32 



THE LANCASTER FARMER. 



[February, 1879. 



Poultry. 



The Poultry Association. 



We are glad to see that so much interest is being 

 talicn in "The Lancaster County Poultry Associa- 

 tion," which was organized iu December last. 

 Already the new society has nearly sixty mem- 

 bers, and the last meeting was a very interesting one. 

 It is an encouraging sign to see the interest that is 

 manifested, and we feel sure that the poultry of our 

 county will be improved by their efforts. Good 

 stock of any kind is desirable, and an association, 

 the members of which will meet and exchange their 

 views, giving each other the benefit of their experi- 

 ence, will certainly do good. The Farmek will 

 always contain full reports of the proceedings of the 

 association, and we clieerfully ofl'er its members the 

 use of its columns to express their views, and will be 

 very glad to have them accept the offer. Not only 

 will the members of the association be benefitted, but 

 the results they obtain will be given to all our 

 readers, and will, no doubt, be of use to them. We 

 would be glad to add to our list of subscribers any 

 members of the society who are not already sub- 

 scribers, as The Farmer, printed in the form it is, 

 is easily preserved, and at the end of the year can be 

 bound, and the members can then have the pro- 

 ceedings in a convenient book and refer to them at 

 any time. 



Langshans. 



A writer in the London AgricnUural Gazette de- 

 scribes the Langsban fowls which are now occupj'- 

 ing considerable attention in English poultry circles. 

 He says he is convinced from examination that what- 

 ever affinity they may have to the Cochin race, they 

 possess sufficient distinct characteristics to entitle 

 them to the possession of a claim as a separate class 

 fri.m Cochius. It appears to him also that they are 

 well adapted for farmers' poultry, and that few 

 breeds are more suitable for farm yards. These 

 fowls are remarkable as winter layers, at a time 

 other hens are idle. Beginning iu the autumn, they 

 will lay from 90 to 100 of fair and rather over the 

 average size of eggs. They are careful mothers. 

 The male birds weigh from S to 13 pounds, the hens 

 from 7 to 10 pounds. They make weight rapidly on 

 ordinary fare, averaging something like a pound a 

 month f.">r the first six months. The writer had not 

 tested them as table birds, but is informed that they 

 rank only second to game for the flavor of the flesh. 

 Thus, they are hardy, fertile and possess plenty of 

 weight for table— three most essential qualities for 

 the farmyard. There were some beautifully feathered 

 birds among the flock examined, so level and smooth 

 are they, and the neck and wing feathers a beautiful 

 beetle green, shine and scintillate iu the sun in a 

 variety of hues. They also possess a pink skin be- 

 tween the toes, which is not found in the Cochins, 

 and the tails and other contour of the Langshan are 

 dissimilar from Cochins. 



The gentleman who is raising them extensively in 

 England says that so long as they are supplied with 

 green food occasionally in the form of a sod grass, 

 they thrive and lay almost eciually well as those 

 which have the range of the farm. The hen chickens 

 begin to lay at five months old. 



Tar in the Chicken House. 



It seems that the value of tar is not sufficiently 

 appreciated by poultry breeders, for we seldom either 

 see it used or its use advocated by writers on poultry 

 matters. It can be used with the most excellent re- 

 sults, in fiimiifating the poultry house, when through 

 neglect or inattention it becomes necessary to put it 

 through " (luarantiiie," by burning some of it in a 

 suitalJle vessel, and then closing the doors and win- 

 dows of the house to confine the fumes and smoke 

 as much as possible. It is sure to purify the house. 

 Tar is very offensive to insects which worry the 

 poultry houses. Whitewash does not seem to keep 

 them away, especially the "mites," which are so 

 troublesome, and recourse must be had to some 

 other sulislaiRc. Just here tar is very valuable. 

 Take an old kettle which is of no use for other pur- 

 poses, put in some good tar, and heat it until it is 

 thin and hot, then, with a whitewash brush, brush 

 into all the cracks and crevices where the insects 

 "most do congregate," and they will start off, in- 

 stantcr, for the seashore or some other congenial 

 abode. Treat the perches and roosting benches to a 

 dose of the same. When poultry cholera makes its 

 appearance, if you thoroughly cleanse the house and 

 treat as above, with tar, it will generally prevent the 

 spread of the disease. — Ponllry Journal. 



Selecting Breeding Turkeys. 



While all breeders like to have and breed " heavy 



>TelghtB," and customers buying turkey all call for 



large birds, it is a fact that for market purposes, 

 moderate sized and even small turkeys, command a 

 more ready sale than do large ones. We have watched 

 the market for a few days past, and know this to be 

 a fact. However, we do not wish to discourage 

 breeders from running up the weights, even if they 

 attain the much devoted weight of a fifty pound gob- 

 ' b!cr at throe or four years old, for as long as there is 

 a lively demand among breeders for heavy birds, let 

 there be birds to supply that demand. To secure the 

 best results in that direction, select an early hatched, 

 strong and vigorous gobbler of this year's hatch, and 

 which is of fine proportion, long in the body and 

 properly marked, and mate him to as many two- 

 year-old hens as you intend to keep— from two to 

 five hens, if properly handled, will produce a fine 

 crop of young birds each season, and you cannot 

 help but be absolutely satisfied with the results.— 

 roulinj Journal. 



Treatment for Cholera. 



Fat bacon, chopped fine and sprinkled plentifully 

 with black pepper, is a convenient and reliable 

 remedy for cholera in chickens. Last summer a 

 number of hens were cured by its use. When found, 

 they had dropped from the roost ; they were so far 

 gone that they could not get up, and were only able 

 to raise their heads occasionally. They were given a 

 comfortable shelter by themselves ; a teaspoonful of 

 the mixture was forced down the throat of each bird, 

 morning and evening. No other attention was paid 

 to them. At the end of the third day they were set 

 at liberty and went about as usual, giving no further 

 trouble. Water may be placed where they can help 

 themselves, but no food is required. Smaller doses 

 may be given in cases less severe. — American Poultry 

 Jonrnal. 



Literary and Personal. 



RicKETTs' New Seedling Grapes, " Lady 

 Washington" and " The Welcome," a circular of 4 

 pages. Address James H. Ricketts, Newburg, New 

 Yo"rk State. 



Report of the Condition of the Crops, De- 

 cember 1, 1878, an octavo pamphlet of 28 pages, a 

 synopsis of which see elsewhere in our columns, 

 department agriculture. 



The attention of the reader is called to the pro- 

 posal, in our advertising columns, to publish the edi- 

 tor's essays on practical entomology in book form, 

 as soon as sufl[l' lent encouragement is manifested to 

 coverthecost. Further details will be given hereafter. 



The Bee-Keepers' Guide, a demifolio of 4 pages, 

 pu'^'lishcd on the first day of each month, by the 

 "Winter Bee-Hive Manufactory," at Kendallville, 

 Indiana, at 50 cents per year. Mainly an adver- 

 tising medium, but contains some good, practical 

 bee literature besides. 



The American Stockman, a daily, semi-weekly 

 and weekly eight-page semi-folio, published in Chi- 

 cago, 111. ; E. W. Perry, editor ; B. F. Paine, Secre- 

 tary and Treasurer, at $5.00, $'5.00 and $i.00 a year ; 

 is a first-class paper in its specialty, in quality, in 

 literary matter, and in typographical execut.on, and 

 ought to succeed. 



Annual Report of the Commissioner of 

 Agriculture to the President, November, lh78. 

 We have received a complimentary copy of this 

 valuable document from the CoriiniUaioner^ an 8vo. 

 pamjihlet of 95 pages, containing a large amount of 

 excellent matter, more or less, relating— both di- 

 rectly or indirectly- to the agriculture of the coun- 

 try, giving fifty-two analyses, examinations and 

 experiments, in various substances of domestic use, 

 including grasses and other vegetable productions, 

 soils, seeds, oils, liquors, minerals, eggs, sugars, &c., 

 &c., with many statistical tables on imports, ex- 

 ports, and other articles of trade and commerce. 

 Washington, D. C. 



Reading, Pa., Jan. 30th, 1879. 



At the annual meeting of the Berks County Agri- 

 cultural and Horticultural Society, held in the City 

 of Reading, the following officers were elected for 

 the ensuing year : President— Jacob G. Zeir. Vice 

 Presidents— Josiah Lewis, Benjamin S. Ritter, Henry 

 Brobst, William G. Moore, John L. Rightmyer. Sec- 

 letary— Cyrus T. Fox. Corresponding Secretary- 

 Edwin Shalter. Treasurer— William S. Ritter. Audi- 

 tors—Daniel S. Francis, Jacob Kauffman. The office 

 of the society has been removed to No. 11';; North 

 Sixth street, Reading, Pa. All business communi- 

 cations should be addressed to the secretary. — Tours, 

 very respectfully , Cyrus T. Fox, Secretary. 



The Normal Monthly Review.— This is about 

 the spicest little journal that reaches our table. A 

 iiO page 8vo., published at Shippensburg, Pa. Edited 

 by Delia T. Smith, and assisted in the various de- 

 partments by members of the Faculty of the " State 

 Normal School," at Shippensburg; under the busi- 

 ness management of E. A. Angell, vice Principal. 

 Its 4urieulum consists of natural science, classics, 

 mathematics, English and German language, draw- 



ing, teaching and music. This neat little magazine 

 must be a welcome monthly visitor, in a very special 

 sense, to the Alumni of the institution under whose 

 auspices it is published. "May its shadow never 

 grow less." Only .50 cents a year, in advance; single 

 numbers, 5 cents. 



Report of the "Pennsylvania Fruit Growers' So- 

 ciety," prepared by its officers. This is the proceed- 

 ings of the nineteenth annual meeting of this society, 

 held at Williamsport, in January, 1878, together 

 with its constitution, by-laws, list of officers for 

 1878, standing committees, life members, honorary 

 members and annual members : including an in- 

 dex of contents. A royal octavo of 89 pages, with 

 four superb full page illustrations of choice new 

 fruits. These consist of a beautifully colored illus- 

 tration of the "Sharpless Sccilling .Strawberry," and 

 uncolored ones of "Smeych's Lancaster Cherry," 

 Sener's Seedling Peach," and the "Dickinson Apple." 

 In addition to these are two full page illustrations of 

 "landscape adornments," and two of I'iuns pungens 

 in its various stages of development, including nine 

 different figures. And, lastly, an illustration of the 

 "apple moth," Carpocapsa poniorulUt, with seven 

 figures. The quality of the material, the typography 

 and the pictures are much finer than any that have 

 embellished any of the previous reports of this society 

 or any other society in the State. And, if any evi- 

 dence wci-e necessary to prove that the society is 

 progressing, it might be found in this report and the 

 literary quality of its contents. This society was 

 organized in this city twenty years ago last January. 



The Phrenological Journal for February is an 

 excellent number of this sterling and popular maga- 

 zine. It opens with a life-like portrait and phreno- 

 logical and biographical sketch of Senator John P. 

 Jones, of Nevada. It contains also portraits and 

 sketches of the late Bayard Taylor, American Minis- 

 ter to Germany, and also of the Marquis of Lome 

 and Princess Louise. 



The chapter on Brain and Mind, discourses on 

 Organic Quality, its nature and influence, illustrated 

 with nearly a dozen fine engravings. Strange Plants 

 are also illustrated. The Unfolding of Mind through 

 Conflict and Sin is an interesting paper. 



The Health Department is well sustained by the 

 admirable articles on Dietetic Delusions ; Experi- 

 ments iu Magnetism, and the Proper Position in 

 which to Sleep, while our social relations as men 

 and women are discussed in Single-Blessedness ; Can 

 the Sex of the Human Cranium be Determined? A 

 new Scientific Expedition around the world, etc. 

 There is also a great amount of valuable information 

 in the Editorial department. Answers to Correspon- 

 dents, etc. The publishers of this Jonrnal hnve kept 

 abreast of the times by making a reduction in price, 

 but maintaining the high standard of their magazine 

 in its 'literature and usefulness. It is now published 

 at §2.00 per year, with liberal premium offers to sub- 

 scribers. Send i;0 cents in postage stamps for this 

 number to S. R. Wells & Co., publishers, 737 Broad- 

 way, New York. 



Seventh report of the State Entomologist o^ 

 Illinois, (Walsh 1. Lebaron 4. Thomas 2.) on the 

 noxious and beneficial insects of said State. Second 

 annual report, by Cyrus Thomas, Ph. D., State Ento- 

 mologist, -73 pages octavo, with 56 illustrations ; a 

 general index ; an index of the plants and other 

 substances injured by insects, referred to in the re- 

 port; a list of the illustrations and a table of con- 

 tents ; also, analytical tables of the families and 

 genera of Lepiotoptera, represented in said re- 

 port. Our readers may judge of the general scope 

 of the work when we inform them that 23 species of 

 insects are described as being injurious to the apple ; 

 10 to clover ; 40 to the corn ; 9 to the elm trees ; 48 

 to forest trees ; '.^5 to garden vegetation ; 17 to grape- 

 vines ; 12 to grass ; 7 to maples ; 9 to the oak ; 8 to 

 the rose ; 5 to the turnip ; 4 to the walnut, and 10 to 

 the wheat. He only includes two species injurious 

 to the tobacco crop, but we have already 10 species 

 of tobacco enemies on our list for the county of Lan- 

 caster alone. An economic paper on the butterflies 

 and moths of Illinois, constituting Part II., is con- 

 tributed by Prof. G. H. French ; and Miss Emma A. 

 Smith, of Peoria, contributes a report on the noxious 

 insects of Northern Illinois. The material, illustra- 

 tions and typography are pooch We are under obli- 

 gations to Prof. Thomas, of Carbondale, Illinois, for 

 a complimentary copy of this work. We believe the 

 great Commonwealth of Pennsylvania might make 

 a worse use of her fund.s— and has often made a 

 worse use of them— than by appropriating a reason- 

 able sum to bring out a report on the noxious and 

 bcnuticial insecls'of tlic State. We believe the fann- 

 er.-;, the gardL-ners and the fruit growers would as 

 cliucrfully pay tlicir taxes for such an expenditure as 

 for any other that has been incurred in its special or 

 general legislation, and that before many years it 

 may become manifest to the most ordinary and un- 

 appreciative of State officials that they have made 

 and have persisted in a most consummate blunder. 

 We believe that if any of the aspirants to political 

 positions — and who have attained to those positions — 

 had the ability, the material, and the industry to 

 bring out such a report, we should have had one 

 long ago, and they would have been well paid for It, 



