The record-union., 1892-12-14

COOKE Is IOure SnllIlngS, ana ne Is Wei
worth it, for he may be in weight forty
pounds" Josselyn, in his "Rarieties,"
says, Il have heard several credible per-
sons affirm that they have seen turkie
cocks that have weighed forty, yea, sixty,
pounds"
No such weights, sixty pounds, are
bred at this period, and it is more than
likely the credible persons" received
their Information from other credible
ones. The bronze turkeys, as bred to-
day, average much heavier than the wild
turkeys. 1t is the blood of the wild tur-
keys, however, which has been crossed
with our domestic breeds that has ena-
oled poultry breeders to raise the heavy
weights. A bronze gobbler two years
old, weighing from 40 to 45 pounds, is not
now any great curiosity. At one Of the
New ork poultry shows the first prize
bronze gobbler weighed 45t pounds, and
at the New Orleans Exposition the first
prize gobbler weighed As. Both OF these
birds were raised in Spottsylyania
County, Va, and when the distance and
time it took them to reach their destina-
ton are remem bered, it is probable that
they weighed from three to five pounds
more when shipped. For sometime
fancler had standing offer OF $50 for the
nrst gobbler shown that would weigh 30
pounds. At one of the shows a turkey
raiser had goDbler that lacked little
over pound OF the $50 weight The
owner was u ''cute Yankee" and came
very near bringing his gobbler up to
weight after it got in the show room. The
rapid gain, however, excited suspicion,
and investigation showed the turkey had
been crammed with shot. About one
pound of shot had already been poured
down IFS throat. 1t is said when the tur-
Key was taken from the coop and its neck
Strengthened out, and two men held it up,
q hot lfaff
the floor like hail on tin roof. The
prlZe-winner at the Paris Exposition of
1873 weighed Is pounds. Some time dur
ing 1866 Mrs. Lounesbury OF Stamford
Conn, sent present to President john
son IN the shape of -year-Old turkey
cock which weighed Il pounds.
Turkey raising is becoming valuable
factor OF revenue on the farm. OF late
years farmers have looked after their
uockS III a practical manner, paying at
tentlon to the Importance OF giving a va
rled diet and having suitable shelter pro-
vlded for stormy weather. The past sea-
son has been a most auspicious one for
raising turkeys, and in many sections
they are reported in unprecedented num-
bers. For its size, probably, Carroll
county. Maryland, produces as many
turkeys as any county in the United
States. Virginia will doubtless soon,
however, be recognized as the banner
turkey-raising State, as it has the happy
medium climate between The North and
South, and produces wealth of varied
vegetation especially suitable for grow
ing turkeys. In the tobacco-growing
districts turkeys are excellent iOr the de-
structiOn Of insects that prey on the to-
bacco plant. Turkeys do not scratch
and their usefulness as insect destroyers
is not appreciated as it should be.
OF the pure breed the bronze is the
ha3NipS tOllpWpl nv the Nara
Any variety may be greatly improved in
size and egg production by crossing with
a bronze gobbler. The cross also gives
hardness. The bronze originated by
crossing a wild turkey gobbler on large
common black turkey hens. The plum
age of good bronze turkeys is almost
equal III brilliancy to that OF the wild tur-
key.-Baltimore Sun.
COSTLY CARELEsSN NEsS WITH YARD MA
NURE.
Thousands of farmers do not realize
the enormous waste which takes place i'll
manure not thoroughly well cared for
To allow the waste that may be seen in
all parts Of the country is simply throw
ing away large part of what might be
turned 10 profitable revenue, 1t seems
unaccountable that farmers should be SO
careless III the management of this
"mainspring" of farm operations. 10
prove just how great is the loss in value
OF manure exposed TO rains and the at
mospheIe, as is done on thousands of
farms, the Experiment Station connected
with Cornell University carried on a
series of experiments, with results that
are decidedly instructive. Four thousand
pounds of horse manure, about one
seventh in weight being cut Wbeat-straw
bedding, was piled up in the field for six
months, and from a chemical analysis,
made at the beginning and at the end of
the experiment, it was found that the
heap had actually lost sixty per cent. of
its nitrogen-its most important fertiliz-
ing acknowledgement per cent of its
phosphoric acid, and seventy-six per
cent. OF its potash, making an average
loss of sixty-One per cent. in the elements
that should have gone to enrich the land.
A portion Of this loss was undoubtedly
due to "hre-tanging, !" for in another ex-
pertinent with five tons of COW manure.
exposed to the same conditions. about
100 pounds of wheat-straw bedding and
land plaster being scattered through the
heap, 1t was found that the loss in nitro
gen was IL per cent; Dhosphoric acid, 10
per cent, and the loss of potash, s Der
cent. In the cow manure there was less
heating, and consequently less loss,
though the waste in the COW manure was
certainly startling, averaging as it did 30
per cent. The station also found from
examination that horse manure heaped
in a loose pile in a box-stall for six
months, lost an average of II per cent. of
ali its fertilizing material. In another
experiment where horse and COW manure
were mixed together and thoroughly
compacted, so that air could not readily
penetrate the heap, which resulted in a
less amount of fermentation, the average
loss from exposure to the air was but 9
per cent.
From all its experiments the station
concludes that under the ordinary condi-
uOnS OF plling and exposure of manure 30
per cent, or one-half Off its original value.
IS lost during the course of a summer.
The lesson from these experiments is OBJ
vious. Manure thrown out loosely under
the caves of barn loses certainly three
fourths of its value, while if piled up
loosely in the fields for six months one
half OF its value is quite sure to disappear.
To save practically the whole value, the
various kinds of dressing should be COM
posted together and made thoroughly
compact to prevent fermentation or occa-
sionally forked over when signs of heat
ing occur-and the piles kept under
cover or upon cenented or hard clay
basin that will not permit either teaching
through the ground or washing away into
brooks OF rivers. The wise farmer will
make the preservation of farm fertilizers
the object of most particular care.-Amer-
lean Agriculturist
FEED FOR EGGS.
L. Peterson of Putnam County, n. V,
says that hens kept for eggs should be
so fed that they can produce them. Lime
in some form should be provided for the
production of the shell. Most grains
contain some lime, but actual experiment
has proved the wisdom of the practice of
poultry-keepers in feeding oyster shells
to the fowls. Those fed with oyster shells
lay better-shelled eggs and more of them
than those which have been denied this
article OF diet. The white of the egg is
pure albumen. and to produce a large