490 



The Country Goitlcuians Maga-dnc 



glossy metallic black; ihe^/^vz/dv?;- white (pure to hatch them sooner than April. They 



opaque), the face bright red, perfectly free assume quickly their full plumage. The 



from white ; the comb and wattles also red, cockerels very soon take upon themselves airs 



and the legs dark leaden blue. Hamburghs of importance, and seem to consider they are 



are so hardy that they may be hatched early masters of the poultry-yard. The Hamburghs, 



in the season for table use. Though small, of all varieties, are so singularly beautiful, 



it is an exceedingly good bird, of delicate they are just the breed to be kept as pets, 



flavour ; and the pullets are very precocious They eat little, require no care, and keep 



layers. Size not being a qualification for themselves in good plumage eleven months 



■exhibition, it is unnecessary for that purpose out of the twelve. 



rOULTRY SHOWS.— WEIGHING SHOW FOWLS. 



I!V " THE HENWIFE." 



I SHOULD have thought that the process 

 of weighing was sufficiently understood, 

 but since my last article (on preparing pens 

 of birds for exhibition) I have had numerous 

 applications for information on the subject. 

 It is absolutely necessary to ascertain the 

 weight of all fowls intended either for exhibi- 

 tion or sale, and the eye cannot be trusted to 

 judge of weight, — the steelyard infallibly dis- 

 closes the truth. Seeming size is nothing ; it 

 frequently is all feather. The Aveighing ap- 

 paratus I consider the best, because the 

 simplest and least expensive, is an upright 

 bar of wood or iron inserted into a firm flat 

 .stand. The balance passes through this up- 



right bar, and is hung from it hy an 

 S hook. There are similar hooks at each 

 end of the balance for the weights and 

 basket. This latter must be suspended 

 by cords, and be of sufficient size to con- 

 tain a goose or turkey, or even a couple of 

 them. The weight of the basket must be as- 

 certained, so as not to be included (as is far too 

 often the case) in the weight of the fowl. I 

 trust the directions I have thus given may be 

 found useful ; if not sufficiently clear, I shall 

 gladly reply to any questions. We are now 

 fairly into autumn, with its chilly evenings and 

 mornings, and as our young stock is still abun- 

 dant, and much of it just hatching out of the 

 shell, very careful treatment becomes impera- 

 tive. The last meal should be given at five 



(Concluded from page 392.) 



o'clock, and the coops shut up soon after, to 

 be opened again at six in the morning. Feed 

 often and well. Keep the hen entirely con- 

 fined to the coop, and choose sunny spots for 

 the runs. There is much less fear now of 

 overcrowding — our numbers are fewer ; in- 

 deed, only those chickens intended for table 

 use or market should now be hatched. Tur- 

 keys, if not fully fledged, suffer severely from 

 cold and damp, and although much tempted 

 by the abundance of eggs and evident desire 

 of the hen to incubate, I do not advise any 

 being set; far better give the turkey some 

 hardy fowl's or duck's eggs to hatch. She 

 will cover twenty-one with ease, and have a 

 fair chance of rearing her flock. It is useful 

 now to mix a little pepper in the soft food 

 of the chickens^ — powdered pimento does as 

 well, and is cheaper ; and Indian corn, both 

 ground and whole, may safely be given to all 

 the stock poultry. Young turkeys sometimes 

 refuse it, but by degrees they begin to relish 

 it, and at last prefer it to all other grain. It 

 should also be thrown into the feeding vessels 

 appropriated to geese and ducks, mixed with 

 oats and other grain. At this season, all 

 that is necessary is to supply the poultry with 

 an abundance of warmth-giving food. They 

 have not yet recovered from their moult, and 

 though this is a natural process of annual oc- 

 currence, it must be treated almost as a disease 

 in our high-bred, early-hatched birds. With 



