Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-03-31

ONN tSo5" tAS AAhOA
room. At 2 is a large dust bath and
at "A the nests. The roost extends
over one side of the house as shown in
the diagram of ground plan. Beneath
the glass sashes is a projection in
which are located the nests. The roof
of this production is hinged SO that
the eggs al be gathered without en-
tering the house. Above the sashes
an opening is left for ventilation. It
is about six inches wide and should
be arranged so that it can be closed
in when the weather is very cold. A
narrow board hinged to the roof will
accomplish this, A lattice partition
separates the hall from the roosting
room. The roosts are made in two
sections and hinged at the rear SO
that they may be folded up against
the roof when desired. The plan will
be improved by the addition of a
scratching shed attached, which would
give the hens practically outdoor ex-
ercise throughout the winter.
Pointers ON Eggs.
The pale yolk frequently noticed in
eggs during the winter, and which, by
the way, is much objected to in some
markets, is due to the lack of green
food, just as pale colored butter is due
to the same cause. Cut clover will re-
store the color of the yolk. This clover
steamed, meat and fresh bones are o
recognized as essentials to the produc-
ton of the largest quantity and the
best quality of eggs. especially during
the winter.
The open fall has retarded the annual
moulting of some hens and others are
actually moulting a second time. One
cannot afford to have hens take too
much time in DOMINIC the new dress
just as cold weather is coming on and
eggs are high in price. Feed skim
milk, green bone, clean oats, wheat and
a little fresh meat. This will hasten
the growth of the new features and
the resumption of laying.
Don't be beguiled into buying the
cheap mixtures of hay and grain on
the market as a substitute for clover or
first class grains. Nothing in the way
of hay will take the place of clover,
and you may rest assured that if
grains are offered mixed with cut hay
or ground hay 1t is usually because the
grain is damaged, and must be dis
guised in this way to sell it at all. Buy
grain without any mixture whatever
and see that it is good and sweet.
A great many failures with chicks
Matched by the incubator are due to
attempts to do without breeders. There
is an objection urged that breeders in
jure the maternal instincts of the
chicks, but chicks Matched by incubat-
ors do not seem to appreciate the old
hen as a mother, for they do not thrive
nearly as we'll as when given to the
wooden mother"-the brooder. If
there is a thing in the theory that the
brooder units the chick for maternity,
this state of affairs may be remedied
by Matching and raising by the hen any
stock needed for increase and contin- |
ued breeding.
Spraying Potatoes for Blight.
Tho nacf caacnp {h0ro,,~h1x, loroa-
strated the value of the Bordeaux
mixture for blight on potatoes, and it
has quite as thoroughly shown that
the use of Paris Green and London
Purple, alone or mixed with land
plaster, has no good effect. Potato
growers should bear this fact in mind
next season and use the Bordeaux mix
ture freely, not only on potato vines
but other vegetables and fruit trees
where foliage disease of any kind APP
pears. Without question it is one Of
the most valuable insecticides knowa.
The spraying machine is one of the
most valuable implements for use on
the farm and the Bordeaux mixture
can be easily and cheaply made at
home. So there seems to be no reason
why the blighted scabby potatoes that
have been put on the market for the
past two years should not be replaced
by the fair, smooth specimens Of the
days when scab and blight were prac-
tically unknown, or at least not formid-
able.
Fertilizers and Vegetables.
Vegetables of which the leaves or
stems are to be eaten require mainly
nitrogen in the soil When the root
is to be eaten, phosphoric acid and
potash are equally important with nj
trogen. For early vegetables such as
peas, the seed being the edible por-
ton, phosphoric acid is needed. Pot
ash in the soil is the most important
in growing celery, tomatoes and mel
ons.
As a rule vegetables are not hard on
soil, the exception being peas and
beans. but as these take most of the
needed nitrogen from the atmosphere
a portion of the expense for this in
chemical form may be saved and adj
ded to the large quantity of potash