The record-union., 1891-02-25


make but little progress when trans
planted in the open air. A hot-bed may
be of any preferred size, and should face
the south. 1t should be made of thick
lumber, three feet wide, of any desired
length, with a slope of at least six inches
from the back to the front, so as to shed
the rain, but the slope should be so ar
ranged as to allow as much sunshine as
possible. If the frame is eighteen inches
deep, at least one foot should be in tie
ground, and the earth banked up as close
to the front edge as possible. Fill in with
fresh horse manure, well trampled, until
six inches thick, and then cover the ma
nure with four inches of rich soil, wetting
the whole with urine.
In short time the manure will begin
to heat, when two inches more of soil
may be added. If the heat becomes too
great it may be reduced with cold water.
There are many modes OF making the
hot-bed, however, and of securing the
| heat, much depending on the kind OF
manure.
One mistake made is in keeping the
young plants warm from the start, allow
ing too much heat, which causes them TO
become tender and lack hardness. If the
plants can be grown in as cool temper
ature as may be risked without danger
they will be all the better for it when
transplanted, though they may not make
hot-bed should be really a protection
against frost rather than to force the
plants too rapidly. Experience has taught
the tomato-growers to use only cold
frames, which are made later in the sea-
son, in order to secure hardy plants that
will start right off>in growth when trans
planted. Give plenty Of air when the
weather Is dry and clear, and the temper
ature is above the freezing point, and
guard against overheating. Water mod
erately, as saturation is OF no advantage.
Hardness is more important than large
plants. Philadelphia Record.
MATING FOWLS FOR BREEDING.
1t is fact, recognized and admitted by
all poultry breeders, that in selecting
fowls for breeding, it is desirable that the
ages OF the cock and hen should vary. 1t
is generally admitted that the strongest
and best chickens are produced from a
young cockerel and two-year-old hens;
but unfortunately, however, the click
ems of such parentage have too frequent
~ large proportion of males, and there
fore it is that some breeders prefer two
year-oid cock to put with pullets. This
rule must not, however, be looked upon
as imperative as TO either case; there are
exceptions to both, and good chickens
may also be produced from cocks and
hens all of the same age. One thing
in mating young fowls less than year
old, their chickens will always be back
ward in Hedging; neither is it desirable
to breed from fowls after they have
passed their third year. The male bird
has the most influence upon the color OF
the progeny and upon what are usually
known as the fancy points, while the
form, size and useful qualities are princi-
pally derived from the hen.
AS to the crossing of a breed, the cock
erels in the progeny Will more or less re-
semble the father, while the pullets fol-
low the mother, and a knowledge of this
fact is of much importance to those who
wish to breed back to the original strain.
In the larger breeds it is frequently de-
sirable to increase the size or to render
more prominent some portion of the
| body. In such cases a cross with a hen
| of foreign breed should be employed. If
on the contrary, tits the plumage which is
sought to be modified, then it is the male
| bird that should be thrown in. The same
rule should also be adopted in breeding
the cross out again. or in retaining any
new characteristic. ic.-FI03'al and F'ireSide
THE HoLLYHoCK.
| A good, double, clear white holIyhock
| is very good substitute for camellia o,
white rose, as center Of a bouquet
| We do not now think of one as good, ex-
cept the double white balsam In situa-
tions suitable for tall flowers, we know
of nothing better than the hollyhock
and yet the improved varieties do moi
grow very high, from four to five feet be-
| ing about the average. The hollyhock is
! biennial. New plants are obtained from
seed and by dividing the roots. Seeds
sown in the summer will give plants that
will endure winter. The hoIlyhock will
last great while, for several years, if not
allowed to flower too freely. Plants are,
however, so easily grown from seed that
little trouble is usually taken to preserve
old plants. The plants may be protected
during winter with a little straw and
evergreen boughs or leaves.-V Vick'a
1Nagdzine.
CooPs FOR SETTING HENS.
| AS n precaution against storms and Sc
we're cold, all the coops for setting hens
| should be placed in the poultry-house OF
under a shed. When the hens come of
with their broods the coops should be
SO constructed as to permit Of carrying
the hens and chicks in the coops. No
matter how closely hen may hover her
chicks, she cannot protect them in winter
when they are exposed to severe cold,
and the chicks will sometimes become
chilled during the day when they are
picking up bits outside Of the coop. All
| coops TOR hens with broods should be
well Uttered with cut hay, and every care
nsed to have them as warm as can be.
! When a hen is setting her nest should pe
| in warm place and her food placed
where she can reach it without being
compelled to go very far from the nest
Farm and Fireside.
FARM NOTES.
The best material for inducing the hens
| to lay is pound OF lean meat once a day
to twenty hens.
The harrow is the most important inn
| plement used early in the season, and il
/ should be used until the ground is as fine
as it can be made.
! An animal that is not sheltered in cold
weather viii probably eat a third more
| than one that is, and not do nearly as well
at that.
! Sheep manure contains from 80 to 8:
! per cent. OF the rations consumed. 1t is
! therefore, very rich fertilizer, as expert.
| ence has shown. 1t is especially rich in
nitrogen in an available form.
The sheep is an easy animal to fatten
and the most of the fat could be laid on
| with less grain, if there was little more
care given to the matter of feeding. Nc
animal should be recklessly fed, the
speep especially.
Yearlings, calves and colts should bt
| sheltered at night. A months growth is
easily used up'' by exposure to one cold
! oSot III. -Nidhc W Keep bucil II
the best OF condition. Also keep an eye
on the lookout for vermin.
Secretary Woodland, of the New York
! Agricultural Society, claims that the
heaviest tax the farmer has to contend
with is from his inhaman exposure o.
| stock and the waste of manure.
An exchange says: If you want to know
how much beef you will have from bul.
lock, weigh him. and then divide by
4 . ax.-.lI
weight of hide. tallow and quarters.
Wheat straw contains over y per cent
| of sugar, gum, etc, 3 per cent. of minera
matter, and about 81 per cent. of album.
inoids, as well as II per cent. of fat 1t i.
therefore a food worth using with grair