The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1917-10-07
Utilizing Waste Vegetable
Matter From Your Kitchen
Maximum Egg Production Cannot BE Realized From Flock
Without Some Form of Succulencc

supply for the suburban flock Is some
what different from that of tho city
poultry keeper. In the former case
quito more fowls are kept, and as a
general rule more land is available for
the home production of the supply. In
most cases there is also a medium
sized lawn, the clippings from which
can be saved for the fowls. The main
question here is what to grow for the
best results.
For the early fall green food there
is nothing better or easier to produce
than green corn fodder. A few rows
Of late planted corn will last until
killing frosts. The only preparation
required in feeding it is to cut the
stalks and blades in pieces from one
half to an inch in length. After the
corn is no longer available, late cab
bage supplemented with lawn clippings
can be used for the rest of the win
ter. There is no reason why sprouted
oats cannot be used for the entire win.
ter II the poultry Keeper wishes to 60
to the trouble Of preparing them. They
are, perhaps. the one best green food
for both layers and young stock yet
those already suggested arc easier to
provide and will give splendid results.
The writer uses nothing but cabbage
the entire winter.
Lawn clippings arc I; splendid form
OF green food If properly handled. but
should be supplemented two or three
times Il week with fresh sueculcncc,
such as cabbage or sprouted outs.
After the grass is cut the clippings
should be rakcd up as soon as they
are cured sufficiently to prevent mold
After being gathered. store them In
feed sacks and hang them up so that
the mice cannot destroy them. Be-
fore feeding the clippings steep them
in hot water until they are tender.
This is done by putting the supply in
a pail, pour on the hot water. and
leave covered with Il sack for two OF
three hours.
Sprouting Oats at Home.
Because of their availability at all
seasons of the year and the case with
which they can dc produced, sprouted
oats are used on most Of the large
poultry plants. Since the manufacture
of oat sproutcrs in various sizes. the
farmer and suburban poultry keeper
can also use this form OF green food
without any material outlay for the
proper equipment. 1t is possible to
sprout oats without the use of special
appliances, but the variations of tenn
perature in the rooms of most DWELL
ings make the process rather unsat-
isfactory. 1t is generally cheaper in
the long run to purchase substantial
oat sproutcr of tho size required for
the flock. Commercial sprouters are
fully equipped with seven trays or
flats, one for each day of the week.
In practice about one square inch of
the sprouted oats Is fed to each hen
daily, and from this rule one can cas-
lily compute what size flat will be nee
essary to provide the total supply for
the flock
Oats used for sprouting should be
heavy and of the best grade. The dc
sired quantity required each dag
should be put in u pail, covered with
lukewarm water and allowed to soak
over night. To prevent mold, which j.
oiten troublesome. little f0rmalin
about five drops to the gallon Of wa
ter. should be added to the water a
the time the oats are put to soak. II
the morning the surplus water Il
drained off and the oats are put OF
the trays or flats about an inch dee