New-York tribune., 1912-02-02

! II an earthen pig. with a mole in the back
| Just penny size. Perhaps you have smiled
at them, missing quite their Interior sig
rihcance. In ireland. time out of mind.
the family pig has been "the Ginteman
! that pays the rint." and so entitled to the
| best place At the fire. Now, I am not ad-
Nocating pigs as parlor ornaments or bosom
| companions but family with back yard
| all its own and need for saving can 10
few better things than to invest I'm a thrifty
young creature. feed IL table scraps and
| things otherwise inUtile, watch and cherish
| II 10 half-biow. as it were-hy then 1t viii
! be too big for cramped quarters-then sell
! 1t 70 the local butcher or the handlest
farmer or market man or even a pig-tan-
| cier should such = person he at hand.
! A pig of degree. pure bred and promising,
costs more TO begin with, hut returns the
cost many times over when 1t comes to
sale. fine young gilt at six months or
! thereabouts of any fashionable breed, Is
worth money, the trouble is. though, to find
exactly the person willing 10 pay it, Breed
| ing stock has a limited market. whereas
! TiCs for eating are I'm demand by the
whole world. So a pig, common or garden
vaCicty. may well he the best purchase.
especially as first purchase. The first
pig will have TO teach you the fine art q
pig keeping. lie may perish in the at
tempt; make the possible perishing mex
pensiNe. But. truly. the art is after ALL
not difficult OF mastery: keep your pig
clean, comfortable and we'll fed ana II lie
begins by being thrifty he is likely so to
remain.
But there is more immediate profit IN
bor 81, - ba haJ cbic
This last is positively fascinating. 4 dozen
day-od chicks ought TO he purchasable for
81 or less The crumbs from the table Of
any but the smallest family will keep them
in comfort. Stale bread soaked in milk Is
fine food for them. bits and snippets Of
fresh meat, cut small give them growth
and delight Get a box a yard square and
a foot deep. Make cover for IL Of chicken
wire nailed TO lath frame. This will keep
the chicks in, the rats and cats out Put
clean sand over the box bottom upon top
Of double newspaper. Change the paper
every day. the sand once a week Make
breeder of a smaller box by tacking soft
cloth all over the bottom inside, so 1t hangs
in loose folds low enough to come within
an inch Of the base when the box is in
ycrtrd. Bore gimlet holes in the sides and
cut a door big enough for the chicks to go
in and out Keep the box and brooder in
doors in stormy weather or when II If very
cola In fair weather set the box outside.
as sunshine strengthens more than any
thnG else.
To make 4 drinking fountain take bak-
ing powder can, make little holes on oppo-
sit. sides close 10 the bottom and set II IN
a shallow earthen saucer. the water, seep-
inC through will sake thirst without over
flowing The holes must bc very tiny.
Have shallow vessels for food. especially
soft food Table scraps cooked to a stin
mush can be set In cakes inside these yes-
sells the active young beaks will soon por-
ton them out Bread crumbs fed dry are
often better for browning a little. DO not
| feed anything mouldy mould Is a fruitful
parent Of disease beware Of giving things
too salt Red pepper is good for chickens.
young or old. Apple and potato parings
boiled soft together. with little meat
scrap and leftover cereals. especially oat-
meal. make fine mess, one the chicks at
tack as though II were plum pudding.
In three months your chicks should 10
hir broilers. You will. of course, have had
10 shift them to much bigger quarters. But
If YOU have bit of yard or any planted
land whatever and give them tie run OF
it they will not merely in large measure
fnG their own living, but richly earn IT,
Bugs worms. Caterpillars and such small
daer are the choicest tithits to them II
YOU have not the heart TO eat your own
pets they are salable, other folk, unac-
quainted with them. will have no such
qualms. Supposing you have raised ten OF
possible twelve. which IL not an over
estimate YOU will have a very handsome
profit on your original investment. This.
Of course, supposing YOU have kept them
true To name-feathered living banks for
the saving Of things otherwise hopelessly
unusabe.
With space for a dozen hens-and a back
! yard sufices especially II YOU make Of II
| likewise garden-you can lave your own
eggs pretty well from March TO October.
Then II you do not care for the trouble Of
winterng your flock. begin in time and eat
! them. Thus you will get back more than
the first cost-wth the increment Of eggs
| all to the good Few things stimulate egg
! production better than red pepper. IL you
| can buy or beg strings of IL in the pod.
! crumble at least one pod in every mess OF
! food for your hens. A very little salt Keeps
| them in good condtiOn-but II must be
! only very little Give them sifted ashes.
wood or coal, to dust themselves In. gravel
! and cinders to peck at will. clean water
| in constant supply, and plenty OF green
| stuff-tbe more the better Lawn clippings
! boiled tender will be eaten clean, so Will
dandelion. radish, turnip ana beet tops.
J Pea hulls simply make litter so small a