Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-12-19
THE COUNTRY CALENDAR
Practical Hints About Things Do at This Season in Garden
and Greenhouse, the Orchard and the Poultry Yard.

Ii goes without saying that farm
buildings are essential and very i'm
portant part Of the farmstead The
Well-improved farm is one on which
GOOD farm buildings stand. And by
good buildings is meant ones that are
serviceable and durable buildings,
and also roomy and convenient for
housing animals and feeds and for
labor in handling the feeds and ami
aals. The good farm building is,
rrst of all a good shelter; one with
.sood roof. sidewalks and Foundation:
me that protects feeds from mois-
tire and the animals from moisture
and cold winds, as well as from heat
ia hot weather The good farm build
ing that shelters animals should be
thoroughly sanitary and comfortable
sor all the seasons Of the year. both
or the animals and the humans who
care FOR the animals.
When winter SHOWS cover the hens
busting places a dust bath near d
sunny window should be provided or
Ice will multiply A box three by
four feet is large enough for forty
bens, and road dust is the best for
The purpose. Ashes kill lice, but
bleach yellow legs and spoil plumage.
Lime sulphur, hellebOre and louise
.lowder mixed with earth in the box
ire simply waste. They lose their
strength in the mixture affect the
nen's respiratory organs and often
make the bath 20 obnoxious that hens
will not enter it.
Cleanliness IN feeding viii prevent
many ailments to which poultry IS
subject The dirty, careless way n
which many focks are fed invariably
spreads diseases once they obtain .
start, and they can best he avoided
IN the first place by observing pre-
Ventive measures. Grains and Other
hard food when fed on tie ground
should be scattered where the soil g
elean. Soft food should always be
given on clean boards. or. PREFERABLY,
ia troughs or other vessels in which
the fowls cannot place their feet,
snd which can be easily cleaned ut
frequent intervals.
Any one Of the hundred reasons
u1ay be back 81 the failure OF the
mems to lay when they should and Is
hey should. Take the one reason or
I'D age, for instance. \ LOT Of us
manage our birds in such hsp-haz-
ard way that we are never very sure
Of Just how old our hens are.
Pumpkins and squashes should DE
stored with tleir stems on. They
differ from most fruits and vege-
rabies, in that they keep best in a.
rather warm place. The tempers-
tire should be- at least 80 degrees.
fhe ordinary cellar viii do II Il is
rairly dry Only those pumpkins
should be stored which are we'll ri
pened and in no way bruised
Sows and boars, from their earliest
days, should run out as much as
possible and have abundant exercise
enforced in winter, They viii take it
I they have 10 root for whole oats
sprinkled on o big floor and we'll
covered with litter. Instead Of stuff
ING them upon corn they should have
roots and alfalfa hay, and, In add
lion, may have STOP, of which diges-
Eer tankase may well form ten per
cent.
1t is sometimes an advantage 10 ;
blow the ground and spread the ma
nure in the fall, but the kind Of land
and circumstances Of a local nature
must be considered. If the manure
is thoroughly worked into the soil
with a harrow there will be little
risk OF loss OF the soluble matter.
Manure. as rule, is most solid ma
tsrial, and the frosts and moisture
viii assist in disintsgrating II.
There will also be r saving Of time
n spreading the manure, as lsss
work VIII be required during the
DfIrV caa son
The Introduction OF the Pekin
duck, together with rapid strides in
artificial Matching, has made duck
raising a profitable industry. Ducks
are very hardy. entirely free from
Vermin, and liable to few diseases.
They take to confinement much bet
ter than fowls, and a cheap VERY
low fence is sufficient TO keep them
N the desired place. They stand
transportation better. either alive or
than most kind of fowls
They are great egg producers, and
their feathers are Of considera BILE
value.