Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1898-03-25
degrees F. The notifies were caused
by the salt alone.
E. II. HARRINGTON.
Madison, Wis.


buluS Oh HLLle moment. On Idfmi
where the poultry have the run CT the
whole place this article does not apply
But there are many farms and per-
haps should be more, where the poul-
try are kept shut up through a good
part of the season. In such a case ii
VIII pay to give range so large that
the fowls will not be able to eat all
the grass that grows on it. There is
no economy in restricting the range
and feeding grain. Grass is one of the
cheapest feeds that can be fed.
Just how large the range should be
will depend on many things. One OF
these is the richness of the soil and the
luxuriance of the growth Of grass On
it. We have seen new lands that had
just been redeemed from scrub oak
forest, where the soil was so thin that
a small flock OF fowls would in few
weeks completely denude Of grass a
! large yard. But if the land has been
| cultivated and has a good blue grass
sod on it, and is in thriving condition,
it is safe to say that the area will sus-
tain in fair condition three times as
many fowls as the yard spoken Of, as
being reclaimed from scrub oak
forest and left with nothing but the
original nondescript grass on it.
Suppose you give an acre of land
to fifty fowls. Will it not pay? We
think it will. In the first place the re-
turns from it will be without cost to
yourself. There is no blowing, no SOW
ing, no cultivating, no reap1ng and
threshing. Almost the entire returns
will be profits The grass that grew
on it will have been turned into meat
and eggs. The hens will keep healthy,
and the saving to the life of the flock
will be quite an item. Then, too, most
farms are so situated that the giving
OF an acre of ground for such a pur-
pose is not great matter. In many
cases it would remain partly vacant
anyway.
AS to fencing the yard, this need not
be a great question in this age of cheap
wire. The larger the lot the less will
it cost to fence it per square rod.
Thus, if a lot be two rods long and two
rode wide it will take eight rods OF
fencing to go around it. But if the |
lot be four rods long and four rods /
wide it will take but 16 rods to fence /
it. If it be eight rods wide and eight /
rods long it will take only 80 rods to .
fence it. On this presumption the first .
lot will be 4 rods in area the second
16 in area and the third Ga rods in
area. Four foot woven wire fence may
be purchased at 40 cents per running
rod. On this basis the first lot will
cost for fencing each square rod, so
cents, for each rod will require two
linear rods OF fencing. On the lot that
is four rods square the cost for fenc-
ing each square rod viii be 40 cents,
as each square rod is fenced by one
linear rod. For the third lot the cost
will be only 20 cents for each square
rod
So we might extend the figures. If
he lot were IS rods square the cost
would be 10 cents per rod. II it were
z rods square the cost would be five
,ents per rod square. If the lot
we're ca rods square the cost would be
~ cents per rod. \ lot 128 rods
Quare would cost IL cents per square
cd. Finally if the lost were 256 rods
quare the cost would re only S of a
ent for every square rod of land.
his shows the economy of great op-
rations The big lot is the cheapest,
verything considered, and this is es-
ecially true in the fencing. OF course {
re do not suggest that anyone build a
en- yard 256 rods square. The figures
re given to impress the truth Of a I
reat principle that we cannot afford {
, ignore.
This is one Of the great reasons why q
would be desirable to keep fowls in t
lrge flocks were it not that they are i
ore likely to become the prey of t
lseases of contagious nature. A e
rye range is always desirable. but it a
difficult to Nave a large range with S
1t having a large flock of fowls. O
In some yards the large range fur b
shes the fowls with a goodly supply b
fresh meat in the form of grass Il
1ppers. 1t is astonishing what q large e
lmber IF these insects inhabit a 6
ngle acre. If the acre patch be ex- .,
lusted by the industry Of the hens, =.
few hours suffice to replenish it. .,
ot only grasshoppers but hundreds Of "
rieties of bugs ard worms infest and =,
urney through this field, falling a II
lift prey to the feathereG sentinels.
ith the green grass and fresh meat
e fowls are kept healthy and happy
d continue to manifest their content
a voluminous product Of eggs. ii
Egg Records.
Send in the egg records We do,,b+ ~