The Question Box. 333 



Which is the most profitable at present, sheep or cows? 



Mr. Barlett. — It will depend on the man. We are all differently 

 constituted. Some of us prefer one breed of cows or stock, 

 another man another. If a man prefers Guernseys, he should in- 

 sist on that breed; the same is true of Shorthorns, Jerseys or 

 Ayrshires. It is so with sheep; but one should get the breed he 

 most prefers, and I believe there is as much money in a flock of 

 good sheep as in a herd of dairy cows; by which I mean a herd of 

 good cows. But one must be acquainted with the sheep, its 

 habits and diseases. They are very sensitive animals and are sub- 

 ject to many diseases, and when disease gets into a flock it is very 

 hard to eradicate it and bring the sheep back to normal condi- 

 tions. We may doctor a sick cow and bring her back, but it is 

 hard to do so with a sheep. Sheep will pay with one man and be 

 a loss to another. 



POUIiTRY POINTERS. 



To Mr. Van Dreser. — Is animal meal what it is " cracked up to be " to 

 feed laying hens? 



Answer. — Animal meal is very good. The hen craves meat. If 

 she does not get protein meat she will pick feathers off from 

 another, or another's combs. Dried blood or meat scraps make 

 good rations. 



How much green ground bone ought to be fed to 20 hens, and how 

 often? 



Answer. — We feed about half an ounce twice a week, in the 

 morning ration, mixing it with the grain food. It costs but little 

 and may be bought in Schenectady. 



What breed of hens do you keep? 



Answer. — The White Leghorns, single comb, which we keep 

 as long as they respond in eggs, at a profit. We have some that 

 are six years old. 



Will Mr. Van Dreser give us his net profit per chicken? 



Answer. — We made a whole lot of mistakes at first, because 

 we did not keep laying hens and had not studied their makeup. 

 When we had become educated, we cleared -fl per hen. Last year, 

 they paid us more than that, but it did not all come from eggs; 



