110 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



the first sick fowl, it would save a great deal of trouble. A 

 roupy fowl will give it to other fowls, if they drink from 

 the same receptacle. A vigorous, healthy fowl is not 

 likely to catch disease, but a weakened one will, the same 

 as with people and animals. 



Mr. Turner (of Dighton). Is it profitable to feed wheat 

 to fall chickens or laying hens at the present price ? 



Mr. CusHMAN. I should feed a little wheat. I believe it 

 is a most excellent egg-producer. We can feed gluten and 

 beef scraps to take the place of wheat. Wheat bran, beef 

 scraps, gluten and corn meal will enable any one to get 

 along without much wheat. 



Mr. Turner. How would you feed clover? 



Mr. CusHMAN. I believe in feeding it growing on the 

 ground. One can cut up cured clover and mix it with the 

 soft mess, but the latter should not be too soft. My expe- 

 rience has been that this is the best method. Cut fine and 

 fed soaked or dry it is very acceptable. 



Mr. King. I would like to hear something about the 

 good qualities of the Rhode Island Red. 



Mr. CusHMAN. It has not been bred for exhibition. It 

 is a buff fowl, probably originated from the old Cochin- 

 Chinas, some of the Leghorn varieties being crossed in and 

 perhaps a little Game. They are unusually hardy and 

 vigorous, and are hustlers. They have yellow legs and 

 flesh, and when dressed make very good table poultry. 

 Being a buff breed, they dress about as well as if white. 

 They are a most excellent fowl. The egg is light brown, 

 about like the Wyandotte. The three-year-old hens lay the 

 largest eggs for their size of anything I know of. 



Mr. KmG. Is it large, or small? 



Mr. CusHMAN. It is a little larger than the Leghorn, but 

 more stocky. It is nearer the Wyandotte than almost any- 

 thing else. The buff Plymouth Rock and buff Wyandotte 

 are made from the Rhode Island Red. I should rather to- 

 day, if I were going into the farm poultry business, have a 

 stock of Rhode Island Reds to grade up on than anything 

 else I know of, because they are so hardy. 



There is a gentleman here who has been breeding a 

 breed of hens very much like the Rhode Island Reds, that 



