HENS FOR EGGS. 63 



Plenty of fresh, clean water is just as essential as 

 food. Sharp gravel or grit of some kind is as much 

 needed as food and water, and should be accessible at 

 all times. 



Green bones and meat shaved in the modern bone 

 cutters is a prime article for laying hens. It may be 

 fed to advantage in place of the ground, dry meat, 

 three days in the week, an ounce to each hen. Those 

 who are near large cities can sometimes get cooked 

 lean meat and bone from bone-boiling establishments. 

 This is an excellent form of meat for use in cool 

 weather. All forms of meat should be fed cautiously, 

 a little at first and more as the fowls become accus- 

 tomed to it. 



Some of the most successful persons in this busi- 

 ness have land in addition to their poultry yards and 

 raise a considerable portion of the food the hens eat. 



The farm is run in the interests of the hens. If 

 cows are kept the skim-milk is fed to the hens. All 

 vegetables except such as are used in the family, or 

 are extra fine and command an extra price, find their 

 way to the poultry yard. Clover, oats, wheat, rye and 

 corn fodder are harvested green, run through a fodder 

 cutter and fed to the hens. Cabbages are raised and 

 buried, turnips and beets are grown and stored for 

 winter feeH-'ng. Any clover not needed for summer 

 feeding is cured and used in winter. 



For the health of the hens, and to secure the 

 largest egg production, it is necessary to furnish an 

 abundance of succulent and bulky food along with the 

 more concentrated grains and meat. It is cheaper 

 to raise this than to buy it, while the grains an,*. 



