The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1904-12-16

~NIsSSA~ -
FEED 1OCKERELS FOR MARKET.
When the chickens are moved 10
the field the sexes are separated. Inc
oockerels are confined in yards IN
lots Of about one hundred. and req
twice daily on porridge made OF 1our
parts corn meal, two parts middlinss
or flour, and one part fine beef scrap.
The mixed meals are wet with Skid
milk or water-milk is preferred.
until the mixture will just run, put
not drop, from the end OF wooden
spoon.
They are given what they Will eat
pe this in the morning and again 10
wards evening. It is left before them
until all have eaten heartily, not
more than an hour at one time, after
which the troughs are removed ana
cleaned. The cockerels are given
plenty Of shade and kept as quiet as
possible
We have found our chickens that
are about one hundred days old gain
In four weeks feeding from 1 "a 10
3 IA pounds each, and sometimes
more. Confined and fed in this way
they are meaty and soft and IN very
much better market condition than
though they had been fed generously
On dry grains and given more liberty.
Poultry raisers cannot afford to sell
the chickens as they run, but they
can profit greatly by fieshing ana
81 6ndnrihad
Many careful tests in chicken 1eeo-
Tag have shown that as great gains
are as cheaply and more easily MADE
when the chickens, in lots not 10
exceed one hundred. are put In
house with floor space OF seventy
five to one hundred feet and yard
Of corresponding size, as when they
are divided into lots OF four Dlros
each and confined in latticed coops,
tust large enough to hold them. Four
weeks has been about the limit OF
profitable feeding, both In the large
and small lots. Chickens gain
faster while young. In every case
birds that were $50 to ITS days OLD
have given us comparatively smaii
gains. The practice of successful
poultrymen in selling the cockereis
at the earliest marketable age is well
founded. for the spring chicken. sold
at Thanksgiving time, is an expen-
sive product.
The experiments referred to ahove
indicate that they can be retained
and fed a few weeks, in inexpensive
sheds, or large coops with small runs,
and sent to the markets dressed, and
make good returns for the labor ana
care expended. The quality OF the
weli-covered, soft-feshed chickens, II
not too fat, is so much superior to the
same birds not specially prepared
that they will be sought for at the
higher price. The dairy farmer is
particularly well prepared to carry on
this work, as he has the skimmilK'
which Is of great Importance In oD-
tanning yield and quality of flesh
Director Maine Experiment Station.
MoLES.
The Kansas Agricultural College
has just issued a newspaper bulletin
ON moles. 1t says. greatly condensed:
Noles have few natural enemies, as
they seldom come to the surface
Their food consists chiefly Of earth
worms and insects that live in the
ground. and the presence of moles in
large numbers is evidence OF the
abundance of their food. They de-
atrey noxious insects in great num-
bers, especially the grub worm or
May beetle larva, and were it not for
the damage they do to lawns ana
crops by throwing up their ridges,
they would be more beneficial than
harmful. They seldom eat grains OF
newly planted corn. This is done
principally by field mice that follow
them. In killing them by poison the
best method was to poison green
corn lin the roasting ear stage) with
strychnine and placing it in their
burrows. Unroasted peanut kernels.
poisoned. were also quite successful,
a. was shelled corn, soaked In syrup
and strychnIne. Bits OF meat and
dead insects. poisoned. have been
used successfully. but there is more
danger of poisoning dogs when meat
Is used as the burrows lie close to
the surface.
Traps for catching moies are sold
On most of the hardware stores.
Nearly all Of them work by the use OF
a spring coil which, when released
drives q number Of sharp tines into
e. .rYonud and through the mole
Some experience in setting these
traps will lead to the best results
but trapping is a much slower pro
cess than poisoning.
Moles are usually actively at work
In the early morning or late in the
a.--... A. tfrna- fhcra iS als0 q