The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-10-24
All unproable fowls should cued from wagearnng

ble for the purpose of selecting winter layers, it appears that, for example. a Plymouth Rock bullet that is 5 months old in the early part of September should weigh not less than four pounds. A Wyandotte or Rhode Island Red should not weigh less than three pounds, a Leg horn not less than two pounds,
 Many poultry keepers who do not mark their chicks when matched and let broods of different ages run to- gether in the growing season cannot tell the age of bullet with certainty in the fall, and take it for granted that the small birds are the later matched This error leads to the hold ing of many bullets which, if their true age were known, would be dis carded for winter layers.
 TABLE SCRAPS
 Tatle scraps and kitchen waste are best prepared for feeding by running them through an ordinary meat grind CT After the material has been put through the grinder it is usually a rather moist mass, and it is well to mix with 1t some corn meal, bran or other ground grain until the whole mass assumes a crumbly condition. The usual method is to feed the table scraps 1t noon or at night. or at both times, as may be desired, in a trough or on a board. All should be fed that the hens will eat up clean, and if any of the material is left after one-half of three-quarters of an hour, it should be removed. If allowed to lie it may spoil and would be very bad for the hens
 FIGHTING DISEASES
 Poultry raisers who wait until dis ease appears in the flock and then prepare to make defensive attack are likely to be successful only in rare cases. By far the best plan is to care for the flock in such way that disease will not appear. The aim in controlling the diseases of poultry is, they add, to learn how to prevent them rather than how to cure them, To enlighten poultry owners as to the characteristics of the more important disease in order that they may in. telligently use the most improved methods of combating them, farmers bulletin 957, important Poultry Dis cases" has recently been published by the department. The causes symp- toms and treatment of poultry ail- ments, from aspergillosis (brooder pneumonia) to worms, are given in this publication.
 As all poultry is susceptible to many QlSG&S6S, some OI WuISH are Ht5HAy infectious, and resist all efforts of treatment, the bulletin suggests that when birds become sick it is often the best plan to kill them The greater the number of birds kept upon any farm or plot of ground. and the more they, are crowded together, the more important are the measures for exclud- ing, eradicating and preventing the de- velopment of the causes Of disease
 
 try the fowls should be removed from the poultry yard and a good coating of freshly slaked lime be applied to the entire surface of the ground, ac- cording to the bulletin. After few days it should be plowed and then cultivated three of four times at iii- tervals of a week and finally sowed with oats, rye or other grain It is best to leave the ground unoccupied by fowls until the winter has passed. After the fowls have been returned the premises must be frequently cleaned and occasionally dsinfected.
 The drinking fountains and feed troughs must be washed every week with boiling water or other disln- fectant. and if any lice or mites are found on the birds or in the house, the roosts and adjoining parts of the walls should be painted with mixture of kerosene, one quart and crude carbolic acid or crude cresol, one teacupfuf. The house may be whitewashed with freshly slaked lime or sprayed with kerosene emulsion. In case of an ac- tual outbreak of virulent disease it is well to add to each gallon of the whitewash six ounces of crude car bolic acid. Good disinfectants de- stroy the germs of contagious disease. the external parasite such as lice and mites. and in some cases the eggs of parasitic worms, and should be used frequently in and about the poui- try hotlsa