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Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-02-28

Before you realize it. the time to
start the vegetable garden will be
here. OF course, those who are more
advanced in gardening are at it now
lin hotbeds and coldframes-but the
novice is more likely to be planning
his garden Just now.
Even after the snow goes and the
frost is out of the ground don't be
in too great hurry to get to work
in the garden. zone swallow doesn't
make a summer" and one bright,
warm day doesn't make the spring
weather necessary to satisfactory
garden work. The ground should be
warm to the depth of six inches or a
foot, at least comparatively warm,
before putting seed into it.
If damp and cold, as it is sure TO
be before the sun has had a chance
to bring its influences on it, after the
moisture of melting SHOWS had drain
ed away, seed will rot in nine cases
out of ten.
More failures to grow result from
too great haste than from any other
cause The ground should be mellow
enough to break apart easily when
worked with the rake or hoe, and it
will not do this unless the water has
drained out of it, and the sun has
had opportunity to doits work on it.
1t is well TO spade up the beds as
early as possible, and then wait a
while before attempting to make the
soil in them fine and mellow. Haste
makes waste" is another old saying
which applies here.
Get your tools now Every person
who has a garden needs good hoe,
an iron or steel-toothed rake and a
Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-02-28
THE RIGHT FORAGE CROPS
TO FEED TO GROWING PIGS

loss In live weight. Where brood sows
are kept they should be given enough
grain 70 keep them in good thrifty
condition. The fact that the forage
crops have high value when grains
are fed does not mean that they
should be fed alone.
The crops best adapted To grazing
with pigs are alfalfa. rape, clover
blue grass, bermuda, rye, oats. soy
beans and cowpeas. The nature OF
the soil. the climate and the rainfall
are influences that should govern the
selection of the crops to be used. Al
falfa is the greatest forage crop on
soils suited to its growth. Rape and
clover are also excellent feeds, and
both are high in protein, the element
needed to balance ordinary grain
feeds.
Farmers are urged to plan some
system of forage crops for their hogs.
Now is the time to plan some fields to
be sown to crops adapted to grazing
If permanent pastures are available.
fence off a portion for the pigs and
plant some crop TO keep the pigs
growing when the permanent pas
lures dry up, and the returns from the
years work with hogs will be pro-
portionately increased. Give the pig
an honest chance to make you money
by giving him green feeds in their
natural state, and his growth, health
and making ability viii be in
creased.
Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-02-28

, sharp spade. The better your tools,
the better work you can do, and the
more pleasure it will afford you in
the doing Of it. Take good care of
them and they will last for years.
Have a place to put them where they
will be away from storms, and still
always at hand when wanted.
And you need a good-sized watering
pot, with long sprout and a fine
rose-nozzle. Use the sprout only when
you water plants in the beds, and put
| II close to the roots of the plants, so
| that the water applied will get Just
where 1t will do the most good. Put
on the nozzle when you shower your
plants. 1t is a mistake to use it in
watering plants, as the water is sc
scattered that but little benefit re-
suits.
One thing you can do now is ia
draw a plan of your garden to scale
exactly where each row of vegetables
will be placed in the garden, and nc
| precious time is lost in the spring
| in planning, and there is no disap-
pointment because the space is all
| filled and half a dozen things have
| to be left out.
Keep a notebook with complete
record of time of sowing and trans
| planting, as we'll as many other little
items which will be Of great use tc
YOU next season. 1t is one of those
simple things which takes but little
/ time and is no bother at all. A gar
| den notebook is invaluable when try
| ing something new.
Then why not have something q
little different in the vegetable garden
Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-02-28
Mechanical Device for
Fattening Poultry

The department Of agriculture has
been carrying on experiments for
over two years in the commercial
fattening Of fowl for the market
and has proven that mechanical
labor-saving devices reduce the cost
of fattening by reducing both the
total amount of labor and the proper
ton of skilled labor required. The
use of labor-saving mechanical de-
vices has enabled one man to care for
4, 600 to 5000 birds. The results Of
the departments experiments are
published in a bulletin. THE Conn
merclal Fattening of Poultry, which
has just been issued and can be had
by applying TO the department al
Washington, D. {.
Provided stations are kept clean.
mechanical features may be used to
good advantage in handling poultry
commercially, according TO the de-
partment's investigators. A mixing
machine is particularly a good in
Yesrment when one is fattening
large number of chickens.
The new bulletin gives illustrations
of chickens in feeding batteries watt
ing to be fed and of pouring the feed
into the troughs. 1t also shows other
labor-saving devices, such as the
spraying machine and a rack for
squatted and hanging dressed poul-
try.
The advantage Of a portable feed
ing battery is emphasized in the de-
partments experiments. The portable
feeding battery turned out the birds
in better condition and reduced the
cost of labor per pound of gain. It
also eliminated some Of the bruisfns
of the birds caused by rehandling
where stationary batteries are used.
Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-02-28

How are you going TO use those
seed catalogues that have reached you
and some more for which you ought,
perhaps, to write? livery good seed
catalogue is built along a certain sys-
ten1atic plan 1t really represents four
distinct divisions. There Is a section
devoted to novelties and specialties,
another one to vegetable seeds, a
third one to flower seeds and the
fourth part stands for field seeds.
The tendency of modern times has
made the catalogue of every respon-
sible seed house a truthful affair. The
time is gone when exaggerated Illus
trations and over-enthusiastic de-
scriptions Were the rule. You can
take seedsman's word for IL that,
when he says a thing Is worthy of a
trial, it really is. For this reason. 1t
Will pay you to try out q few of the
specialties that are offered in the first
pages of most catalogues. When you
come to the section of standard va
rieties of vegetables and flowers, you
may be guided in your selection by
either your experience or by such spe-
cial marks as most seedsmen now
adopt. Some cali them Especial
SStrains," others call them Zones Ex-
tra." still others mark them with a
Bulls Eye etc, etc. But YOU make
no mistake in laying some weight to
the special claims made for any strain
by any scotsman. Most seedsmen are
very careful these days what they in
dorse.
In making out your order, it will
pay you to devote few minutes to
studying the directions for ordering"
which are found in every catalogue Of
consequence. This will not only en-
able you to make out your order cor
rectly, but you will also find therein
many valuable hints which will help
you to understand what troubles con-
front the seedsmen at this time of the
Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-02-28
WHO'S WHO IN POULTRY
Series of Articles in Which Enthusiasts Describe the Fowls
They Raise and Tell Why They Like Them.
NO. s.-rHE HoUDAN.

surprising. | have bred nearly all
kinds OF recognized poultry. and l
have seen no other breed that is COM
parable with the Houdan in this re-
gard. 1t is peculiarly and distinctly
a breed characteristic. 1t would be
difficult to tell just how it came by
this quality. Perhaps the French
people bred them for it. as others
have been bred for certain kind of
plumage or a peculiar style of comb.
I have a pen of Houdans In my yards
that 1 am keeping for testing in a
number of experiments I am carrying
on, and the friendliness of these birds
is surprising to visitors and a de-
light to all who handle them. When
their house is opened in the morning,
they come running around my feet,
expecting me to rub their backs and
pick them up.
Another thing that should commend
the Houdan to suburbanites is its
strikingly attractive appearance. If
one wants a flock that is not just like
the f1ocks of his neighbors, that is
really pretty and interesting, the
Houdan offers the opportunity. Its
crest and muffler and notified black
and-white plumage long. plump body
and fifth toe, make it distinctly I'M
like other breeds. Then, too. there is
only one variety of the breed, and it
is a pleasure to think of that.
The multiplying of varieties in
breeds has become an obsession. A
buff Houdan and Partridge Houdan
would be a mistake. AS it is today, it
bears the stamp OF an aristocratic an
cestry, probably coming originally
from a cross of the white-crested
Black Polish and the old Dorking. two
of the oldest line bred fowls in the
world
The Houdan is fowl of prime quail
ity for the table. The size is just
right. ranging from six to eight
pounds. The body is full in the breast,
and the flesh is tender and well flaw
ored. The chicks grow rapidly,
feather quickly, and attain weights of
one and a half to one and three-quar-
tiers pounds more easily than other
breeds The French. who are epicures
in such matters. knew what they were
about when they devoted years to
perfecting this breed. 1t answered to
their idea of beauty and utility, and
it is daily increasing in popularit'' In
| this country.
Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-02-28
BEST WAYS TO KILL AND
PROPERLY DRESS POULTRY

feathers around the hook joint Of the
legs. The breast and lower part 81
the BODY are picked clean. The con
Is small and undeyelOped ia a capan
In dressing ducks geese and turkasss
all the feathers are removed exesH.
IN the latter two the wing feathazs
are sometimes allowed 10 remain
Selecting Live Poultry.
The bird should be healthy. a
shown especially BY its head pos1tH
such as q bright red comb and waa-
lies. and clear. bright eye. A DARK
coiored comb and wattles, 8 dull
lustreless eye. and any mucous dia-
charge from or swelling about The
eyes or mouth show disease or poor
condition. Poultry which are COW
cred with pin feathers, especially L
dark eoloredi are hard to dress neat
ly. II addition 70 health and condi-
ton. the bird should be well feshed
which Is best told by the Haount 81
flesh on the back. the breast ard 81
vic bones d the fowl. The hexia.iIty
OF the rear end of the breastbona +
the best indication OF the age OF the
fowl. This should be very soft and
pliable iu a young bird. and slightly
sitter and easily bent in a roa ser
CT pullet, after which age this bone
hardens and becomes large and
blunt. according to the age Of the
fowl. The legs Of young birds are
smooth and become rougher an6
scalier as the bird grows oder.
The points used Ia selecting I've
poultry apply 10 dressed poultry, such
rs health and a well-7eshed condi-
ton. The appearance Of the head IL
a good way to judge the health axe
and sex Of a chicken. nnatured
fowls comb is heavier and thie1ser
than that of q young bird and LARGER
on a male than on female Of the
same breed: females are invariably
plumper than males in all classes OF
poultry. The best dressed poultry
is young and tender. as judged hy
the flexibility of the rear end of the
breastbone. The breast is deep, long.
straight and well heshed. The body
is well heshed over the back and
pelvic bones, evenly eolored. free
from a reddish cast or red spots de-
noting poor bleeding, and neatly
dressed. The flesh should feel soft
and spring to the tips of the fingers.
Poultry should be starved Il to IS
hours before being killed so that the
crop will be empty.
Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-02-28

Farmers and pig growers do not
always appreciate the value Of green
feeds and succulent pastures for
their animals. Too often the hog is
considered scavenger and his abil-
ity to use waste is regarded as h!s
chief value. However well he serves
this purpose, he will pay well for
good care, feed and housing.
Forage crops are especially beneA
ficial to young growing animals 1t
is possible TO grow them much more
profitably and successfully when a
good green field of palatable and nu-
tritious pasturage is provided Ex-
periments and practical farmers ex-
periences prove that gains in weight
are made at less cost on forage than
in the dry lot. Brood sows can he
carried through the season on pas
ture at less cost than when grain
fields are entirely depended upon.
Foraging induces the animal to exer-
else and obtain fresh air, and these
prevent diseases being contracted,
and when the animals are put in the
fattening pen their gains are I'M
usually rapid and profitable. The
green feeds eaten are of much value
just to keep the pigs digestive sys-
tenn in good condition and the APP
petite keen.
The entire hog herd can be run on
forage crops and will profit by this
method of mana gement Younger
animals seem to derive the most ben
eft, and fattening hogs the least.
Herd sows and the herd boor are
benefited by having green feeds. II
is a good plan to have the brood SOW
running on green pasture at farrow-
ing time, as this is conducive to a
strong, healthy litter of pigs. She
should be kept on green forage from
the time she farrows. The young
pigs viii soon learn to eat, and the
exercise and the green food in its
natural state will start them along
in good condition.
The method of feeding when on
pasture will necessarily vary ac-
cording TO the kind of crop used
If the crop grown be rape, alfalfa
clover, cowpeas, soy beans or other
crops high in protein content, the
grain ration need not be supplement-
ed by feeds high in protein. If blue
grass, rye, oats or other non-legumi-
nous crops are grown, 1t is best tc
add small percentage of feeds high
in protein to the grain. Corn or bar
ley usually furnish the bulk of the
grain ration, and when necessary
these can be supplemented by adding
one-tenth linseed-oil meal or one
sixteenth tankage The rate OF feed
ing win depend on the gains desired
Considering a full grain ration to be
four pounds daily per 100 pounds live
weight, we may say that for ordinary
work with growing shoates one.
half grain ration, or two pounds &
day for each 100 pounds live weight
will give satisfactory results. IF il
is desired to make faster gains q
heavier grain ration can be used, anC
if il is desired TO maintain the ami
mails as eheaply as possible smaller
per centage should be fed.
1t seems doubtful If it ever pays Il
| Try to keep pigs on forage crops alone
These crops are sometimes sufficient
to keep the pigs growing. but tbs
gains are not usually made economic
ally. Usually the pigs are kept at &
Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-02-28
HOW TO USE AND ORDER
FROM SEED CATALOGUES

year. Another thing. be sure to
utilize the order-sheet and return en-
velope supplied with every catalogue.
1t will enable the scotsman to fill
your order quickly and correctly.
Now for the actual making out of
the order. First take your catalogue
and a pencil and check on the margin
of each page such varieties as you
think you ought to have for your gar
den and fields Then figure about
what quantity you should have, al
ways remembering that you get more
for your money IL you buy larger
quantities. For instance, it is cheaper
to buy an ounce of lettuce than to get
three packets. Both cost the same,
but you get about twice as much In
the ounce as you get In the packets,
and since most vegetable seeds are of
good vitality for several years, 1t is
really cheaper to buy that way.
In the making out of your order be
sure to read some of the descriptions
of the different sorts, and study the
class under which they are listed
Nearly every class of vegetable has
varieties that are distinctly adapted
for either spring, summer or fall use.
Since a spring radish will not grow
we'll in the summer and summer
lettuce will not do well In the spring
it will pay you to give special atten
ton to this, so that your garden will
give you maximum returns for every
effort you make.
One more suggestion: Order your
seeds early. February is good
month to place your order, since then
the seed houses are not as yet bur-
dened with work. II you wait until
March you are apt to get into
troubled water, as during that month
every seed house is working to the
limit of it's capacity. and you really
must not blame them for any delay
that may occur on account of your
backwardness in ordering earlier.
Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-02-28
Income Tax Decision

Foresters and lumbermen see in a
decision of the Treasury Department
in regard to the administration of the
income tax a strong argument for
forestry. As they interpret the opin-
ion of the treasury officials they I'M
derstand that no timber lands shall
be subject to the tax until the timber
is cut and marketed and that then
the profit only win be subject to an
income tax assessment. In other
words. all costs will be deducted be-
fore the tax is levied, and these will
cover the cost of growing the timber,
including the cost OF planting where
necessary and of protecting the grow
ing crop from fire and other depreda-
ton.
This decision was based upon a
request for information made by p. 8.
Ridsdale. secretary of the American
Forestry Association. He asked II
there would be a tax on the value OF
the yearly growth of timber whether
it was cut or not, and also whether an
income tax would he assessed on the
value of the timber land.
Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-02-28
ISpanghum Moss
Useful to Gardeners

Don't throw away Sphagnum moss;
use it in your gardening operations.
Plants and bulbs received by mail
are usually packed in this moss, and
wire frames that furnish the founda-
ton of all floral pieces are filled with
It; but, more often than not, it is
thrown out as waste material because
its value is unsupported. Moss direct
from the florist is clean and sweet,
but that in which cutfiowers have de-
cayed should be spread out and thor
oughly heated.
As a mulch over soil in pots. the
moss prevents the formation of crust
and makes it necessary to water the
plants less frequently. II used solely
for this purpose, the moss alone is
sufficient; but, if fertilizing is neces-
sary it can be made to serve double
purpose. To five pounds of the moss,
which has been rubbed between the
hands until fine, add a quarter OF a
pound of bone meal; spread it over the
soil, and let the water given carry
the fertilizer gradually down among
the roots. other good, dry fertilizer
can be used in place of the bone
meal, and an equal quantity of pow
dered charcoal with or without the
fertilizer, will give a dark color to
r4the foliage, while serving the primary
object of keeping the soil sweet. II
dried out between times of service,
the moss may be used over and over;
and, when its usefulness as a mulch
ing material has come to an end, Ii
is as good as ever to mix through
potting soil.
If a quantity is collected and pre-
pared as suggested above, the moss
furnishes the finest possible material
In which to pot bulbs for forcing. 1t
holds them firmly in position and, as
is it's nature, holds so much moisture
that the forcing is practically water
forcing" while the fertilizer mixed
with ii feeds the bulbs, and the char
coal keeps the moss sweet. This pre-
pared lat home) moss is practically,
the same material as that now on the
market under the name of prepared
fiber" Even after serving as pot
ting material, the moss may be wash
ed, dried and refertilized for repeated
use. before coming to its final stage
humus in the soil
If small pots, that dry out quickly
as the sun shines on them, are ar
ranged in a shallow box-window-b box
style-the moss, without fertilizer, is
ideal material for filling the spaces
between pots while that over the soil
may be fertilized when the condi-
tion of the plants seem to need more
nourishment.
Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-02-28
Growing Plants in the House

Do you want to grow enough plants
to supply the family garden? 1t
will not be necessary to make a hot
bed. Take a shallow box four to six
inches in depth. and approximately
two feet long, by a foot in width.
Put two inches of sand and gravel
in the bottom and on this the same
depth of good garden soil. 1t is
best to SOW the seed in drills two
inches apart. Very small seeds will
need but little covering, just a little
soil sifted over them. Wet the soil
and cover with an old gunny sack
or something similar, to prevent dry
ing-out and hardening of the crust
The box may be kept near the stove
till the plants begin to show through.
Then the cover must be removed, and
the box put in the light of window.
An excellent place for the box is
on top of the incubator, while making
an early hatch. 1t will have to be
placed in a lighted window. however,
after the plants come through. When
the days are warm, put the box out
side. and do everything possible to
prevent the plants from becoming
spindly. AS soon as plants thus
grown can stand the change they
should be trnnsplanted to an out
door bed and stay there for q few
walks hsfore setting in the row.