24 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



tlu-ee hens for breeders this year, for those 

 three hens, mind you, would go into the 

 nests just as often as the better layers, 

 settle themselves comfortably for an houi- 

 or so, and then cackle as loud as any, but 

 never lay an egg ! When I dressed them for 

 the table later, I found them to be practical- 

 ly baiTen. 



During the latter part of the season some 

 of the medium layers caught up with the 

 best ones; the others I sold, or killed for 

 our own use. 



The total eggs laid by the flock from 

 March 1 to Dec. 1 would pay for the feed 

 consumed by the old flock and the new. 



We have had eggs for our own use and 

 hatching, and sold the rest; had all the fry- 

 ers needed for a family' of four, and sold 

 $16.00 worth besides ; and have for breeders 

 15 Leghorn hens and 6 Barred Rocks ; also 

 30 Leghorn pullets that are beginning to 

 lay, and 32 Barred Rocks. I got some new 

 cockerels of both breeds from flocks of good 

 reputation as layers. I am also following 

 the best methods I can learn as to feeding; 

 viz., feeding in litter for winter, balanced 

 rations, mash, green bone, sprouted oals, 

 chopped vegetables, clean quarters, etc., and 

 if they don't lay it will be because it isn't 

 in them to do so. However, I expect that, 

 with proper care, they will lay fairly well, 

 and, with the aid of the trap nests, I shall 

 be able to select the best layers, and thereby 

 get cockerels that will produce layers, for 

 it is claimed that the cock is two-thirds of 

 the flock in that respect. 



Another thing, I don't have to hunt in all 

 the out-of-the-way places for eggs. The 

 hens prefer the trap nest, where they are 

 unmolested. The big Barred Rocks will even 

 push their way in some time early in the 

 morning before I have set them for the day. 



Of course, trap nesting requires attention. 

 For the good of the hens they should be 

 looked after every two hours, at least, 

 though mine have to go from one o'clock to 

 nearly six in the afternoon. 



Belgrade, Mont. 



ASHES TO EXTERMINATE RED MITES AND 

 LICE 



BY W. H. LEWIS 



It is over 30 years since I bought my first 

 dozen of eggs from pure-bred fowls, and 

 about the same time made an incubator. 

 During this time I have had about all of 

 what A. I. Root calls " happy surprises." 

 " Convergent " poultry-yards and round 

 barns wei'e voted a " dismal failure " in this 

 region about 20 years ago. A few were 



built of each; but in every case they were 

 torn down and the colony plan, or long 

 house with yards on each side for fowls, 

 and the square barn for the farm, were 

 substituted. 



Hot tallow for chicken perches I tried 

 about 15 years ago, and it is a waste of time 

 and tallow. Dirt sticks to the tallow in a 

 very short time, and the mites make 

 " bridges " over it. 



During these thirty years, up to the last 

 four years, my wife has been considered the 

 " boss " of the poultry part of our ranch, 

 and she knows something about chickens too. 

 During the time mentioned of our " joint " 

 management we have fought mites and lice 

 by the millions, and I must confess we came 

 out second best, as we never could exter- 

 minate them. 



Four years ago I determined to take up 

 the chickens as a sole business, having ar- 

 rived at the age where the old man is crowd- 

 ed out by the younger, and also concluded 

 that, if I could not make a success, it did 

 not much matter, as my wife and I have 

 always tried to sit tight on the " nimble 

 shilling." 



I commenced by increasing the flock, and 

 cleaned out all the chicken-houses; we had 

 used a good deal of slack lime as a deodori- 

 zer prior to this time ; but not having any 

 on hand the idea occurred to me to use 

 ashes, which I did, and soon came to the 

 conclusion that ashes are better than lime. 

 Before summer was over I also noticed that 

 my young chickens in fireless brooders were 

 alive with mites while the stock in the old 

 houses was perfectly free — first credit to the 

 ashes. About this time I sold the old farm, 

 built a new home and a lot of chieken- 

 liouses on the colony plan ; moved my young 

 stock from the old farm, sold the rest, and 

 have done nothing else since (three years) 

 but tend to my chickens and bees. I have 

 used nothing in my chicken-houses (which 

 are double-floored) but coal ashes as a de- 

 odorizer, about two gallons to each house 

 holding about 50 hens, once a week at clean- 

 ing time, throwing the ashes on the drop- 

 pings platforms, and over the top and ends 

 of the roosts. Up to the present I have not 

 seen a mite, no lice, but few fleas. These 

 houses, now three years old, have not been 

 whitewashed, nor has a jDarticle of disin- 

 fectant of any kind been sprayed on the 

 inside; and now I will give a bonus big 

 enough to start all tlie millionaries of the 

 T jiited States hunting to find a single mite, 

 louse, or flea on the inside. Nothing but a 

 plentiful dusting of coal ashes did it, and 

 tlio ashes go out witli the droppings every 

 week to fertilize the garden, and a new lot 



