34 



POPULAR GARDENING. 



December, 



poviltry. 



Ducks in the Garden. 



Of ^^•hat ,nre termed large 'water-fowls, in- 

 cluding Dueks, Geese and Swans, the former ! 

 are well entitled to consideration for use 

 and ornament about gardens and elsewhere, 

 even if living water for them is lacking. 

 Not but that it is f ai- more desirable that ducks 

 have access to a lake or stream, than otherwise, 

 but they will get along with a small supply of 

 water in a jiond or tank a few feet across, in 

 a waj' that the others could not near so well do. 



Kept in such a manner, and ducks will not 

 ouly be found profitable and ornamental about 

 a garden, but serviceable; the}' offer the ad- 

 vantages of being voracious insect consum- 

 ers, and of neither .scratching up seeds or roots 

 or flying about mischieveously. It is a special 

 recommend that they will destro}' those gi-eat 

 plagues of the garden, namely, slugs, a thing 

 that even hens will not do. One of our friends, 

 once had a gai'den on sandy soil, which as a 

 result of the heavy manuring needed to fit the 

 soil for vegetation, tecame ten-ibly filled with 

 slugs, cutworms and other insects ; the young 

 plants were destroyed and roses and other 

 bushes greatly marred. 



Some ducks was suggested. Eight or nine of 

 these were bought, tiu-ned into the gai-den 

 and given free range. The result was most as- 

 tonishing ; in a few months the insects seemed 

 entirely used >ip, after which the flock of ducks 

 was reduced to three, and these kept to guard 

 against further trouble. 



To be sure, some things can be brought against 

 the keeping of ducks in the garden, butthese do 

 not offset the benefits. They have a gi-eat Uk- 

 ing for Strawlierries, about the onlj' fruit they 

 will trouble. Keep them from the Straw- 

 berry enclosm-e during fruiting time, and 

 trouble is averted. The Muscortes eat buds 

 and young shoots, — we can keep other kinds 

 which do not. But ducks do trample domi the 

 plants and tilled earth, and eat young leaves. 

 This is the most serious charge against them, 

 but it may be reduced to a small thing, by not 

 giving them free range at all times. Turn 

 them mto the garden only for an horn- or two 

 hours daily, and that in the morning, when 

 the dew is on the plants. Then they wUl seek 

 mostly for slugs and similar pests. At other 

 times they may be about the lawn. Where 

 there is no natural bed of water for ducks, 

 pains should be taken where they are kept, to 

 proride a change of water in a clean tank ever)' 

 day. This should be located near the water 

 tank or other supply, for convenience. 



the long run is to kill the birds affected. As 

 is often the case, in spite of all that can be 

 done, the disease develops into roup, which is 

 known by a foul breath, in addition to the 

 other sjTuirtoms already described, and by a 

 swelling up of the eyes and face. Then all 

 dishes and troughs had better be washed with 

 some disinfectant, such as cai'bolic acid or Lit- 

 tle's Phenyle, and the coops be well white- 

 washed to prevent contagion. If possible, let 

 the recovered birds be removed to fresh ground, 

 and a little lime spread thinly over the vacated 

 iims, so as to purify the ground. 



Colds in Poultry: How to Treat. 



At this season, when human beings ai'e so 

 subject to colds, fowls, too, often suffer from 

 the same cause. Neither are the sjinptoms 

 wholly different in the two, these being usuaUj' 

 such as a running at the nostrils, watering of 

 the eyes and sneezing. 



Cold, says the EmjUsJt Lire Stock Journal, 

 is by no means difficult to cure if taken in time, 

 but neglected, it may soon develoji into roup 

 or consmnption, both of which are speedily 

 fatal, though the latter is seldom seen save 

 wheu there is an inherent tendency to it. 



As soon as there is noticed any secreti<.)n at 

 the nostrils, the biixl should be separated from 

 the othere, and i)ut in a warm, comfortable 

 place. The food should be of a nourishing 

 nature, and for medicine we know of nothing 

 better than tincture of aconite, of which a suffi- 

 cient dose for a young chick will lie a half of 

 a teaspoonfnl of water, in which a single ch'op 

 has been put. 



A little camjihor may also be jmt in the 

 drinking water when the sneezing is connuon. 

 B3' these means the disease will generally be 

 stamped out, but if not, the cheapest way in 



SILVER SPANGLED HAMBURGHS. 



Hamburgh Fowls. 



On the whole these fowls can be strongly 

 recommended for profit. While rather small 

 for marketing, they will in the production of 

 eggs exceed all other breeds. They lay ueai-ly 

 every day all thi-ough the year, except during 

 the moulting sea.son, hence have been called 

 "Dutch e very-day layei's." An annual pro- 

 duction of from 3(10 to 3.5(1 eggs per hen in a 

 year, is not uncommon. For family use they 

 are especially desirable, as aside from their 

 value as laj'ers, all the breeds ai'e decidedly 

 ornamental. 



The varieties of Hamburghs, are the Black, 

 Golden and Silver Pencilled, Golden and Silver 

 Spangled and A\Tiite. The jjencilled breeds 

 should be classed among rather delicate birds, 

 but their beauty and free laying propensities, 

 ai'e a sufficient reward to many growers, for 

 the extra care they requii'e. This class is 

 rather liable to roup if exposed to cold or wet, 

 hence they should be hatched somewhat late. 

 The Spangled Hamburghs, of which we show 

 an engraving, are hardy and lay larger, if per- 

 haps fewer, eggs than the pencilled. For profit, 

 however, we would be disposed to place the 

 Black Hambm'ghs ahead of all the others, both 

 on account of the large size of the eggs and 

 theii- productiveness, which certainlj' exceeds 

 that of all breeds known. 



Although Hamburghs naturally love a wide 

 range, there is no real difficulty in keeping 

 them in confinement, provided only that clean- 

 liness be closely attended to. None of the 

 varieties ever show any disposition to sit, un- 

 less it is in a state of gi'eat freedom. 



While the objection is raised to Hamburghs 

 of being too small to figiu-e much on the table, 

 it may be said that the bones also are small, 

 and really carry more meat than might lie sup- 

 posed from the appearance, and what there is 

 of it is delicious, both as to qualit)' and flavor. 



CONDENSED POULTRY NOTES. 



Avoid ovcr-crowiling. 



Divide up the large flocks. 



Fatten the tall, thin turkeys. 



Provide a plenty of nest boxes. 



The Bronze turkeys are the best paying. 



To the block at once with egg-eating hens. 



Feed warm nuish. not too hot, on cold mornings. 



On cold days go over the nests for eggs several 

 times. 



Our experience has lieen that barley freel.v fed, 

 impaii's fivedoni in laying. 



A little celery fed to fatteunig dueks. adds a 

 delicious flavor to the meat. 



Dry. warm quarters for your hens now, will soon 

 make dry silver quartei-s for the pocket. 



Wyandottes. The demand for these at present 

 is remarkably brisk, but prices tend downwards. 



If you are only beginning the poultry business, 

 start in with twenty fowls rather than with a 

 hundred. 



"With wheat comparatively cheap, it is entitled 

 to a leading position in feeding both heavy and 

 light breeds. 



We believe that half the diseases of fowls could 

 be traced to their being forced to drink stale and 

 polluted water. 



Time of hatching. Hens' eggs hatch m twenty 

 days; turkeys' and dncks' in twenty -eight days; 

 geese's in thirty days. 



The number of poultry associations started with- 

 in the past year is reall.v surprising. This shows 

 wbich way the wind blows as to poultry interests. 



A poultry raiser near the writer's place, makes 

 it a rule to allow six square feet, say two feet by 

 three feet, of floor room for each fowl above six. 



No hen should be kept beyond her second laying 

 season, as a rule. Because many pay no heed to 

 this point, but keep hens along three, five or more 

 years, they wouder why they lay so poorly. 



Turkeys for breeders. Only select ones should 

 be saved back for this purpose. Old gobblers, say 

 from two to fotn- years, are the best. Choose out 

 such as are broad across the back, short -legged and 

 square built. 



Soaking Grain. Contrary to what the practice 

 of many ixinltry keepers would indicate, the diges- 

 tive apparatus of fowls, does not require that grain 

 be soaked before feeding. In fact, to soak the grain, 

 is to fill the bird's crop with a quantity of water to 

 no pnn>ose. Fed dry and the grain is better rel- 

 ished and does more good. 



Fowl cholera. This is also a disease of the sea- 

 son. It is more easil.v prevented than cured. Thor- 

 ough cleanliness in every jjarticular. pure air, pure 

 water, moderate feeding, avoiding excess of fat, and 

 a healthful variety of food, including plenty of 

 fresh bones finely crushed, will help to evade the 

 disease. Teaspoonfnl doses of .saturated solution of 

 hyposulphite of soda, given daily, an entire absence 

 from food for several days, have been found an 

 effective remed.v in cases not too far advanced. 

 — Agriculturtst. 



Look well to the comfort of your fowls at this 

 seasou; imcomfortable hens never do much. Mix 

 with the morning feed of graiu, a little boiled meat, 

 cheap offal from the butcher's, bullock's tripe, liver, 

 or anything in that wa.v, twice or three times a 

 week. From half an ounce to one ounce is quite 

 sufficient at a time, for each bird. .\lso do not for- 

 get to add some green food right along. Then if 

 the house is in good order, and the breed right, 

 you will be paid for your pains over and over, by 

 the frequency of the cackle, teUing you of the addi- 

 tion to the store of eggs, at this time, when they are 

 worth picking up. 



Suit the food to the time it is fed, for the best re- 

 sults. To do this, give ungruimd grain at night be- 

 fore roosting time, and soft food in the morning. 

 The former will last in the crop longer into the 

 night with benefit. The grain food given at the 

 morning meal, allows of digestion commencing at 

 once. This is beneficial, for nothing seems to tell 

 so stronglj- against the well-doing of a fowl, as to 

 remain for hours with an unoccupied stomach. Let 

 the' morning feeding be done as early as possible in 

 the morning, and that of evening just before going 

 to roost, if the fowls are confined, and with no 

 chance iif picking up anything through the day, 

 they will require another feeding about noon. 



Best Stock for "Winter Laying. We agree with 

 a writer in the Atneriron Pitnlti-r/ Journal on this 

 subject. He says: The most desirable stock to 

 have on hand, at any time, is early-hatched pidlets. 

 The.v become large and well developed by fall, gen- 

 erally begin laying before cold weather, as they do 

 not moult the first season, and with proper care 

 will keep laying throughout the winter. Then, by 

 spring they will have laid several litters of eggs, 

 and will be fully as desirable for breeding purposes 

 as adult hens, and will, in tlieir turn, bring off nice, 

 early broods, to take their place the following 

 season. 



Late-hatched pullets are even worse than old 

 hens, both for winter laying and early spring breed- 

 ing, for they will be small wheu the coM weather 

 comes, which will serve to stunt them more or 

 less, and they will not begin laying until the warm 

 weather of spring, and then the eggs are so cheap 

 that they hardly pay for feeding and taking care of 

 the fowls. Besides this, the first litter of eggs laid 

 by a pullet are not fit to iLse for breeding purposes, 

 as they will not produce near as strong and healthy 

 chicks as those coming from older hens. 



