No. 216.] 671 



the turkey hen inclines to range with them, and the young ones suf- 

 fer from wet and fatigue. They are very delicate, and easily des- 

 troyed by bad weather. 



The hen is much more vigilant in taking care of them. She warns 

 them of approaching storms, or enemies, by a note which they un- 

 derstand; she broods over them with her wings. When the young 

 turkies come out of the shell, they are to remain one day without 

 any food. The hen must be put into' a small coop, surrounded by a 

 little pasture, contained within four boards around the coop; here 

 they will be quiet. Each young turkey must have a little oil rub- 

 bed on iis feathers. Dip the finger in oil, and gently rub it on the 

 top of the head; take a feather dipped in oil and apply it lightly to 

 the downy feathers, along the back and under the wing. This keeps 

 them from injury by rains. Next, to stimulate their crops, introduce 

 one or two black pepper corns into the crops of each, and duck 

 them in a tub of water. Food must be prepared for them, not as is 

 done in England, with curds, but with Indian meal. Make of this 

 hasty pudding, let it evaporate almost to dryness. Take chives, cut 

 them up very fine, sprinkle it moderately in the pudding, mix well, 

 spread this food thinly on a board, and coarse sand well washed, on 

 another board, so that the young turkeys can help themselves. They 

 require little water. Continue this course for ten days. The hen 

 must be fed with Indian meal mixed with boiled potatoes, and have 

 plenty of water. The chicks must not be allowed to go out until 

 the dew is dried up in the morning, and must be home before dew- 

 fall at evening. When the chicks are sufficiently well feathered, to 

 be protected from the changes of weather, they will return to their 

 place of feed regularly. They should always be fed on their return; 

 this fixes a habit of regular return from their rambles. After this, 

 they readily acquire the habit of seeking roosts, out of the reach of 

 their enemies. 



The same course of care and feeding is proper for chickens, which 

 do not need, however, the pepper corn and oiling. 



Young ducks should have the down sheared off from the bottom, 

 to prevent injurious accumulation of dirt. 



Great success and profit attend this mode of treatment of young 

 birds. 



C. S. Guillard, of Rondout. A letter from him on lime applied 

 to farming purposes, was read. 



