East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1915-08-21

WASHINGTON. Aug. 21.-Poultry
can be kept successfully on a small
amount of land, for this reason, II is
particularly adapted to suburbs Of
large cities and to small towns. The
waste products Of the kitchen and
the table may be used to advantage
| and there is always market for
eggs and dressed poultry, or, If used
at home, the consumer is certain
that he has a strictly fresh product.
When many birds are kept In a
small space, however, the ground is
likely TO become foul. 1t is, there
fore, advisable to divide the lot and
sow part of 1t with some quick grow
ing grain such as oats, wheat, or rye.
| In this way the yards may be rotated
every three or four weeks during
the growing season, the hens being
turned on the growing grain when 1t
is few inches high. A good combs
nation is oats and wheat in equal
parts sowing six or seven bushels to
the acre
For the poultry house, about four
square feet of floor space per bird
should be allowed for the general
purpose breeds The other essentials
are fresh air dryness and sunlight.
Birds that are too fat will lay few
eggs. 1t is, therefore, advisable to
make them work for most OF their
feed by scratching in the litter of
which there should be about four in
ture is a scratch ration composed Of
equal parts OF corn, wheat and oats
and a mash of two parts corn meal
and one part each Of bran, middlings
and corn meal. Feeding about equal
quantities Of the scratch ration and Of
mash. This should be scattered I'M
the litter morning and noon, allow
ing small handful for every three
hens At night the birds should be
given all they can eat of 1t in a "
shaped trough. In the winter time,
some green feed should be given at
noon-cabbage or mangel-wurzels are
good, II the birds do not eat all the
grain that is scattered in the litter,
reduce the quantity. Grit, oyster
shells and water should be available |
for the birds at all times
what II Costs to Raise Cow.
There are over 2l,O00.000 dairy
COWS in the United States and these
COWS must be replaced evry few
years. The cost Of producing the
heifers that will keep up the supply
is, therefore. a matter of great i'm !
portance to dairymen. Recent in
ystigations by the department Of ag-
riculture Indicate that in good 1airyI
sections it is profitable to raise only
the best heifers and that, except on
cheap land or under very favorable
conditions the raising Of scrubs does
not pay On the other hand. the
dairy farmer who raises we'll bred |
stock finds a home market for the
feeds grown on his farm, maintains
the fertility of his land and can ulti-
nately dispose of his heifers at a !
profit.
The departments specialists found
that in Wisconsin and in other dairy
districts in the north and east where
land and feed values are much the
same, at the end Of year it has cost
on an average of SS9.5S to raise
dairy calf and at the end of two
years. $61.41. OF this amount, near
~ two-thirds was for food. the mar
ket value Of which was charged
against the heifer. Labor formed
about - per cent Of the total and
the remainder was charged against
interest, equipment and the use OF
buildings. the share of the general
expense for the entire farm business,
and Losses by death, etc These items
are Usually overlooked in estimating
costs, but they must be met in 7ome
way.
This estimated cost, of course, may
be greatly reduced in sections where
feed is very cheap or where pastures
are available for the greatr part OF
the year. In good dairy sections,
however, well-bred heifers two years
old are worth considerably more than
$50 and, Furthermore. 1t Is difficult
for dairymen to buy productive COWS
at reasonable price. They are
therefore, more or less compelled to
ratso their own stock. In view OF
the expense of raising heifers at all,
It Is desirable that they should con-
fine themselves to good stock.