Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1902-12-25
Address by Henry Van Dresser before VIII.

Address by Henry Van Dresser before viii
Jamestown Farmers Institute.
Henry Van Dresser, of New York, de
livered an interesting address on "Poultry
as a Business before an appreciativt
audience, at the Farmers Institute, held al
Williamstown on Monday evening, Dec
Is.
Mr.. Van Dresser intermingled humoi
with facts, in manner that was interest
ing to his audience. As Mr.. Van Dresser
is practical poultry raiser, and keeps
about three thousand hens for winter egg
production and knows from personal expe-
rience of what he speaks, we give few
notes gathered from his address, which may
be of value to those who may be, or are
about to become, interested in poultry rails
ing.
Mr.. Van Dresser in part said =
No business connected with agriculture
is so often neglected, and yet so capable Of
being made a profitable investment, as
poultry raising, especially winter egg pro-
duction. This is one branch of agriculture,
in which there is no danger of over-pro-
duction, as this country annually imports
millions Of dozens of eggs, and the popula-
ton of this country is increasing much
faster than the business of producing eggs
is increasing
To the beginner Mr.. Van Dresser gives
this advice begin on a small scale, then
your mistakes will not prove so costly.
Many person begins on an extensive scale,
and loses large amounts by his mistakes.
He becomes discouraged, soon begins to
detest the business, and hates the hens, and
the end soon comes
''Others begin on small scale; their
mistakes are not so costly; they become
more enthusiastic as their business in
creases, and soon build up a profitable
source of income. If you purchase your
eggs for Matching from a distance, always
allow them to rest twenty -four hours before
placing them under the hen, or in the in
cubator, this will insure a better hatch
that they do not become chilled, this will
produce bowel trouble and death.
s'Do not feed the first thirty-six hours,
then give the egg shells from the nest or
incubator, baked to crisp and crumbled,
afterward give some stale bread moistened
with SKINNED milk, feed. Johnnie cake
made of corn meal, wheat middlings and
ground meat, to which may be added the
unfertile eggs from the incubator. This
should be made the same as if intended for
the table.
"Millett seed is also necessary to keep
them in good health.
t'If the chicks feathers grow too fast, the
wing and tail feathers are out of proportion
to the size of the body, then reduce the
meat ration. If the chickens are intended
for market, cotton seed meal added to their
ration will help to give them that rich
golden color SO much sought after by
market men. Care should be taken in
feeding cotton seed meal as it is rather
and too much will produce
bad results.
Separate the sex as soon as possible, and
if the pullets are to be kept for egg pro-
duction, ration of which wheat middlings
is one of the principal parts, will assist in
bone and muscle.
ssIn the construction of the hen house,
remember that dampness will produce roup,
and roup means failure.
''For successful winter egg production we
must have, first the laying type of hens,
then we must improve on this strain by
by this means Prof. -=----
Of Me. Ayr. Exp. Station, has succeeded in
hen with the record Of PAL eggs
in season, while he has hen Of the same
blood, three years old, that has never laid
IN egg.
"In selecting hens for laying, choose the
wedge shaped hen with femenine neck,
with plenty of energy"
Mr.. Van Dresser has succeeded in i'm
proving his hens until last years flock of
line hundred and fifty hens averaged two
hundred and ten eggs each.
To get these eggs in late Fall or early
Winter when prices are high, then it is
necessary that hens should moult early to
bring this about, Mr.. Van Dresser adopts
5he following method =
August Is put the hens in pens and re-
luce the fat by feeding only one quarter
alton, this will stop them from laying; in
ZEN or twelve days turn out to free range
md feed with rush such foods as will
induce them to shed their feathers, nothing
better than sun flower seed for this pur-
pose.
If sun flower seed is not available then
Ill meal is a good substitute. These foods
will cause the skin to heeonc oily and
oosen the quilts SO that the feathers will
lrop out. After the hen has shed, then
eed food that will help produce feathers
nothing better than oats for this. After
lens have feathered nicely place in Winter
quarters and feed balanced ration like
5his corn meal, 25 parts; wheat bran,
LOO parts; wheat middlings, 100 parts;
neat meal, IS parts; season with salt and
mix with SKINNED milk just wet enough
70 be orumbly, feed this in the morning
about what the hens will eat up clean in
zen minutes. At noon, wheatheld peas
and oats scattered in about four inches of
litter, to keep the hens scratching for
exercise; at night, corn or buckwheat, re-
member that IA per cent. of the egg is
water, so it will be necessary for the hens
10 be provided with water at all times,
this must be kept clean.
To produce the shell of the egg food cut
slower, also see that the hens have free
access to Stacked lime and ground oyster
shells.
Unless grit is furnished the hens will be-
come diseased with liver complaint or
For lice use ground South Carolina rock
in their busting box.
If the hen is given proper quarters, { Mr.
Van Dresser keeps fifty hens in flock and
each flock in house fifteen fit. square,
from November to April, proper food and
care, eggs will surly follow.
The value of the manure is also an i'm
portant item if properly cared for; each
hen will produce one bushel a year, worth
1T least twenty-five cents bushel. Mr.
Van Dresser uses ground South Carolina
rock sprinkled under the roosts, cleans out
once week and hauls direct to the field
and spreads broad cast.
In closing, Mr.. Van Dresser says, ito
obtain the best results, study the nature of
5he hen, the composition of the eggs, and
The natural conditions under which the hen
produces best, supply these and success
will surely follow.
Basket Ball.
Co. l placed the strongest team they
have had this season on the floor Saturday
night, Dohson strengthening the team. The
Alma showed up with one player I'M
accounted for, the absentee arriving
anxious for the game, after the game was
through. Alma asked for Umba immedi-
ately upon reaching the Armory, and the
last years. player was soon logged up ready
Tor the game. From the first Company |
led the score, and it was an interesting
game throughout. The home team played
together better than they have before this
season and won by the score of 38 to Is.
Westcott played nice passing game at
centre.
The attendance was somewhat lessened
n.