The Dickinson press., 1895-05-25
sulphur in Poultrx Hou....

Al q Ieceut lSSue OF FOultry keeper
Dr.. D.. H. Dalton Of Pennsylvania sug-
gested a point on the use of sulphur
fumes for the destruction of lice in
the poultry house, and as a disinfec-
tant, which is not generally known or
is not acted upon. He recites the fact
that when sulphur Is burned in a dry
atmosphere the vapor combines with
the oxygen OF the air and forms sui
phurous oxide, a substance which will
destroy, by contact, bacteria and all
animal life that breathes, but has no
effect upon microbes OF animal life that
does not depend for life upon the
breathing Of air. Thus 1t is seen that
dry sulphur vapor will kill lice and
bacteria, but will not destroy the eggs
of lice o. the microbes of germs of
disease; but, he says, supply moisture
to the sulphur vapor and sulphurous
acid is formed, which is destructive to
all forms Of animal and vegetable life
with which 1t comes in contact. For
the practical application of sulphur
fumes the doctor suggests to steam the
poultry house, thereby supplying mois-
ture, and then burn the sulphur, and
he assures us that all lice, their eggs
and all disease germs will be destroy
ed.
This is a valuable suggestion and
poultry raisers should give 1t a trial.
If the remedy is as effective as is
claimed it will be a very simple, easy
and cheap way of getting rid Of poul-
try house %nuisances.
In view of the danger Of breathing
shlphurous oxide and sulphurous acid,
care must he exercised to see that no
fowls or little children get into the
house and breathe the fumes. If any
Of u readers use this remedy please
report results. -Journal of Agriculture.
Caustic Potash In Dehorninx.
J. NJ. d. writes in Orange Judd
Farmer: "In the spring of 1894 1 ap-
piled caustic potash to two calves as
a dehorner. l supposed it had proved
effective, but early in the autumn the
horns began to grow again and are
now about two inches long. The small
horn was taken off completely. What
was the trouble?" The failure to COM
pletely kill the horn germ was un-
doubleday due to an incomplete appli-
cation of the potash. Best results are
obtained by operating on the calf as
soon as the horn button can be located.
Clip off the hair covering it, wet one
end of the stick Of potash and rub the
horn until 1t has O red infiamed up
pearance. When the scab comes off
examine the calf's head, and if there
Is the slightest evidence of a horn, re-
peat the operation. Watch the animal,
and If the horns begin to grow give an
other application. If j. NJ. d. had OBJ
served this, he could have prevented
the growth when he found that the
first application had failed. The caus-
tic had evidently not reached the horn
germ and it finally developed. This
method Of dehorning has been tested
not only by careful experiment station
men, but by q great number of practi-
cal stock riisers and farmers, with
satisfactory results. If thoroughly ap-
piled it will prove successful in nearly
| every case. 1t is by far the best
method of getting rid of horns.
Habits of Bees.
1t is said that under favorable cir.
cumstances a colony Of 10000 bees
may store aDOut w pounds OF honey
a day. OF 10000 bees in a hive. which
Is a moderate sized colony, half of
them stay at home keeping house, tend:
ing the babies, feeding the queen and
guarding the stores. In fine, clear
weather a worker may gather three
or four grains of honey a day. AS
large colonies contain as many as 3d.
QUO bees, it may be seen that possibly
I 25,OQO individuals are out seeking hon
ey. The amount each one brings in is
Infinitely small, but there is strength
In numbers the little workers pouring
into a hive that even the few grains
at a time will fill up the cells quite
rapidly. But q single bee would make
slow work of 1t, and would IL continu-
ously occupied, require some years to
gather one pound of hoAey.-New
York Ledger.