l89i 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
539 
Poultry Yard. 
SHALL WE “ GO INTO ” POULTRY ? 
ARTHUR D. WARNER. 
( Concluded .) 
I have some 20 acres of land which Is be¬ 
ing turned Into a poultry yard as fast as 
possible. I have found It more profitable 
to work Into the business gradually and 
make it pay for Itself as it goes along, than 
to make great expenditures, trusting to fu¬ 
ture returns for reimbursement. The pro¬ 
ductiveness of the place has not begun to 
equal that of some of the small farms re¬ 
cently described in The Rural We have 
little market for perishable garden produce 
beyond the demand of a small village for 
small and orchard fruits. The nearest 
point where such produce can be sold in 
quantities is the city of Rochester, 20 miles 
distant, and accessible by rail only by a 
circuitous route. Eggs and poultry can, 
however, be placed there with ease. The 
land in the vicinity of my poultry houses is 
being set to fruit trees. Red raspberry and 
blackberry bushes will occupy the ground 
while trees are growing. Tnese furnish a 
shaded runway for the hens; they seldom 
touch the fruit. As garden or field crops 
could not be raised on this ground, we can 
in this way get extra returns enough to 
largely pay the feed bill. The bushes make 
a strong growth, being fertilized by the 
hens. A picture of our yard is shown at 
Fig. 194. on page 527. 
Asparagus has also proved to be a paying 
crop in connection with poultry. On the 
remaining land a regular rotation of field 
crops is kept up. Having no pasture, the 
cows are yarded all the year, which doubles 
the fertilizer product. The grain is fed to 
the fowls. The potato yield is usually 
large. Unsalable, and where prices are 
low, marketable potatoes are profitable 
feed. I shall this year put by more cabbage 
and root crops and clover hay for poultry 
in winter, and increase the area devoted to 
sunflowers, finding that they produce more 
set d to the acre than grain crops. I am 
using enough stock to fill the houses, which 
accommodate 400. Two hundred and sixty 
Leghorns, Minorcas and mongrels are on 
the place at present, and most of the latter, 
or about 50, are either taking care of chicks 
or are broody. But with the decreased 
production and price of eggs, the receipts 
are about $1.50 per day, with a cost of 50 
cents for feed, based upon the present high 
prices. I cannot at all agree with the sen¬ 
timent as to the unprofitableness of poultry 
expressed in Figs. No. 117 and No. 118 in 
The Rural of May 2. My books show but 
one month in each of the tnree years’ ac¬ 
counts with the poultry, in which they 
have not paid a profit: 200 hens ran behind 
about $6 during November. 
Much has been said in favor of keeping 
hens in small flocks to get the largest re¬ 
turns While my small flocks show a some¬ 
what larger egg yield than the flocks at 
liberty, the increase might have been due 
to better feeding, as I wanted eggs for 
hatching. There is a vast increase in the 
amount of labor required to tend small 
flocks. Yard fences are expensive to build 
and keep in repair, and the land cannot be 
used for a small-fruit crop. Every one 
knows that fowls do better with a free 
range than in confinement. To have vigor¬ 
ous stock and fertile eggs many of the best 
breeders put their flocks out oo separate 
farms, where they can have fiee range. My 
main flocks do not appear to be overcrowd¬ 
ed, although 100 are kept in the same build¬ 
ing. Prevented from foraging at will only 
by the boundary fences of the farm, there is 
a large decrease in the feed bill during the 
summer. They exhibit as much intelli¬ 
gence in returning at night in about equal 
numbers to their chosen houses, as sitting 
hens do in always returning to the same 
nests. 
A poultry farm of any considerable ex¬ 
tent needs power of some kind. Wind is 
the cheapest. It is a great wonder that 
farmers do not make more U3e of it for 
other purposes than pumping. For cen¬ 
turies the wind has driven the commerce 
of the world from port to port, but on land 
most of this vast force is allowed to go to 
waste. Heavy loads are hauled to the mill 
and back, and the back-breaking process of 
shelling corn and cutting feed by hand still 
goes on. The Monitor wind-mill that 1 use 
is by no means a plaything. It is a prac¬ 
tical “ engine” in every sense of the term. 
The motion is as steady as that of a steam 
engine, and an ingenious system of gearing 
prevents a gain or loss in motion when the 
wind veers. The wheel governs perfectly. 
The machine itself costs less than a steam- 
engine furnishing the same power. There 
is nothing to pay for fuel, no waiting for 
steam to rise, and the wind comes often 
enough for all practical purposes. By at¬ 
taching a long belt to a mandrel out of- 
doors, a winter’s supply of wood can be 
sawed in short order. Bone mill, corn 
sheller and feed cutter are instantly attach¬ 
ed. Grain is cracked to any size for chick¬ 
ens, or ground fine at the rate of 10 bushels 
per hour during a strong wind. Some 
custom grinding is done. Buzz saw and 
lathe are used in making coops, nest eggs, 
etc. Although I find the wind-mill indis¬ 
pensable, I cannot begin to use it to its full 
capacity. 
I am confident that success will attend 
any one who will try the following method 
of raising chickens. Our rule is never to 
give soft food to young chicks, unless it is a 
little bread moistened with milk. It 
would be better if dried and pounded, or 
ground in a hand mill and fed dry. Meal is 
used only in the shape of corn bread, and 
that is dried and ground. Cracked corn is 
given from the first, beginning with fine 
hominy, and increasing the size of the 
grains as the chicks grow, keeping the 
pieces as large as they can conveniently 
swallow. I also begin with cracked wheat, 
but in less than 10 days from hatching 
chicks will eat whole wheat, and will do 
well on that alone. Food of this kind does 
not spoil and is kept before them at all 
times. Small quantities of boiled potatoes, 
or beans and ground meat are occasionally 
given. The advice of a well-known breeder, 
as to feeding chicks, is, “ avoid hard-boiled 
eggs as you would poison.” It is a good 
rule. Formerly with all sorts of soft 
mashes my chicks died by scores. I have 
not lost any this season, as a result of dry 
feed. Chicks have clean, fresh water at all 
times. 
Poultry diseases are very hard to cure 
when once they become deep-seated. In 
their treatment, ‘‘an ounce of prevention 
is worth whole pounds of cure.” As soon 
as any sick fowls are discovered, I remove 
them for treatment to a separate yard, kept 
for that purpose. This prevents the spread 
of the disease. Often the first hint that I 
have of cholera is the finding of one or two 
dead hens. This has always been stamped 
out by liberal doses of some good condition 
powder. Any kind that is used for stock 
will do. Roup is very hard to cure after 
the head begins to swell and the discharges 
are offensive. The chopping block is the 
most effectual cure. Fowls sometimes 
pull through, but generally lose one eye. 
Bathing the head with a solution of bora 
clc acid, and applications of kerosene will 
sometimes cure the disease. I have cured 
a number with “ spongi,” and think it is a 
good medicine. This can be obtained of 
any homeopathist. I get an aqueous solu¬ 
tion and put a few drops in tne drinking 
water. Gape worms and lice are generally 
kept out by giving the fowls clean, airy 
houses. Should vermin appear, I white¬ 
wash all wood work possible, sprinkle with 
kerosene where it cannot be whitewashed, 
and have plenty of air-slaked lime and sul¬ 
phur in the nests. I also keep sulphur in 
the bottom of a keg, and when a fowl is 
found to be troubled with vermin I hold it 
head downward over the keg, and dust 
thoroughly with the sulphur. 
Why Not Exclude Them at First ?— 
California has led the way by providing 
that Chinese criminals may be deported to 
China This hint should be acted on 
throughout the whole range of crime. 
Every State should authorize the shipment 
of convicted aliens to the countries from 
which they came. If that were the law in 
Louisiana it would probably be possible 
to transport the entire Mafia back to Sicily 
within five years, and once there. Premier 
Rudini could deal with it at his pleasure. 
On the same principle Pennsylvania could 
move her murderous Hungarians and Slavs 
back to Austria and Russia. Then Europe 
could manage her own malefactors just as 
she pleased, and if she chose to pension 
them and their families nobody in this 
country would object.—San Francisco Ex¬ 
aminer. 
The Moonshiners Have No Political 
Pull —If the government, instead of wast¬ 
ing so much energy in the pursuit of mak¬ 
ers of moonshine whisky, would turn its 
attention to timber thieves, it would be 
doing the public a better service. The 
moonshiners are evading an excise tax, 
warranted by war necessities which no 
longer exist, and which should long ago 
have been abolished. The timber thieves 
are despoiling the public domain of its 
noblest and most valuable products—Cin¬ 
cinnati Gazette. 
A BICYCLE FREE. 
T HE BICYCLE has come to stav. It is just as much fun to a farmer’s boy as to 
any other fellow to ride a “ bike.” To many men a bicycle is preferable to a horse 
on decent roads, being faster, costing less to buy and less to keep. The demand 
is so great that the scores of manufacturers can scarcely keep pace with it. We have 
arranged with the makers of one of the best machines in the market, the GENDRON, 
so that we can supply “bikes” to our subscribers on easy terms. 
THE GENDRON No. 1, figured above, is the best among several that we investigated 
for the use of boys and girls weighing 80 to 120 pounds. It is made of steel tubing and 
steel dropped forgings—the best possible material for such purpose. The ball bearings 
and all the fittings are of prime quality. 
SPECIFICATION.— Wheels: Both 24 inches by % inch Tires; tangent spokes with 
adjustable nipples; geared to 38 inches. Frame: Weldless steel tubing; semi-hollow 
steel forks; dropped forgings throughout; ball-center head ; adjustable cone3 in wheels, 
yoke and pedals. Finish: Enameled black, with handle bar, brake fittings, seat rod, 
braces, cranks, pedals and nuts all highly nickel plated on copper. 
By removing the upper cross-bar—a work of two minutes—the machine is ready for 
use by girls. The weight is 40 pounds. A tool bag, containing an “ Acme ” wrench, screw¬ 
driver and oiler goes with each machine. All the parts are interchangeable, so that any 
needed repairs may be had readily. 
PRICE, $40.00. 
How to Get it Free. By sending us a club of 75 subscriptions to The 
Rural New-Yorker or The American Garden, at prices named in our “confidential 
letter” of last winter, you will get this bicycle without money cost. If the “confidential 
letter ” has been lost, send for another copy of it. U3F* See special offer at foot. 
At a Low Price for Cash. We will send this machine (No. 1) to our 
subscribers only for the very low price of $29.00 in cash, and three subscriptions at 
the prices in the “confidential letter.” Regular net cost price of the machine, $40.00. 
This No. 4 is a larger and stronger machine throughout, and will easily carry a man 
of 170 pounds. It is also Interchangeable for ladies’ use. Weight of machine, 52 pounds. 
SPECIFICATION.—Wheels: 28 inches front and 30 inches rear by %-inch. solid 
tires ; tangent spokes. Frame: Weldless steel tubing ; semi hollow steel forks ; dropped 
forgings throughout; ball center head. Bearings: Adjustable bills to both wheels, crank 
axle and pedals. Finish: Enameled black, with handle bir, brake fittings, seat rod, 
braces, cranks, pedals and nuts all highly nickel plated on copper. All the parts are 
Interchangeable. PRICE, $90.00. 
HOW tO Get it Free. We will send this wheel free to any present 
subscriber who will send us 125 subscriptions to The Rural New Yorker or The 
American Garden on the terms of our “ confidential letter.” 
Or we will sell the machine to subscribers only at $09.00 cash, and five subscriptions 
additional at the prices in our “confidential letter.” 
The machines are sent by express or freight, from New York or Toledo, at the 
expense of the purchasers. This offer is open until September 1st next. 
HSF* If you get less than 75 or 125 subscriptions, every one you get will help pay for the 
machine at the rate of 60 cents each. For example, if you get 25 subscriptions, this will 
reduce the cash cost of either machine by the amount of $15.00. So that for No. 1 you 
would need to send us only $24 00 additional; or for the No. 4 only $54.00 additional. 
THE RURAL PUBLISHING COMPANY, Times Building, New York. 
