The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1903-06-25
FARMFRs' INSTITUTE
from First page


The lecture was in the main rapid
talk explanatory of the illustrations
and was full of interest throughout.
Tuberculosis and Stock Inspection
Friday morning DR.. Nelson delivered
a very interesting and instructive lee
ture upon tuberculosis, to which
he has evidently given much study.
He gave some figures showing that the
deaths from tuberculosis in some. states
constitute very large percentage of
the deaths from all causes and showed
to what an alarming extent this had
become the case in California since the
southern part of that state has been 80
widely advertised as great sanitarlum
for consumptives and people with
weak lungs. TO what an extent cons
sumption in the human species is due
to the use of milk from cows that have
the disease it is impossible as yet To de-
termine satisfactorily, but the results
of scientific Investigations indicate that
very large number of cases originate
in that way. DR.. Nelson says that
cows that have the disease may have
calves that will be entirely free from it
if not permitted to drink infected milk.
A great many cows that do not show
any exterior appearance of disease are
badly affected with tuberculosis, while
many whose external appearance is
such as to make it seem probable that
they have it are entirely free from
it. The veterinary law now in force
in this state provides for inspection,
but it is not compulsory and there is no
provision for paying owners for con-
demned cattle. DR.. Nelson poi ted
out that the situation in this county is
particularly favorable to thorough in
spection and to the keeping of cattle
free from disease, the, insulaiity of the
county making it easy to exclude un-
healthy stock. He said that if request
ed to do 80 by the county association
and assured of the cooperation of the
farmers in the work he would have all
cattle in this county inspected, without
expense to the owners. In reply to a
question asked privately he said he
could send men here to begin the work
within thirty days. 1t would seem
that every farmer in the county ought
to welcome an opportunity to have the
tuberculin test applied to his stock.
Profit in Poultry
The remainder of the morning ses-
sion was taken up by Mr.. Blanchard
in an interesting recital of the expert
ence of himself and family in poultry
raising. They raise several hundred
pullets year without the use of incu-
bators. Their poultry houses are simply
constructed, with due regard to warmth
and cleanliness. The roosting rooms
are separate from the laying rooms and
there are scratching shed. IN connec-
ton. There is "dust bath" in each
roosting room and plentiful supply of
shells and grit always in the yards, or
"runs." The different breeds are
kept in separate houses and fed separ-
ately. The breeds kept are Barred
Plymouth Rocks, White Plymouth
Rock, Brown Leghorns and Black Mi
orcas. Mr.. Blachard regards the Barred
Rocks are the best general purpose fowl,
while Mrs. Blanchard is partial to the
Leghorns. 1t has been their expert
ence that there is very little difference
in the laying qualities of the two
breeds. To test this point thoroughly
. careful record was kept for one year,
two flocks being kept under precisely
the same conditions as to enclosures,
feed and care. The average egg record
OF the Leghorns was 1856 to each hen
and that of the Plymouth Rocks 1873.
AS market fowls, however, it has been
found that the Rocks will sell for 80
cents to Sl.20, while the Leghorns will
bring only IS or 40 cents, and it costs
no more to keep the larger breed than it
does the smaller one. Mr.. Blanchard
regards it as important that the Plym-
outh Rocks be Matched in February or
March and the Brown Leghorns not
later than April He says that deep
nests are responsible for a very large
percentage of poor matches. The center
OF the nest should not be over half an
inch lower than the outer line. The
ration OF laying hen should coasist of
Wo-thirds bran and one-third cracked
corn mixed with milk, and this should
% led at night after the hens have