September, 1907 



THE GARDEN MAGAZINE 



77 



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A Bad Poultry Disease 



CHICKEN pox among poultry appears 

 in the form of eruptions on the comb 

 or wattles which are usually yellowish or 

 brownish in color, but sometimes the crusts 

 scale off, and the exposed surface becomes 

 dark in color. These soon spread into large 

 sores, attack the eyes, causing them to 

 swell and discharge matter, after which the 

 sight is destroyed. It seldom occurs among 

 old birds, but is usually confined to young 

 stock in the autumn, and to pigeons. It 

 also attacks turkeys, and occasionally geese. 

 Chicken pox is more common in warm than 

 in cold climates, but cold, damp, windy 

 weather is most favorable for its dissemina- 

 tion. Filthy and damp quarters also help 

 to spread and intensify the disease. These 

 eruptions usually occur on the head, though 

 sometimes on the under side of the wings, 

 and rarely on other parts of the body. 

 When the eyeballs become infected the birds 

 die from starvation because they cannot see 

 to eat. The disease is contagious, so affected 

 birds must be isolated. All quarters where 

 the disease has appeared must be thoroughly 

 disinfected. All feed troughs, water vessels, 

 etc., must be included in the disinfection. 

 Carbolic acid in hot white-wash is excellent, 

 or any of the commercial disinfectants. 

 Make the quarters dry, warm and clean, 

 and keep them so. Give the birds plenty of 

 vegetable food, i. e., clover, clean, sound 

 grain, and but little meat. 



The treatment is simple. As good an 

 application to the affected spots as any is 

 carbolated vaseline. Probably any carbolic 

 ointment would be effective. Sulphur oint- 

 ment is sometimes used. If the eyes have 

 become very badly affected, the bird might 

 better be destroyed. The disease may gener- 

 ally be localized, and thus easily controlled. 

 Unless too long neglected, the disease seldom 

 proves fatal. 



New Jersey. F. H. Valentine. 



Protection from Thieves 



A /TANY fowls and some pigeons have been 

 -I* -I- stolen in our neighborhood. Similar 

 reports come from various parts of the coun- 

 try. These thieves generally do a wholesale 

 business, often leaving not a single bird. 

 They are evidently in it for market purposes, 

 and dispose of the booty at once. Often 

 confederates in the gang do the marketing. 

 They are seldom caught — more the pity — and 

 their plunder is seldom recovered, being dif- 

 ficult to identify, even though found. Preven- 



tion seems the only remedy. Burglar alarms 

 on the houses have proved very effective, and 

 are not very costly to install. Dogs are some- 

 times a protection, though not always to be 

 depended upon. A large lamp kept burning 

 outside is a protection. In a long night 

 ride across country, I noticed several farms 

 with the grounds around the buildings 

 lighted up. Thieves are wary of coming 

 into the light. Protective associations, such 

 as exist in some localities against horse 

 stealing, might be extended in their scope so 

 as to include protection to poultry. Cooper- 

 ation among poultrymen ought to solve this 

 problem. 



New York. F. E. B. 



Start Now for Early Bunch 

 Onions 



A I TIE knowledge that onions which were 

 *- allowed to go to seed in the late 

 summer would self-sow and produce edible 

 onions early the following spring, prompted 

 me to plant some seed early last September. 

 For convenience the seed was put in a row 

 between two rows of strawberry plants which 

 were set at about the same time. The onions 

 grew to be several inches high in the fall, but 

 of course, were not large enough to eat. The 

 mulch of manure which was put over the 

 strawberries extended over the onions as well 

 and afforded sufficient protection. The only 

 care given before the mulch was applied, 

 was to remove all weeds as they grew. 



On the 28th of March, the first warm day 

 of spring, the green tips were found to be 

 peeping up through their winter covering. 

 Three snow storms at intervals up to the 15th 



Welsh onions may be planted in the fall for early 

 spring use 



Seed sown September 1st, onions were ready for the 

 table early in May 



of April retarded the growth of the onions, 

 but did not permanently harm them. They 

 were ready to eat early in May three weeks 

 before the spring-onion sets. They were 

 excellent cut up in potato salad or lettuce, 

 or eaten alone. 



The Welsh onion is also excellent early in 

 the spring. To have them, one should plant 

 the little sets which are produced instead 

 of seeds; about the middle of September is 

 the best time for planting. A thin covering 

 of manure must be given to protect them 

 through the winter. The same rule for high 

 cultivation and rich soil applies to them as 

 to all onions. 



It is very interesting to see these Welsh 

 onions growing in a market garden; a half 

 acre of them looks like a small jungle. 

 Though there are many more market gardens 

 in this vicinity (Essex Co., N. J.) without 

 them than with them, I am told that they 

 may be raised and marketed at a reasonable 

 profit. 



New Jersey. Laura Balch Carpenter. 



Plant Rye for Humus 



To the Editor: 



Among the "Important Things to do in 

 Late June and July " in the July issue of The 

 Garden Magazine I note the advice of Mr. 

 George T. Powell, regarding the sowing of 

 crimson clover on that part of the vegetable 

 garden not needed for a second crop. Also 

 the suggestion of keeping one half of the 

 garden in clover each year alternately. 



I have no doubt as to the value of clover 

 for nitrogen, for humus and to prevent soil 

 washing, but there are very few amateur 

 gardeners who have any part of their garden 

 to spare at any time in the season so long as 

 things can be planted and are growing, and 

 it struck me these suggestions were not nearly 

 so practical as that given by Mr. E. J. Hol- 

 lister, the well-known soil expert: 



" Keep things growing as long as you can 

 until frost, and then sow rye thickly over the 

 whole plot and your garden spot will be 

 green and pretty all winter long. Rye will 

 not store nitrogen, but it furnishes humus 

 and keeps the soil from washing and leeching. 

 The furnishing of humus to a small garden 

 is an important matter. Chemical fertilizers 

 are easily obtained, but it is not so with 

 manures. If rye is turned under deeply in 



