The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1897-02-26

time. Get them in as soon as possible
in the spring. We feed the oats anC
peas as hay, then thresh them anC
later on feed the grain. We cut then
with a mower, and horse-rake then
and use them the same as hay. Boil
horses and cattle are fond of it. b.
sure to cut when the oats begin t.
turn. We use the little Canada peas
and the oats should be good, solid
heavy ones.
Is cotton seed meal cheaper thai
peas ? Alt is cheaper to raise the
latter, but much depends on values.
Is it probable that the use of any
of the patent foods that are advocated
on the ground that they produce better
digestion, will have the effect of in
creasing the yield of the products of d
herd of COWS that are well fed and per
fectly healthy? Al don't believe il
these patent foods. If a man will feeC
his COWS right, he will not need condi
ton food.
The corn fodder loses about sixty pei
cent by evaporation, by exposure Il
weather. The stalk is the most val
liable part of the plant. The ear bears
about ID parts and the stalk about );
parts in value. From where the ear j:
made to theground is about IS per cent
in value of the whole. In preserving
fodder stand it on end. Do not lay il
down. You can cut fodder and feed
it and cattle will eat it the same as
they will ensilage
The si!o should be built of wood
just as tight as wood and paper can
make it. 1t must be air tight. Make
it deep; you want great depth in order
to get sufficient weight to drive out
the air. The aggregate loss OF feeding
matter in silo is from ten to fifteen
per cent less than in keeping corn il
any other way. We can't get along
without the silo in these days, but il
has It's bad side. Don't build one un,
less you build it right. Don't build it
unless you cut your corn at the right
time and put it in properly.
POULTRY ON THE FARM
By JAMES f. RICE, OF NEW YORK
sTATE-A SUCCESSFUL POULTRYMAN
The hen is the most abused animal
ON the farm, driven about, roughly
handled and neglected more than any
other. and yet she is one of the very
best paying Investments for farm
er. 1t requires care and painstaking,
| but if you make a success of it, it amp
| Iy repays your labor. A man to be a
successful poultry raiser must be
| adapted for the business. Women
! are much more reasonable in their
treatment of hens and as a rule can
do more with them. Any man who
will give his hens systematic atten-
ton can make a hen pay dollar per
year. There is money in the business
but it requires adaptability.
If we can induce them to produce
winter eggs when they can be fresh
and good and will sell at higher rates
than az the general market, we can
make them profitable. How is this
to be done? The average hen lays all
at one season and does not at another
Now if we can make them lay in win
ter, we will be able to sell our eggs al
twenty or thirty cents per dozen in,
stead of ten and twelve cents. We
have sold them by retailing them our
selves at the rate of sixty cents.
1t is by no means an easy job tC
manage to produce eggs during the
fall and winter, but if you have the
| right kind of breed it can be done
There are some kinds that will hardly
lay at any time. If you have such,
get rid of them at once.
In the first place we must have Il
good, warm house for them. They
will not stand cold. Then give them
plenty of nutritious food. Have them
| in good condition and they will keep
on laying, even under natural condi-
tions. One hundred and fifty eggs
may be produced in a year at a cost
| Of one dollar.
\ great deal depends upon the age
| of the fowl. The best producers are
Matched in April. have known Leg
horns Matched in April to lay in the
| succeeding September and October,
Pullets Matched in June and July will
not lay for some time. Pick out the
best ones to keep. Year old hens
will have larger and stronger chickens.
Another thing. in order to raise a
hundred pullets we will have to resort
| to an incubator, and the best breed TO
| raise are the Barred Plymouth Rock
Leghorn or Minorca. Remember that
if the old hen is troubled with raising
a brood, she is done laying and will
not resume under any circumstances
when you want her to. The advant'
age of an Incubator lies in the fact
that chicks raised by them are hap
pier and better and above all are free
from lice.
One thing is essential in forcing
hens to lay at the off-season. Keep
them busy. They must have exercise.
II you get an incubator, be sure to
follow the directions. Do not open
the incubator for twelve or fourteen
hours after Matching. The chicks
will want no food for several hours.
Then give them for their first food,
egg shells dried and, crumbled and
mixed with oatmeal. Have little
ledge made, upon which to place it
and they will soon learn to jump up
and feed themselves. The food may be
changed as they grow. We have used
the following: one pint of skinned
milk with an egg, crumbled Johnny
cake and n little chopped onion
Keep the chicks hustling. When
they are three weeks old give them
cracked wheat. Wheat is the best
egg producing meal known. Don't
try to raise chickens on corn meal
dough. 1t will not make them grow
Now, to manage the laying hen,
you have got to play smart and foo
her. You know that the January
thaw always brings a large supply OF
eggs. Then keep them warm, and
they won't know the change. Second
ly exercise them. Keep the old hen
busy. 1t will make her strong and