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THE GENESEE FARMER. 



THE LOKKING FOWL. 



This justly celebrated breed of fowls is of very 

 ancient origin, having been recorded in some ancient 

 poultry books more than two thousand years ago. 

 They are remarkable as having five toes on their 

 feet, as shown in our cut. 



They are highly prized in England, both as layers 

 and sitters, and also for the quality of their liesh. 

 They have both single and double combs. Their 

 color varies, but the speckled grays are preferred ; 

 there is also a white variety, which have double 

 combs. 



■ILs^ 



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FOOT OF A DORKING. 



This breed is liable to degenerate if bred in and 

 in too closely, and the male bird should be changed 

 every year, if it is desired to keep up the stock to 

 perfection. They have been imported to this coun- 

 try, and much used to cross with and improve our 

 common barn-yard fowl ; but it is yet rare to meet 

 with a Dorking on the farms in this country, of 

 pure and uncontaminated blood. 



For general purposes, we think this breed the 

 best of the whole poultry tribe; and they are also 

 hardy, and able to stand our cold winters. * 



LICE ON FOWLS. 



Tlie Valley Farmer says strict cleanliness about 

 the roosts and nests will always prevent hens from 

 becoming lousy. The droppings under the hens 

 should be removed frequently, the nests often re- 

 newed, and air slacked lime and ashes scattered 

 around the floors and roosts. Boxes of dry ashes 

 and lime should always be kept under cover where 



the fowls can have constant access to them, that 

 they may wallow in them at pleasure. 



But when they have become lousy, the roosts 

 should be thoroughly swept and cleaned, the straw 

 and litter from the nests entirely removed, and the 

 wood-work and roost-poles of the house white- 

 washed witii fresh slacked lime, into which a quan- 

 tity of sulphur or tobacco has been mixed. A day 

 or two before this operation, the fowls should be 

 fed with coarse corn meal wet with milk or water, 

 into which a quantity of sulphur has been mixed. 

 Feed with this several days; it may then be omit- 

 ted for a few days, and repeated again at intervals 

 of three or four days, and continued in this way 

 until all the nits have hatched, when the insects 

 will drop oif and leave the fowls. Thorough clean- 

 liness atler this, will generally exterminate them. 

 Fowls are always poor and unthrifty, aud setting 

 hens are seldom successful in hatching their eggs, 

 when annoyed with vermin ; a little care is all that 

 is necessary to prevent it. 



THE POULTRY GUIDE. 



Eds. Genesee Farmer : — A person about to com- 

 mence keeping poultry, may be compared to one 

 just landed in a strange city. Ignorant of every 

 thing, he asks for a trustworthy guide. We will 

 recommend a cheap and infallible one — it is Na- 

 ture. Choose then your stock well formed, healthy, 

 and young; but as in most well-assorted unions, 

 the male should be older than his partners. Seeing 

 there are no laws among fowls against polygamy, 

 we will mention the number of wives which should 

 be right. Following our guide, nature, we say let 

 them take their own course. Let your hens enjoy 

 all the honors of maternity ; let them be blessed 

 with their " sweet cares, all other joys so for above," 

 that attend a mother's life. As you "can not eat 

 your pudding and have it too," so you cannot com- 

 pel a hen to do more tlian she is naturally fitted to 

 accomplish ; and she must rest. Strange to say, 

 the period of sitting, and the infjxncy of her prog- 

 eny, are the rest of the hen, and cause her no 

 sleepless nights. But if, in defiance of this sound 

 provision, you prevent her from sitting, while it is 

 true you will cause her to lay again, you will only 

 be a temporary gainer, as the strain on the system 

 will wear it out prematurely. She would have 

 fulfilled her duties punctually, and to the last have 

 been useful in her vocation; bat being forced to 

 unhealthy exertion when young, her old age will 

 be sterile and premature. 



The cure for the gout is said to be " to live on 

 half a crown a day and to earn it." Exercise pro- 

 duces or sharpens appetite, and imparts a relish to 

 the plainest food. We never knew whether to 

 laugh or to be angry when we see an obese dog, 

 slowly moving at the most snail-like pace, follow- 

 ing, or rather hindering the'progress of a good old 

 gentleman or lady. They like to see' the dear thing 

 fat, and even cookery is taxed to please the poor 

 thing's palate. How often have we seen the walk- 

 ing-stick of the one, or the parasol of the other, 

 brought into requisition to defend the poor useless 

 being from the ai)proach of some other dog, whose 

 only advantage was, that he was sparingly and 

 properly fed ; consequently, it was cheerful and 

 full of health and spirits. 



