!60 



THE LANCASTER FARMER. 



[October, 1884. 



They arc harder to breed true to all the requisite 

 points than the light Brahmas, but it is, therefore, 

 more a matter of pride when the breeder succeeds in 

 procuring a j^erfect specimen. Single birds are to be 

 lound in many flocks that may be considered first 

 class, but to obtain a pair or trio that are well mated 

 for breeding purposes is a different matter. As the 

 breeders of this variety are not so numerous as for- 

 merly, the difficulty of obtaining " fresh blood" 

 from strange yards is one frequently encountered, 

 »nd especially as but few of the breeders know how 

 to mate the fowls with the best results. 



As a farmer's fowl they are hardy and profitable. 

 Crossed with ordinary hens the chicks partake large- 

 ly of the points of the pure breed, and when properly 

 kept and attended to they produce large carcasses in 

 proportion to the amount of food consumed — Field 

 and Fireside. _ 



Sorgo for Chicken Cholera. 



In conversation, not long since, with an old retired 

 farmer, one who has had a long experience in the 

 west, and one who has been successful in farming^ 

 upon the question of chicken cholera, he said he fed 

 cane seed to his chickens and found it to be a sure 

 preventive for the disease. He said while his neigh- 

 bors all around him had chickens die with cholera, 

 time and again, he never lost any by disease when he 

 fed the seed. He said he made it a point, after he 

 gathered his crop of cane, to take his team and 

 gather up the seed and store it away in a loft for 

 feed, for his fowls during the winter and spring. 

 Sugar cane seed is excellent food for poultry any- 

 how, and if it is a preventive of that fatal disease, 

 chicken cholera, it would be to every one's interest 

 to know the fact. Let it be tested. —Farmer's Gazette. 



Successive Crops of Poultry. 



Where labor is too costly, says the Co-operative 

 Poultry Post, or where, as in a large family, no ac- 

 count is made of the labor of children, it is possible 

 to obtain a large income from a comparatively small 

 flock of fowls. This is accomplished by raising suc- 

 cessive crops of chickens during the season. The 

 first crop should be out of the shell by February 1, 

 and the last installment by June 1.5. We are speak- 

 ing now of raising chickens for market. The first 

 hatched will be ready for market by the 1st of May 

 and the last of Thanksgiving. The old fowls should 

 be disposed of in July, or as soon as their ser- 

 vices as layers and mothers can he dispensed 

 with. The successive broods should be disposed of 

 jusV as soon as they will command a fair price. The 

 earliest will be in marketable condition in from eight 

 to twelve weeks. They can never be more profitably 

 disposed of than at that age, for asthey increase in 

 Bize prices decline, and so the extra food bestowed on 

 them is actually thrown away. 



By this method of promptly disposing of the 

 chicks as they mature, the premises do not become 

 overstocked and the soil of the runs foul, as is the 

 case when large flocks are kept throughout the sea- 

 son to be sold at the holidays. By selling off the old 

 stock In July the greatest possible profit is obtained 

 from them. After this date they lay but few eggs, 

 begin to moult in the fall, and perhaps lay not a 

 single egg before winter. The extra pound or two 

 of flesh they put on does not pay for their keep. By 

 killing off all surplus stock by Thanksgiving the 

 yards are cleared out and opportunity is given to 

 feed and care well for the few that are to be kept 

 over for next season's breeding. The extra care 

 these few receive will induce early laying and broodi- 

 nesE In the spring, and these two points are essential 

 to success. We have only outlined a method that is 

 followed by many in the Eastern States, who have 

 been successful in making money by raising eggs 

 and poultry for the food market. The plan will have 

 to be modified according to locality and other cir- 



Prevent Chicken Choleia. 



We find that our flock of thirty Plymouth Koek 



fowls, confined in a small yard, eat eagerly, and 



thrive upon any chopped green food offered them. 



When the early lettuce was gone, we by way of ex 



periment gave them chopped sunflower leaves, which 

 were greedily devoured. We are convinced that 

 cholera among fowls — as among men — may often be 

 prevented by cleanliness, especially in drinking 

 water. Few fowls confined in chicken yards, or even 

 running at large, have access to perfectly pure water, 

 or as much asthey wish. The water left for them 

 in vessels is soon soiled by their feet and excrement, 

 and becomes a reasonable source of disease. We 

 have kept large sardine boxes, which are about deep 

 enough for fowls' convenience, and a wooden trough 

 in our little chicken yard. These are emptied, 

 rinsed, and refilled with fresh water twice a day— 

 oftener if very warm. We have not lost a ceicken 

 by cholera, though our neighbors just across the 

 street, and throughout the town, have lost a great 

 many with thatjdisease. Our care with the drinking 

 water has been rewarded by plump, clean, young 

 broilers. 



To Langshan Breeders. 



The disqualification — " surface color of plumage 

 other than black, under color other than slate or 

 black," — it will be seen, prevents the exhibiting of 

 specimens having any foreign color in their plum- 

 age — reddish and white feathers being of the prevail- 

 ing color to look out for. An injured or diseased 

 black feather generally turns white, but if removed, 

 a sound and perfect colored one will come in its 

 place. One going to exhibit should watch his birds 

 closely, and feed and care for them in a way to 

 secure them in the highest condition — perfect health . 



Literary and personal. 



Canadian Breeder, and Agricultural Se- 

 viEW. — A royal quarto, wfekly paper, published in 

 the stock and farming interests of Canada, at $2.00 

 per anum, Toronto, Canada, corner of Church and 

 Front streets. An ably conducted, and mechanically 

 executed journal, embodying not only the best ma- 

 terial, but also the best stock and agricultural litera- 

 ture that can be made available to advance its aims 

 and ends. ^ 



It is new, fresh, versatile, readible and instructive 

 to those engaged in the specialties to which it is 

 devoted, and ought to be a success. We cheerfully 

 place it on our exchange list. 



Canadian Dairyman and Farmer. — A monthly 

 quarto journal, devoted to the dairy and allied in- 

 terests of Canada, at 50 cts. a year. Published by 

 the C. D. Co., at 162 St. James street, Montreal, 

 Can. This is also a new competitor for public favor, 

 and is very creditably gotten up ; teeming with use- 

 ful dairy and farm literature. Moderately illus- 

 trated, and worthy of patronage. 



American Liveryman and Horse Owner.— 

 A demi-qoarto of 26 pp. published monthly, by 

 Jeflerson Jackson, 16 and 18 South Canal street, 

 Chicago, 111., at $1 per year. Finely illustrated, 

 and fairly "bristling" with horse-lore; and all that 

 relates thereto, that is worth knowing. The horse 

 in his normal condition, is a, very " absorbing" ani- 

 mal, and it is not at all surprising that so many be- 

 come absorbed in him. 



TuE U. S. Dairyman. — A monthly quarto jour- 

 nal, devoted to everything that pertains to dairying 

 — the construction and operation of creameries, and 

 the latest and most approved methods employed in 

 making, packing and shipping butter, cheese and 

 other products of the dairy ; the selection of, and 

 care of dairy stock. Published by the Dairyman Pub- 

 lishing Company, at 158 Clark St., Chicago, 111., at 

 $1 per year, postage paid. $7 in clubs of ten. A 

 solid journal, illustrated, and dealing largely in the 

 causes and effects,' the ways and wherefores of prac- 

 tical dairying. 



The Grain and Provision Review.— A demi- 

 folio of eight pages published weekly at Chicago, 

 Illinois, at $2 a year including postage. L. M. Wal- 

 lace, editor. We would not willfully speak dispar 

 agiugly of any publication, but if the number of this 

 journal that is now before us (September 23, 1884,) 

 can be taken as a criterion of its general character, 



then we might be justified in saying that it is a re- 

 viewer that don't review, in the direction its title 

 implies. After deducting the intensely partizan ex- 

 tracts, the magnetic and electric advertisements, in- 

 cluding those of the great Missouri Steam Washer, 

 there is precious little left, and that has no special 

 reference to grain or provisions. Perhaps we don't 

 know ; well, perhaps not. 



The Farming World.— A large folio published 

 weekly, at the " Palace Building,"' 6th and Vine 

 streets, Cincinnati, O., at ?2 a year. It professes to 

 be " a record of experiences— a journal of to-day ;" 

 and, so far as we can perceive at a cursory glance, It 

 practices what it professes. To enable it to do so, 

 however, it is sustained by a goodly number of prac- 

 tical correspondents and contributors from a wide 

 region of country. It claims a circulation of 04,000, 

 and aims at 100,000. 



How TO Grow Fine Celery.— A new method, 

 by Mrs. H. M. Crider. Price 26 cents. Published 

 by H.M. Crider, York, Pa. 14 pp. octavo. Inas- 

 much as a great deal of the celery found in our 

 markets is not liiie, it might be profitable for our 

 celery growers to send for -Mrs. Crider's Book ; and 

 we feel quite sure that celery consumers would call 

 them blest. 



The Dederick, Hay, Straw and Grain Re- 

 porter. — Fall edition, 1884. Including Albany, 

 N. T.; Montreal P. Q.; Paris, France; Manheim, 

 Germany; Vienna, Austria, and Moscow, Rusaia. 

 General Business Office, Albany, N. T. 8 pages 

 folio, containing an immense amount of statistical 

 and solid matter on all subjects relating to its 

 specialties ; aud profusely illustrated. Interesting 

 and useful to dealers in produce especially. 



The Irish Farm, Forest and Garden. -Dublin, 

 Saturday, September 30th, 1884. 



"ifra^Wi, Dennis, is the greatest blessing a poor 

 man can enjoy." " Faith it is, your riverence, es- 

 pecially when he is sick." 



" Why, that's not an Irish /ar»rt, its an Irish bull." 

 " True, but what were &farm without a biM, or a 

 biM without a farm." 



Seriously, soberly and succinctly, the 16-paged, 

 super-royal (monthly) quarto journal, entitled "The 

 Irish Farm, Forest and Garden," is not only a credit 

 to " Auld Ireland," but it also dignifies and illumi- 

 nates any sanctum to which it can gain access. In- 

 telligently posted on all subjects relating to its 

 specialties, it is a most useful medium of communi- 

 cation to the farming world ; and, if any of our 

 readers desire to patronize a foreign journal, we can 

 with confidence recommend " The Irish Farm, Forest 

 and Garden." 



The Farm and Workshop : Peoria, Illinois.— A 

 magazine devoted to progressive agriculture, anti- 

 monopoly, labor protection, and happy firesides in 

 the United States. Super royal quarto of 12 pp. 

 It publishes an official list of four full columns of 

 persons engaged in various kinds of fraudulent busi- 

 ness, and transparent cheats. In this it does well ; 

 nevertheless we sometimes are disposed to think 

 that people like to be defrauded and cheated, so 

 persistent are they in bestowing their patronage in 

 that direction. Happy homes too, are not so much 

 the result of external sunshine, as they lare from 

 that which illuminates andoveruns from within. Es- 

 tablished 1875. Subscription $1.00 a year. Con- 

 tents varied, appropriate, instructive and interesting. 



The Western Plowman, Moline, 111., Septem- 

 ber, 1884. This is a super-royal quarto of 16 pp. 

 well executed, and well filled with matter " devoted 

 to the interests of home, farm, and family," at 50 

 cents a year. J. W. Warr, editor. Notwithstand- 

 ing the excellence of its contents, the embellished 

 cover illustrates the progress made iu plows and 

 plowing more forcibly than it could be done in all its 

 16 pages of letter press; and yet the world is looking 

 for something iu the plowing line more advanced 

 still— something propelled by steam, electricity or 

 magnetism, like a steamer plows the ocean — some- 

 thing that will never be realized until land becomes 

 as level and ductile as water. 



