AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
9 
1862 .] 
“The Straw-yard.” 
A fine frosty morning 
in Merry England at 
Christmas time. The 
first considerable fall of 
snow lies lightly on the 
thatch, the wind has not 
drifted it, the sun has 
not softened it, and even 
in the straw-yard it is 
as yet unsoiled and 
beautiful. The haze, 
which gave such a depth 
and softness to the at¬ 
mosphere before the 
storm has gone, and the 
sharp, clear outlines of 
distant objects tell us, 
even if we look out from 
the window, turning 
our backs upon the blaz¬ 
ing and c r a c k 1 in g 
hearth, of the exhilarat¬ 
ing tonic of the purified 
air. The horses fill their 
capacious lungs with 
joy, and are as ready for 
a ten-mile drive as for a 
caper on the meadow, 
or even a pull at the 
hay-rack. Let us enjoy 
the scene with Mr. Her¬ 
ring, one of the most 
famous of the animal 
painters of England, 
whose horses on can¬ 
vass bring prices which 
many a farmer would 
rejoice to get for his 
four-year-olds. Every 
animated thing is out 
and enjoying it too. 
Black Prince, a fine no¬ 
ble fellow, looks mon¬ 
salt meat, however; this is often liurtfu. and 
sometimes fatal. Give them plenty of gravel, 
old plaster, or broken oyster shells, or pounded 
bones, and supply fresh water to them regularly. 
Whoever has an eye to the improvement of 
his flock by breeding, should now take the mat¬ 
ter in hand; a single year will accomplish a 
great deal. Examine the fowls from day to 
day, while they are feeding, and having fixed 
upon the best roosters and the best hens, put the 
others in the pot, as fast as wanted. Select the 
hens for their healthy, vigorous constitutions, 
large, well-formed bodies, bright eyes, and good 
combs. “ Early maturity,” says a savan in hen- 
dom, “ and good laying qualities must not be 
forgotten. The form is a good indication of 
the former, and also, to a certain extent, of 
the latter. If early maturity, beauty of form 
and refinement are carried too far, the tendency 
to lay eggs is supposed to be diminished.” De¬ 
capitate restless, quarrelsome hens. Roosters 
should be chosen for their vigor, upright and 
valiant bearing, plump and strong bodies and 
legs. The relative importance of the color of 
the legs, is in dispute. Some stand up for white 
or bluish legs, averring that they indicate deli¬ 
cacy of flesh; while others battle for yellow 
legs, claiming that they bear up’the richest and 
most highly flavored meat. As . for ourselves, 
we refuse to be a party in this strife, but if our 
table is supplied with a plenty of either color, 
we shall ever be profoundly thankful! 
arch of all he surveys; the dapple pony re¬ 
joices in the realization that on Christmas-day 
morning he is not, as usual, bounding away over 
the moor to the market. So we may give them 
each a character, and cogitations appropriate to 
their looks and circumstances. The experience 
of the feathery snow is evidently a new sensa¬ 
tion to the saucy little Berkshires under Sir 
Roger’s heels. Bold Chanticleer, ready to dis¬ 
pute with any claimant the right to rule the 
yard as well as the roost, struts and cackles with 
an offended dignity, as if it had all been done 
without his counsel or consent. Well, Mr. Her¬ 
ring, we are much obliged for the picture, and 
hope the readers of the Agriculturist will enjoy 
it as much as we. 
Eowl Management. 
At this season, poultry need looking after, if 
we would keep them healthy, and in good laying 
condition. If they are confined, the hen-house 
should be light, warm, airy and dry. Any thing 
but wet quarters for hens; and the more sun¬ 
shine the better. Keep their apartments clean. 
Be regular in the times of feeding. Variety in 
diet should also be sought after. Com is always 
acceptable, and so are barley, refuse wheat, oats, 
boiled potatoes, and the like. An occasional 
picking of fresh meat is needed for laying.hens; 
it is a partial substitute for the worms and insects 
which they get in the Summer. Keep clear of 
A Protest against Cramming Poultry. 
A correspondent of the Agriculturist writes 
thus: The other day I read an article in a city 
paper, describing the method by which French 
fowl raisers are said to make an ordinary chick¬ 
en weigh seven or eight pounds. It seemed so 
absurd I thought nothing of it, until visiting an 
old farmer in my vicinity, I found him forcing 
flesh upon turkeys for the holidays, in nearly a 
similar manner, viz.: by stuffing dough down 
their unwilling throats until their crops would 
hold no more, the birds being in close quarters, 
without possibility of exercise. The French go 
a little further, excluding light as well as liber¬ 
ty, visiting the captives three times' a day, 
cramming them with pellets of dough and a little 
lard—in quantities which nothing could have in¬ 
duced them to eat voluntarily. The’treatment is 
continued a month or more, and they occasion¬ 
ally die under it. The description naively adds, 
‘we should think so’! It is not pleasant to think 
the unctuous plumptitude of these fabulously 
fat chickens is bloat arid disease—there is no 
other right name for it. There is only one right 
way to rear animals we design for food, and that 
the great majority pursue. . They eat and drink, 
and come and go in the pure light and air at will. 
Every other course is against nature , and we are 
sure no, sensible farmer will try the so-called 
“ French” method of adding flesh to his poultry 
at the expense of the laws which alone can 
make them really fit for food. Common Sense, 
