The National tribune., 1897-05-20


each day, In addition to the usual food
ration. This elegant food supplies nearly if
not every element of the cohplete egg, as
well as the formation of bone muscle and
feathers of growing chickens. Fresh bones
from the market cost but trifie. They
should be obtained fresh each day. Their
value IS due to the perfectly fresh animal
food which they contain, along with the other
elements not found In sufficient quantities in
corn and wheat. Ii has been proved that
green cut bone will often increase the eng
yield from 30 to 100 per cent. 1t will also
stimulate the fowls during the moulting
period to such an extent that the fowls do
not suffer az formerly in this trying time.
The juices and gristle in the fresh bone con-
tain, IN digestible form, large quantities of
nitrogen, which is absolutely demanded in
forming the new quilts and new feathers.
Therefore, IN moulting this nitrogen, when
fresh bones are fed, is drawn from the food
given TO the fowl instead of being drawn
from the reserve force of the fowl which
takes her strength, stops her from laying and
makes her prone to disease< We are sure
that the practical and economical farmer or
poultryman of to-day who looks well at cost
Will utilize material for poultry which
brings in the end the greatest profit We
have used the granulated bone and paid a
good price for it, but by using bone-cutter
we get meat, gristle, oil, fat, fine bone and
granulated bone, all in one operation. The
sharp, hard pieces of bone act as grit; the
fine bone helps to make the shell, and the
other half or two-thirds of ordinary market
bones is rich, nourishing food, forming the
feathers and flesh of the fowls and the in
terror of the eggs in abundance. We advise
all of our readers to look carefully into these
new methods of feeding as they come up, aud
understand them for themselves.
Preserving Eggs.
Only strictly fresh eggs can be preserved,
and In packing them the eggs should noe
touch each other, as one bad egg will spoil
the whole. Eggs from hens not in company
with cocks will keep three times as long as
will those from hens mated with cocks
Keep the eggs as near 60 degrees as possible.
but 20 Is not too hot. Be sure and turn the
eggs at least twice a week. or the yelks viii
adhere toihe shell, no matter how they ma,
be preserved This may be done by putin
the eggs III box, and turning them. DIR
salt is the best packing. Twenty grain
salicylic acid in one gill of cotton seed OF
Tor lard) may be used for greasing the egg.
slightly, In order to prevent evaporation, be-
fore packing. Never go into the business Of
with dozen, breaking an egg every month,
in order to make observation Three months
IS as long as eggs can be kept fresh. ABSORB
your eggs when taken out for sale, putting
dark ones together. Wash them clean before
preserving, in warm water. and do the same
when taking them out. We can recommend
only the method of placing eggs on racks,
turning them twice or three times a week
and keeping them IN cool place. Eyes that
are fertile will not keep well under any pre-
cess, but may be kept six weeks for Matching
by the rack method. Lined eggs or eggs
packed in salt, etc., will not bring more than
one-half the price Of fresh eggs in markell
Poultry Keeper.
Ducks In China.
The people of China are very fond of ducks.
They collect great number of eggs and
put them In boxes of warm sand, and cover
them up snug on the kitchen hearth. The
little children of the house watch day after
day for the young ducklings to come pop
ping through the shells. By and by there
will be such cackling, and out will popthe
little birds, and, soon jumping out of the
box, they will be making great noise for
something to eat. A little Chinese boy will
be ready to feed them. He has a bagful of
boiled rice, and they run after him and
"auack, quack," for their dinner. When
they get a little bigger they are carried to
large boat, built on purpose, where flock OF
800 or 400 ducks all live. Each flock has its
own old bird that guides them about, just
as though she were the mother of the lot.
Many of these duck-boats float about ON
the river, and of course there are more ducks
than you could count, but when the differ
ent masters blow their whistles, every duck
rushes back to its own boat, and somehow
they never make mistake
III Not Too Lazy.
A lazy man can make money in the
poultry business, if he is not too lazy. He
needs energy enough to see that the poultry
are fed and watered at the proper hours
every day, that the accommodations under the
roosts are cared for and nests provided with
clean straw when it is needed, and that
proper means are used to keep away vermiu.
He may sit down and watch them the re-
mainder of the time, and will probably sue
coed better than the man who hurries
through these tasks as rapidly as be can so
that he may get to some other work that he
feels to be more important. But the man
who is too lazy to attend the feeding and
watering and to the care of nests and roosts
stands an equal chance with the one who is
too busy to do it.
For the Lawn.
Everyone who makes a grass lawn this
Spring should keep flock of hens There
is nothing prettier than flock of pure-bred
fowls on lawn. The effect is better if
only one breed is kept and the hens IS
nearly alike as possible. A flock of light
Brahmas is more suitable than dark plum
age birds, owing to the contrast of the light
color of the Brahmas with the green of the
lawn. The lawn will not be injured to any
extent by small flock if the sod is thick,
but fowls should not be allowed ON newly
seeded lawn until the grass is nearly ma
tured, as they will keep it down too Sc
verely.
Pin Feathers.
Give chickens change of food frequently;
they will keep in better health and produce
more eggs.
Generally fowls which feather and mature
early are good egg producers, good sitters
and good mothers.
Raise more poultry on the farm for home
consumption. Compared with pork it costs
less and is much more nourishing and health
full
Hens are often troubled in Summer with
scabby legs. Grease of any kind is pre-
ventive and remedy. Rub the shanks
with lard once a week for two or three
weeks.