The Health of the Hen. 109 



RED PEPPER. — The red or cayenne pepper of commerce is made of 

 the pungent fruit of Capsicum, or the common garden pepper ground to 

 powder. It is an excellent appetizer, and probably the safest of all stim- 

 ulants. It may be given in mashes or moist food at the rate of one tea- 

 spoonful to each two or more quarts. The fruits of any of the hot- 

 flavored chilies or garden peppers answer equally well if broken up and 

 added to the mash. 



TINCTURE OF IRON. — In some forms of weakness associated with 

 loss of appetite tincture of chloride of iron does good service. It sliould 

 be given in the drinking water, 10 to 20 drops to the quart of water, given 

 fresh for several successive days. It is rather caustic, but not poisonous 

 in small quantities. 



STRYCHNINE is a dangerous poison, but in minute doses has pow- 

 erful tonic properties. It is especially useful in leg weakness and all forms 

 of paralysis, and in the general depression following illness. It is best 

 given fowls in the form of tincture of nux vomica, of which it is the active 

 principle. Ten to 15 drops in a quart of drinking water may be safely 

 given on alternate days. Nux vomica tincture is intensely bitter, and the 

 water thus prepared is not relished. 



ARSENIC is a powerful tonic and probably stimulates egg production. 

 It may be given in the form of Fowler's solution, 10 to 12 drops in a quart 

 of water once in three days. Nux vomica tincture and Fowler's solution art 

 dangerous poisons and should be kept where children and animals cannot 

 get at them. 



GOLDEN SEAL. — An excellent appetizer very little used is golden 

 seal or Hydrastis canadensis. It is harmless, and may be given at the 

 rate of half an ounce of the powdered root to each quart of mash. Pow- 

 dered ginger is also used in the same manner. 



THE MOULTING HEN.— As all know poultry shed or cast off their 

 feathers, after which a new growth appears. This moulting is an exhaust- 

 ing process, and the hen will not, under ordinary circumstances, lay 

 during her moult or for some time after. Old hens drop their feathers 

 during late Summer and Fall, and it is an advantage to force the moult 

 early, so as to have them laying or at least in good condition before Winter 

 sets in. Various plans have been tried for hurrying the moult. In some 

 cases the feathers are plucked from the live hens so that a new growth will 

 start early. Another plan often mentioned is described as follows by 

 Mr. G. H. Belding : 



"I took 10 White Wyandotte yearlings about the last of August and 

 shut them up in a pen, and did not feed them for twelve days, with the 

 exception of about a handful of grain every other day. I gave them all 

 the water they wanted during these twelve days. At the expiration of 12 



