The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1903-03-27


out West Kentucky is becoming
decidedly serious. The prospect
is discouraging in case the warm
weather continues, for freezing
weather is almost sure TO follow
later during the month of April.
The warm and spring-like
weather of the past weeks has
brought out the buds of the
peach, apple and other fruits,
including plums, cherries, ETC.,
to such a point that in many
places they are almost ready to
burst from their sheaths and
open into blossoms. A weeks
more such weather will put them
where there will be no redemp-
ton should cold weather follow
later. The tender fruit would
be frozen completely and the
prospects of crop entirely
ruined.
+. The buds on the early peach
trees began to swell during the
warm weather of January, but
were blighted by the February
blizzard. Now if the same thing
should happen again as it proba-
bly, will, there will be little fruit
in this section during the year.
Unless freezing weather fol-
lows this will be the earliest
spring on record.
The best milk is from good and
wholesome food. Each COW in a
herd is an individual, and must
be treated accordingly. If she
rejects foods that are readily ac-
ceptable by the others she should
be allowed something which to
her is more palatable, and va
riety of food is always better
than the use of a single kind, as
the health of the animals can
only be promoted by supplying
them so us to satisfy their wants.
When a COW is sick or ''off her
feedo the milk is then unfit for
use and should be thrown away.
Ii a COW is a heavy feeder she
should be allowed TO eat all that
she requires, as such COWS are
usually large producers and de-
mand more food than inferior
animals. Every dairyman should
breed his cows and make it a.
point never to buy a fresh one.
If his herd is healthy and free
from disease he can keep his
animals in good condition with
much less difficulty, while the
yield of milk from each COW will
be more than doubled in a few
years by judicious breeding and
selection. The buying of fresh
cows by dairymen has been the
greatest curse that has ever been
encountered by them, as it is the
foundation of all diseases and
losses among the herds.
TO CURE EGG EATING.
Almost every one has had
trouble with hens eating eggs.
Anyone who has suffered much
from it will be glad to learn
any way to prevent or cure it. A
poultryman of experience says Il
There is nothing more provok-
ing and more improbable than a
flock of hens which have acquired
the habit of eating their eggs.
This is a habit more easily pre-
vented than cured. Give the
hens plenty of exercise with a.
variety Of food. Gather the eggs
frequently, provide sufficient
resting places, and keep one or
more porcelain eggs upon the
floor of the house. Dark nests
are advisable, and a meat diet is
excellent.
To cure the habit provide dark
nests and add meat TO the food.
Remove the end from several
eggs and pour out the contents.
Make mixture of flour, ground
mustard, and red pepper, adding
allittle water to hold the materi-
al together. Fill the shells and
place upon the floor of the hen
house. The hens will make a
wild scramble for these prepared
eggs, will gobble down some of
their contents, and will soon be
gasping with open beaks. Fol-
low up tins treatment until the
hens refuse to touch an egg. 1t
seems and perhaps is somewhat
severe, but no permanent i'll eff
fects will follow. The hens will
soon learn that eggs are not SO
palatable as they regarded them,
and will desist from the bad hab-
it. Positive cures have followed
this method.
wHITRwAsH IN HOUSE.
There is more virture in white
wash for the poultry house than
most people are willing to credit.