The gold leaf., 1893-11-30
Points on Poultry.

philadelphia Farm Journal
Well fattened stock of any kind
rarely finds poor market. 1t is so
with poultry.
In purchasing new blood for next
seasons breeding be careful to get
stock that is not inbred and weakened
by this means.
Lime wash helps to tighten as well
as purify poultry quarters. and light is
none too plentiful in winter time.
Lime is cheap.
Sore eyes and swelled heads often
come from drafts, especially over head
drafts, when on the perches. Look
out. Prevention is better than cure
Leaves cost nothing but the labor of
gathering and storing, and afford eX-
celent litter for the poultry house
floor.
Ducks being water fowl are warm
blooded and like water, but appreciate
dry floor to roost on. Having a
water tight roof the floor can be kept
in proper order with cut straw Or
leaves and dry earth. The litter should
be short.
Pullets and hens to make up a Large
laying stock may sometimes be pur-
chased at this time of the year more
cheaply than they can be reared. But
stock SO bought should be quarantined
for a week or more in separate house
and yard to make sure that they are
free from lice and disease.
Among tie sights we saw at the
Worlds fair were the first chickens
ever hatched with electricity; i. e., the
heat from it had been applied to an in
cubator and had produced some very
lively chicks who looked as if they
were quite up to the times, and abreast
of all modern Improvements but when
they had finished their meal ard
" sleepy time" came they puped as if
they would rather have good old
fashioned hen to snuggle under than
this glittering electric mother.
Matured birds of the Asiatic breeds
are disposed to take on fat rapidly and
are not likely to lay many eggs while
doing so. TO prevent this state of af-
fairs feed the hens plenty of bran,
meat and vegetables and comparatively
little corn. BY careful handling they
can be made to lay like Leghorns.
Mrs. L. f. B., Cass county, Ind, -,
will find the markings of Plymouth
Rocks and all other breeds described
in the Standard Of Perfection.'' The
price Of this book is $l.O0, post paid.
The barred Plymouth Rock is blush
gray in color, the feathers being barred
like a hawk. The comb is single, the
shanks are yellow and free from fcath-
ers, and the size is between that Of the
Asiatics and the Leghorns.
The practice Of breeding from pre-
cocious and immature birds is wisely
condemned by the Poultry Keeper, but
we suggest that it is not wholly ques-
ton Of hens versus pullets. Properly
fed and we'll developed pullets will pro-
duce progeny possessing strong vitality.
Hens forced and pampered, and ex-
hausted thereby, will produce weakly
chicks. 1t is largely matter of selec-
ton, we think
Some readers OF the Farm Journal have
not yet found out that they must keep
wood ashes away from their poultry
They drink the lye after rains which in
duces cholera. 1t can not be very con-
ducive to health to have the fats within
the fowl converted into soap.
Z. ID. GREEN, Barry, Ill.
Our CORRESPONDENT is correct in be-
lieving that wood ashes should not be
freely used about poultry houses or
runs, but his reasons are not sound.
Lye will not induce cholera, but will
undoubtedly destroy the lining of the
digestive organs and cause bowel
trouble. Ashes will bleach the shanks
of yellow legged fowls if used in the
dust box and will set free ammonia in
the droppings if in contact with them.
The flock Of turkeys may be fattened
without confning them and without
fattening the chickens too, by settin Q
a feeding trough so far from the ground
that the latter can not reach it. BY
having a board elevated few inches
over the top the chickens can not reach
the food from this direction aud the
grain will also be kept dry. In fatten-
ing turkeys it is not advisable to con-
fine them. 1t is better to confine those
to be kept for breeders and to let the
others run, and feed generously three
times day.