Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1915-05-05
GUARDING AGAINST
Return Of PLAGUE
Agricultural Department
Has Not Withdrawn Vigil
lance Against Cattle
Disease
100000 ANIMALS
WERE SLAUGHTERED


By United Press STAFF Correspondent.
WASHINGTON. May 5.-Though
believing the foot and mouth disease
epidemic practically wiped out in
the United States. the Agricultural
Department is not relaxing vigilance.
Like typhoid fever, its victims some
times spread infection after they
themselves are cured and it will be
some time yet before the quarantine
will be lifted entirely.
Defending the slaughter OF more
than 100000 animals during the war
on the disease the department cites
the case OF Germany where the dis
case has been allowed TO gain such
hold at times that the slaughter OF
exposed animals could not be resort
ed TO. In 1911. for example, il was
estimated that there were 3.566.369
head of cattle. 1,6O2,927 sheep. p
555.27l hogs and 1854 goats suffer
ing from the disease in Germany
making the pestilence perpetual
drain on the farmers There are
more than three times as many OF
these animals in the United States
as in Germany and the consequences
of allowing the disease TO get such a
| fOOthOld are obvious.
While thc oxunf .r.fr.f,, Of a.,
epidemic is still unknown the first
trace of it was discovered in Michi
gan. Skinned milk returned from
creamery in the southern part OF
the State 10 be fed to hogs resulted
in the hogs being stricken. A ship
ment Of these hogs infected the Chi
cago stockyards and other ship
ments passing through the stock
yards carried the infection as fai
west as Washington and as far cas-
as Massachusetts. The south ant
/ southwest escaped because practical
4 ly all shipments we're from, rather
1 than 10, these sections.
The Agriculture Department is KEEP
/ fairly busy explaining to inquirer
that the last Congress did not pas
rural credits legislation, further thar
/ to name a committee of the Hous,
and Senate to draft a bill to be pre-
scented at the next session. The com
mittee will have all the information
collected by the department in IN,
past two years. II is expected tina
a bill providing for rural credits vii
be enacted early in the session.
Advice for boys and girls concern
ing setting. hens. given out by tn
department is as follows
As the time approaches for tn
hens TO become broody. or sit if car
is taken TO look in the nests IL vii
be seen that there are a few sol
downy feathers left there by the hens
also. that the hens stay longer in tn
nests when laying at this time anC
on being approached. quite likely vii
remain on the nest. ruffiing up thei
feathers and pecking at the intruder
When il is noticed that the hen sit
on the same nest for two or tire
nights in succession. she is ready t
be transferred to a nest which shout
be prepared in advance This shoul
be in a box and should be compose
OF straw, hay or chaff for nestin
material. Pack this material dow
firmly and shape a circular nest on
of il which should be eligibly deepe
in the center than around the edge
to prevent the eggs from rolling gu
from under the hen and becomin
chilled. Dust the hen thorough
with insect powder. In applying tn
powder hold the hen head downward
working the powder we'll into tn
feathers, giving special attention [
the regions around the vent and ur
der the wings. Powder should ais
be sprinkled around the nest. TIL
nest should be i'm some quiet. out-o
the-way place. where the sitting he
viii not be disturbed. Move her frOl
the regular laying nest and put
board over the opening so she cannC
get off. Toward evening of the SEE
ond day, quietly go in where she
sitting and leave some feed an
water. Remove the board and let III
hen come of when she is read
Should she return to the nest afte
feeding. remove the china eggs an
put in those that are to be incubatel
III tOol Weather II Is DeSl not 10 pl
in more than 10 eggs. while later
spring one can put in 70 or Is, a,
cording TO the size of the hen.
Farmers sell their timber too chea
, says the Department of Agricultur
, which suggests that farmers. befol
they sell their wOOd-lot holding
should get in touch with the Stat
, forester or the State agricultural al
, thorities, and secure advice as
what trees should be cut and, if POI
sible, an estimate of the amount an
, value of the timber TO be sold.
should always be kept in mind. say
p the department, that the future Walt
! of woodland tracts depends on n
way the timber is cut.
/ The department cites the case
, a farmer in the Maumoe Valley. Obi
, who sold for $3.50 timber whic
> agents of the department afterwarC
! estimated to be worth $1.436 stan,
inc