THE GENESEE FARMER. 



49 



TAILLESS FOWLS. 



Thk La Maison de Campagne alludes to a new 

 tailless breed of fowls, which is uow at the Zoo- 

 logical Garden at Paris. It is called the "Valli- 



TAILLESS FOWLS. 



kili Fowl." Judging from the annexed portrait 

 they are by no means graceful or beautiful. The 

 hens are said to be early arid abundant layers. 



EGGS THE YEAS ROUND. 



Eds. Genesee Farmer : One principal object of 

 keeping poultry by a private family is to have 

 fresh eggs the year round. The time for hens to 

 lay eggs depends much upon the warmth ia which 

 they are kept, and in general on the season. There 

 are two seasons or periods of the year when hens 

 lay most: tliese are spring and autumn. Cold re- 

 tards or prevents this ; hence the necessity of fresh 

 eggs in winter. 



When hens are kept solely for the eggs they sup- 

 ply, the object would be to obtain as many as pos- 

 sible Care should be exercised in having hens re- 

 markable for their egg-producing properties— such 

 as tlie Spanish, Polands, Bolton Greys, Hamburgs, 

 Cochins, Brahmas, &c. 



It would seem a Providential arrangement in be- 

 half of man that the domestic hen should be en- 

 dowed with so great fecundity ; and it would seem 

 even to liave been an object of great importance, 

 in an economical point of view, to secure the lay- 

 ing of hens during those parts of the year when, 

 if left to themselves, they are disposed to deposit 

 their eggs. All hens will lay iu the spring and 

 a,utumn; but only those which have warm, well- 

 lighted, Avell-ventilatedand comfortable houses will 

 lay m winter. It must be observed, however, that 

 during the moulting season, which takes place in 

 the latter end of summer or beginning of autumn, 

 hens cease laying, and those of many kinds, es- 

 pecially if old, do not commence until the ensuing 

 spring. There is in this a great diiference in dif- 

 ferent breeds ; and with early-reared pullets, and 

 with proper management, eggs may be expected 

 as early as Noveinber and throughout the winter. 



The great art in tlie management of hens in or- 

 der to render them. profitable, is to cause them to 

 lay in winter, as at that season eggs are generally 

 scarce and high. If a person keeps a flock of iiens 

 to supply his fatuily with eggs, he must manage so 



that they will lay in cold weather; else he will be 

 under the necessity of buying eggs wiieii they are 

 very dear and rather doubtful. Though hens 

 should be warm and dry in winter, they should not 

 be crowded too-ether in small or contracted apart- 

 ments, as witliout ventilation they are liable to 

 disease from impure air. In mild weather, when 

 the ground is bare, they should go out in the sun. 



It now remains to mention a i&w more points 

 requisite to the successful keeping of poultry and 

 obtaining a plentiful supply of eggs. 



The hens will try to continue their species by 

 laying eggs when confined to a grain diet; but, as 

 ageneral rule, the more animal food, the more egss. 

 If they can get no animal food otherwise, they will 

 pick out and eat each other's feathers, particularly 

 after moulting; hence the necessity of furnishing 

 them with plenty of animal food. Tlieir natural 

 food is insects and vermin, and when allowed to 

 roam at large to find these, they lay plentifully. 

 To supply this, butcher's otial, or scraps, as th-ey 

 are usually called, are a cheap source of animal 

 food for fowls. 



It is not a fact that fowls require no care. On 

 the contrary, if you wish them to imjirove and be 

 profitable, you must take good care of them. If 

 fowls are kept where good nourishing feed and 

 pure water, and plenty of it, are always at their 

 command, to eat and drink as they wish, they will 

 lay more and in every way be more profitable to 

 their owner. 



The conditions under which the laying of hens 

 can be protracted to the fullest natural extent are 

 systematic feeding, warmth in the end of tlie fall 

 and commencement of winter, and cleanliness in 

 food, water and roosting places. They should be 

 supplied with various condiments— broken bones, 

 oyster shells, old mortar, and plenty of gravel. 

 They should also have, in addition to" their irrain 

 food, some green food, such as cabbage, carrots, 

 &c., chopped fine. Avoid giving them salt food. 

 Comfort — that is, shelter from storms and wind, 

 with good stimulating food— is the best "hen-per- 

 suader" we know of. If they do not lay with all 

 this care and attention, give them now and then a 

 little red pepper chopped fine, which they will eat 

 if mixed with their soft food. 

 Bennington Center, Vt., 1863. C. N. Bement. 



YIELD OF BUTTER FROM A SMALL DAIRY. 



Eds. Genesee Farmer: In looking over the 



account of butter made and sold for the past twelve 



years, I have made up the following statistics: 



,^ ^ „ Lii- Cash per 



MO. of Cows. Am't. Canli. Per dm. Cow 



ISn 2 223 $21.87 ni $18 93 



18'^2 4 625 108.56 156 25 89 > 



1853 4 6.5T 110.48 164 2762 



IS.'H 4 5S4 101.10 146 24j'>r 



1855 4 637 117.70 159 0940 



1856 5 968 171.49 19.J 84 -29 



18.'^7 5 8S6 162.26 177 32'45 



1858 5 8f!6 187.26 197 27'45 



'-S59 5 783 1.32. 68 157 26;58 



I860 6 1073 162.93 178 27^5 



18P1 6 1195 1.57.09 199 20 18 



1862 6 1164 164.72 194 27*45 



Total 66 9686 $1,549.17 



In the above statement I have made no acoount 

 of the butter used by a family averaging four per- 

 sons, made from the same cows during the time. 



Adams Basin, A.- F., Jan., 186S. W. C. Faikb^nk. 



