sod the
size to go into the box, turn it upside
down in the box, scoop out place deep
enough to make a good nest, scatter lit
tie litter in it and put in your eggs. You
are well fixed. The sod holds moisture,
prevents cold from below to the eggs,
will retain heat when once warmed up,
and is natures nest; for all of you have
noticed that when hens steal off and hide
their nests on the ground in some fence
corner. a good hatch is invariably the re-
suit Now, there's hen on. and theneXt
thing is to test the eggs. After they have
been sitting week, throw away the bad
ones, replacing with fresh. OF course Ii
person with experience can test out the
unfertile eggs in three or four days, but
one not an expert Will probably require a
weeks time. And just here let me re-
mark, although not new to many it is to
others, that rotten eggs are the eggs fertil-
1VpH nllI from some rgllSp h1Va hppn lyjlla1
after beginning to hatch. An egg not
fertiliZed viii never become added but
remain perfectly clear for a long time.
even under hen in the hottest OF
weather. l have often heard the remark
Eggs no good; all rotten" This is a
sure sign that they We're good, but from
some cause the germ was killed after it
began to hatch.
Always, If you can, set two or more
hens at the same time; when they hatch
the chicks can be placed with one hen
and the remaining eggs placed under the
other hen for few days until you are
sure all are Matched that will do so, then
set the hen over with fresh eggs. This
saves mother and gives You double
back action, as it We're, towards getting
out plenty of chicks.
If the weather is very dry about the
time the hens are to hatch, sprinkle the
eggs, or, better still, put them in a buck Ell
vi wal III W dtti lOI Il lew minutes. dig
you ever notice how well duck eggs
hatch under mother duck? Because
she leaves her nest, takes a bath and re-
turns, thus mOistening her eggs.
OF course it is no trouble to set hen
but don't you call to mind some woman
in your neighbOrhood that seems to have
better luck than anyone in raising
chickens? There was learned upon in
quiry that she took great pains in regard
TO her sitting hens, and there was no luck
about ii. 1t is well enough to have some
thing to tie with our misfOrtuncs, but
when it comes to raising early chicks,
and a yard full of them, it is always no.
ticed that the hustling woman takes the
bakery.-JohR c. Snyder, IN the Prairie
(WiS., Farmer.
YOUNG MUTTON FOR PROFIT.
The rapid development of the sheep in
dustry in the Northwest is cause for con
graduation, for there is perhaps no in
dustry so well calculated to restore the
worn-out fortunes of farmers as this one.
At the same time il is cause for anxiety.
for in the hands of ignorant or careless
men sheep growing may be very unprof-
Atable. Therefore, TO the man who does
not know it all' few suggestions may
not be out of place.
There are two or three different lines in
this business which a man NAV follow.
The line he should follow will be deter
mined by the facilities he has for market
ing his produce. Anyone having easy
access to large cities viii find raising fat
lambs for the early market the most prof
table, for not only can he get good prices
TOR his lambs, but by changing his ewes
every year a profit can be made on them
also. The advantage in changing ewes is
that one buck can be used as long as he
VIII do good service, and all.Ilambs can
be sold, none having To be selected to
keep up the flock, and by good feeding a
gam or fifteen or twenty pounds can be
made in weight. and from fifty cents to a
dollar per cwt. in price. For this bust
ness as many ewes as can well be cared
Tor should be purchased in July and put
ut once on good feed 10 insure their COM
ing rapidly to service, and also TO increase
the percentage Of lambs, for on the condi-
ton of the eve at the time of service de-
ponds entirely that percentage.
The next thing is the selection of a
buck. While il would be very expensive
and next TO impossible to have full
bloOded ewes, il is absolutely necessary
To have a pure-bred buck of some of the
mutton breeds, care being taken to cor
rect by him any defects in form or fleece
that may exist in the ewes.
In coupling, great care should be taken
10 maintain the Vlgor of the buck In no
case should two bucks Ice put with flock
of ewes at the same time. The most ap-
proved method is to employ a teaser.
Any scrub of good vigor can be used for
this purpose, securing him from imprep-
mating any ewes by fastening a stout can
vas around his body, and smearing him
on the brisket with a mixture of lard and
red ochre, by which he will put a mark
on those ready for service. BY changing
the color every week a record will be OBJ
tanned OF the time of service, which will