AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
1882 .] 
liive, while the bees of the latter are being han¬ 
dled. Thus manipulated bees will not sting, even 
when not gathering honey. There is a need of 
more accurate statistics as to the magnitude of the 
bee and honey interest of the country. 
Chicken, or Fowl Cholera. 
A few years ago inquiries about “ Chicken Chol- 
«ra” came only from the Southern and Western 
States. Of late, we have had them from the Eastern 
States, including New England. When domestic ani¬ 
mals die off suddenly, by a rapidly fatal disease, it is 
the custom to call it “Cholera.” This was the case 
with the so-called hog-cholera, which has been 
shown to be a complication of diseases, readily 
traceable to neglect and bad management. From 
what we have heard of Chicken Cholera, it appears 
to be a protest against improper feeding and 
housing, rather than any well-defined disease, such 
as roup, etc. Fowls are often in poor condition on 
account of the vermin they are obliged to support, 
•or they may be in impaired health from continuous 
feeding on corn alone. When in this weakened 
state, a sudden change in the weather may induce 
diarrhoea, or a cold, which attacks the flock so gen¬ 
erally that the disease appears to be, epidemic. 
And being generally and rapidly fatal, it is called 
“cholera,” and the owner of such a flock at once 
writes us for a remedy for “ chicken cholera.” A 
recent letter, from a friend in Massachusetts, is 
the type of many others received of late. This in¬ 
formed us that some of the fowls would leave the 
rest of the flock, go off and mope by themselves, 
refuse to eat, and, as a general thing, those so af¬ 
fected soon died. The writer assumed this to be 
cholera. Our reply was essentially as follows: 
Separate at once, the sick birds from the well. If 
the poultry house has not recently been put in 
order, remove all the fowls until it can be fumi¬ 
gated, by burning sulphur, and then whitewashed 
in every part of the interior with lime-wash, to 
each pailful of which half a pound of crude car¬ 
bolic acid has been added. Mix Some lard and 
kerosene, and with a rag, or swab, rub all the 
roosts. Throw out all the old straw from the nest 
boxes, and grease with the lard and kerosene the 
insides of these. Renew the dust boxes, using 
ffne road dust, or finely-sifted coal ashes, mixing 
some Flowers of Sulphur with the dust. Empty 
and thoroughly wash the water vessels, or drinking 
fountains. When the fowls are returned to the 
house, alter their feed. Corn, which is often the 
•only food, should be given but once a day, and 
preferably at night. Give boiled potatoes and 
meal mashed together; wheat screenings, and an 
•occasional feed of oats, barley, or rye. Above all, 
have fresh vegetables. Cabbages which have been 
boiled, or cabbage stumps, should be placed where 
the birds can help themselves; if these are not at 
hand, give the outer leaves of good cabbages, ruta¬ 
bagas, mangels, or other roots, not forgetting fresh 
scraps from the kitchen. Lastly, add some prep¬ 
aration of iron to the drinking water. This may 
be the Tincture of the Chloride of Iron, always kept 
at the drug stores, but an equally useful, and much 
cheaper form of iron, is that known in England as 
“Douglas’ Mixture.” Place in a stone jug, one 
gallon of water, add four ounces of Sulphate of 
Iron (“ copperas ”), and half an ounce of Sulphuric 
Acid (oil of vitriol). When the Sulphate of Iron is 
dissolved, the mixture is ready for use. A tea¬ 
spoonful of this is to be added to each pint of the 
drinking water. The Tincture of Chloride of Iron, 
mentioned because it may be had at once, may be 
added to the water in sufficient quantity to give it 
a distinct taste. As to the sickly fowls, keep them 
apart, giving warmer quarters in cold weather. 
Furnish a variety of food, including warm mashed 
potatoes, with a dash of Cayenne pepper, and also 
iron in the water. Some have advised doses of 
Calomel, or Blue Pill, but we doubt if anything be¬ 
yond good nursing and the changes of diet we have 
advised will be of much service. 
Providfe a Snow Plow at Once. 
—Shovelling snow soon becomes hard work; a 
snow plow, with a horse to draw it, is a great im¬ 
provement over the shovel. Indeed the difference 
is quite as great as in working land by the plow 
and with the spade. If one has a snow plow, he 
is quite sure of the help of all the boys (if not the 
girls too,) of the neighborhood, who make a great 
frolic, and are often useful in adding needed 
weight to the plow. A snow plow may often be a 
matter of co-operation among neighbors, if not in 
owning, at least in working it. In every well man¬ 
aged village one should be owned and operated for 
the general good. Even where the paths are not 
long enough to allow of the use of a horse, a hand 
plow, save in very deep snows, is preferable to the 
shovel. In building a snow plow take great care to 
make it very strong, as the strain is often severe. 
English Prize Pure Blood Cows. 
We herewith present engravings of prize ani¬ 
mals in each of three of the leading breeds of 
cattle. The Shorthorn, fig. 1, is a noble product 
of fine breeding, and represents a style of aui- 
mal always pleasing to the eye. As a beef 
breed the Shorthorns are not excelled. A good 
Shorthorn bull, when introduced into a herd of 
native stock, will improve it greatly at very little 
expense. In this way there is much still to be 
done in bringing up the quality of our western 
beef. “ Czarina Manoravon ” does not have “ a 
lean and hungry look,” and the portrait shows 
many strong Shorthorn points. The Ayrshire cow, 
525 
fig. 2, is the type of a remarkable breed of cattle 
that has gained a world-wide reputation for good 
milking qualities. This is one of the oldest breeds, 
and had its origin in a mixture of fine races. Care 
in breeding and management has developed such 
animals as “Flora,” here given. The portrait 
shows the heavy hind-quarters and large udder, to¬ 
gether with the other important features of a cow 
that should be the pride of any milk-producing 
herd. The Guernsey cow, “Lady Emily Foley,” 
fig. 3, was first in her class at the great show at 
Reading, England, and a fine representation of a 
most valuable breed. The Guernseys are but little 
known in the United States ; they are similar in 
build to the Jerseys, though somewhat larger and 
not so stylish. The Guernsey cow is remarkable 
for the richness of the skin, it being soft and of a 
golden-yellow color, especially within the ears and 
on the udder. The Guernseys are large milkers, 
and produce the yellowest butter of fine quality. 
In disposition these cattle are remarkably gentle, 
and through kind treatment and good selections, 
the breed, on its native Channel Island, has been 
brought to a high state of perfection. The three 
portraits represent as many different departments 
in cattle growing. In the Shorthorn cow we see 
that every thing is secondary to the production of 
a large amount of rich, juicy beef. The Ayrshire, 
so to speak, is a factory for the conversion of grass 
and grain into an abundant flow of milk, while 
the Guernsey cow yields a butter that is remarka¬ 
ble for its deep yellow color and other superior 
qualities. The three cows make a fine group. 
Fig. 2.— the Ayrshire COW “FLORA.” — Engraved for the American Agriculturist. 
Fig. 3.— the FIRST PRIZE GUERNSEY COW “ lady Emily foley.” — Engraved for the American Agriculturist. 
