The Yale expositor., 1901-06-28
Poultry Briefs.

Poultry Briefs.
One Of the most valuable object les
sons for farmers in the vicinity of the
station is that which shows that lib
eral treatment should be given to
fowls. We know that even to northern
farmers such large area per fowl is
rather startling. 1t may be excessive,
but, if so, it is an error on the side OF
virtue. 1t at least does away with the
little bare yards that are SO frequent
ly seen in connection with poultry
houses. American farmers have no
good reason for being so sparing OF
land for poultry runs as they frequent
ly are.
The North Carolina Experiment Sta
ton is doing some work in poultry
culture and IS preparing to do more.
A young man, Prof. Johnson, has
charge of poultry affairs, and shows
commendable enterprise in his man
agement of them. The writer had the
pleasure last week Of looking over the
poultry plant at the station mentioned.
Prof. Johnson apologized for the little
work yet done; but if all the stations
had done as much even as has the
North Carolina Station, poultry SCI
ence would be farther advanced than
it is today. At least, q good beginning
has been made.
In addition to the incUbators in the
cellar was a patent egg turner manu-
iactured by St Louis firm. 1t is SO
simple that it is very natural to sur
mise that the patent is on some detail
of the appliance rather than on the
principle OF it, 1t therefore follows
that any poultryman can make one.
Fhe turner consis of an egg case re-
volving on an iron rod that passes
through horizontally. The principle OF
the scheme is found in the wire vices
that ho.d the eggs so firmly that they
' III not drop out Of position when the
case is reversed. Once a day the case
is turned, and the work of changing
the position Of the eggs is completed.
it is q great improvement over turning
each egg by hand. AS most Of our
poultry reaLers are aware eggs be!nS
kept for setting are turned daily to
keep them in the most perfect ar
rangement possible, as relates to the
yolk.
The most striking object lesson Is
the incubator cellar, which was con-
structed largely by the aid of the agri-
cultural students that are working
their way. This is the best possible
method of spending the funds, as 1t
helps the station, helps the students,
and helps the farmers by giving them
most valuable object lessons. A pit
was first dug to a depth we would say
Of perhaps four feet. The bottom was
cemented, and a regular house was
built above the floor, the whole struc-
ture being two stories in height. The
cellar portion is about feet in height,
which brings it q few feet above the
ground. To thetopof the cellar the wall
is composed of concrete made in the
following manner: The uprights were
first placed. Then boards were !aid
hard up against the uprights inside
and out, the cavity being filled with
cement, sand and stones. When the
grout was hardened enough to hold
its form the boards were raised foot
or so above the fresh grout and more
Of the mixture poured in. This process
was continued till the grout wall had
been carried to the desired height.
This is an easy and rapid way Of con
structing a wall, and one that does
not require any greater amount OF
skill than exists in the unframed sons
OF any farmer The effect on the tenn
perature was very satisfactory, little
variation being noticed even in the
coolest weather In this cellar the in
cubators are placed and are with ease
regulated to and kept at the tempera-
lures desired. The cellar is SO well
lighted that no artificial Eight is re-
CURED by day.