l'J2 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



April 



can, to keep hens — by po doing they may have at 

 nearly all times, chickens fit for the table, and 

 fresh COLO'S. Another young man who is interest- 

 ed in the subject, has sent me the following ac- 

 count : — 



statement of the profits on poultry for the year 1853-4. 

 Received for 265 doz. eggs sold $50,75 



" 36 pairs chickens sold 34,05 



March 1, 1854. On hand 46 fowls, worth 



60 eta. each 23,00 |107,70 



Kxpenses, for corn $9,91 



" cobmeal 8,77 



" buckwheat, oats, meat, kc 8,47 



On band, March 1, 1S54, 46 fowls, worth 



42cts. each 19,-32 $46,47 



Net gain $61,23 



Concord, March 9, 1854. J. IS- Bkuws. 



Mr. Jons Raynolds said he thought Poultry 

 and Swine comprised .an important part of the 

 farmer's stock ; he spoke of the origin of fowls, 

 of the value of different breeds, and thought those 

 i>f a medium size, all things considered, are the 

 most profitable, and our yellow-legged common 

 fowls are not excelled by any for the taljle, and 

 2)erhaps not for laying ; he spoke of the amount 

 of poultry in the Union as making an item of 

 great national wealth, amounting to no less a 

 sum than $20,000,000 annually ! The State of 

 New York alone had $2,373,000 value in this 

 stock in a single year. The amount of sales of 

 poultry at the Quincy Market, Boston, for the 

 j-ear 1848, was $674,423,00, and the eggs sold in 

 and around the same market, during the same 

 period, amounted to 1,129,735 dozen, making 

 the amount paid for eggs at that market $203,- 

 352,30, and the sales in the city for that year, not 

 much short of $1,000,000. There arc now many 

 breeds of poultry among us, and many opinions 

 respecting their qualities and profitableness. The 

 larger kinds make a stately appearance, but are 

 more expensive to keep, and I have strong doubts 

 whether t!ie quality of their flesh, or even their 

 eggs is as good as of the smaller kinds. There 

 are many of the fanaj breeds, ns they are called, 

 that are quite ornamental, as well as valuable 

 layers. Most of these, however, have blue^or slate- 

 colored legs Avhich arc generally objected to by 

 epicures. The foAvls most sought for at present 

 are the Brahma Pootra, Golden Poland, Bolton 

 Grey, Black Spanish, White, Red, and Black 

 Shanghai, Chiltagong, and Cochin China. Mr. 

 Bennett, in his treatise on Poultry says there 

 are four important requisites to success in the 

 management of fowls — 



1. That they have atnplc space. 



2. Thorough ventilation. 



3. Perfect cleanliness, and 



4. A variety and sufficiency of good food and 

 pure water. 



Mr. John B. Moore, President of the club, 

 said he believed the raising of poultry might be 

 made profitable as that of any other stock or crop 



of the ftirm, according to the amount of capital 

 invested in it. Fowls are also a pleasant feature 

 of the homestead, one in wiiich all the members 

 of the family feel an interest, so that while they 

 gratify by affording a pecuniary profit, they afford 

 enjoyment by their appearance, social habits and 

 attachments. A year or two since he erected a 

 building for fowls and enclosed an ample space 

 for them to range in and had taken pains to keep 

 an exact account of profit and loss. 



For the two months of January and February, 1854, 



he valued the fowls at $37,30 



Keeping the same 13,13 



Use of hen-house 2,00 



$52,43 



He sold 97 doz. eggs for $24,25 



Sold fowls for 7,35 



Value of fowls on hand 36,99 



Making $68,59 



Deduct cost 52,43 



Leaving a jirofit in two months of $16,16 



These fowls had not had the range of the barn 

 and yard, but were strictly confined to their own 

 premises, for Avhich reason he doubted whether 

 they would show so favorable a return, as those 

 would running at large, other things being equal. 

 The average cost of keeping ho had ase-jrtained to 

 be ?j>!i mills per day. 



The question for the next evening's discussion 

 is — To what extent viould ornamental gardeiiing 

 be made profitable to the farmer 1 



For the New England Farmer. 



A NEW KIND OF FENCE. 



Dr. C. B. Greene, of Windsor, Yt., has intro- , 

 duced into this region a process of kyanizing wood, 

 with blue vitrol, so as to render it very durable. 

 He takes stakes, (ash, elm, oak, or any suitable 

 wood) 5^ feet long, and steeps 2 feet of the sharp- 

 ened end till thoroughly soaked in a solution of blue 

 vitrol. One lb. of vitrol to 40 lbs. water is his 

 rule. These stakes arc then driven firmly into the 

 ground, about 15 inches. The tops are then 

 brought into a straight line, and a strip of board 

 4 inclics wide, placed upon the top of the stakes, 

 and nailed with one nail to each stake. The stakes 

 are 8 inches apart. Dr. G. afiirms that after paj"- 

 in 24 cciits per rod, or $2,40 psr hundred, for his 

 stakes, he can pay all other cost ujjon such a fence 

 and hire it made at 20 cents per rod, or at 50 centf 

 per rod, the whole cost. 



By experimenting upon a piece of basswood 

 board, 7i years since, which he placed in the 

 ground then, where it has remained perfectly sound 

 to this time. Dr. G. is of opinion this fence will 

 be very durable, and as its cost will be even less 

 than 50 cents per rod, to farmers who can cut their 

 own stukes, it must eventually by a very common 

 kind of M dividing line." 



Among Dr. G.'s advantages over common fence, 

 he says cattle and sheep can't get through it, hors-* 

 i^ won't jump it, hogs will go a good distance 

 round, rather than climb over it, and a lazy man 

 can't set in the s/iac/e of it. G. F. Nutting. 



Chelsea, Vt., 1854. 



