1894 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
5i5 
Live Stock Matters. 
fobkftjIjS of facts. 
Those Duck Questions. —I canaot give 
the exact cost of raising a duck to 10 
weeks, because we keep a large flock of 
'hens, raise a good many chicks, and do 
not keep a separate account. As nearly 
as I can estimate, it will average about 
eight cents. I consider the Pekin the best. 
I have had 15, and 100 old ducks in a flock, 
and each gave the same result. When in 
brooders, the smaller the flock the bet¬ 
ter. In a brooder 7x11, I never put more 
than 100, and then only when I am forced 
to do so. On the coast, for green food 
we use creek grass ; in midwinter, when 
everything is frozen, clover hay. Keep¬ 
ing ducks for eggs is not very satisfac¬ 
tory, as it is necessary to do a great deal 
of advertising to sell many, the cost of 
which eats up nearly all of the profits. 
A. ,1 HALLOCK. 
Tuberculin in Michigan. —I have 
never had a case of tuberculosis to exam¬ 
ine in this part of the country ; in fact, 
I never had a case mentioned. I know 
nothing at all about it, or the test for it, 
consequently my opinion would be value¬ 
less. M. L. SWEET. 
Beauty vs. Butter. —The London Live 
Stock Journal has this to say about 
English dairy cattle : “ British cattle 
breeders are so captivated by symmetry 
of -form that they have done compara¬ 
tively little in developing special milk or 
butter breeds. There is, indeed, only 
one—the Ayrshire—and in it the wedge 
shape, so suitable for milk, offends ideas 
of beauty. For the rest, we have to go 
to Jersey and Guernsey for our special 
dairy breeds, which have been developed 
as the result of at least 100 years’ sys¬ 
tematic breeding for this particular qual¬ 
ity.” In other words, English dairymen 
have not learned that the old adage 
Handsome is that handsome does,” is 
true of cows as well as men. 
Sheep and Roots. —The question of 
growing both roots and ensilage for 
sheep, has received our attention for 
several years. The question we started 
to investigate was as to whether ensilage 
was as good for ewes that were being 
forced to produce early lambs, as first- 
class roots (mangels). In some trials, the 
ensilage-fed ewes have produced equally 
as good, if not better, lambs than those 
fed on roots. As far as our experiments 
in feeding ensilage and roots have gone, 
the difference is not very great between 
the two. We believe it best to feed roots 
soon after the ewes lamb, and none be¬ 
fore that time. By so doing, the ewes 
are not troubled with a superabundance 
of milk before lambing as they would be 
were they fed succulent food. If the 
above question refers wholly to winter 
or hothouse lambs, I would say emphatic¬ 
ally to feed with ensilage or roots only 
after the lamb is born, and then crowd 
the ewe to her utmost capacity. For 
this purpose, we use great care in select¬ 
ing ewes having a strong constitution. 
We have found very few objections to 
feeding ensilage to sheep ; probably the 
greatest difficulty we have experienced 
is the tendency of the sheep to scour 
unless the ensilage is judiciously fed. Of 
the roots raised on the University Farm, 
I much prefer the mangels for sheep. 
We have not fed sugar beets to any great 
extent, nor do we believe that it would 
be profitable to do so, for the reason that 
we cannot grow as large quantities of 
sugar beets per acre as we can of 
mangels. Then, too, the expense of har¬ 
vesting the sugar beets is much greater 
than that of harvesting mangels. The 
feeding value of the sugar beets is not 
enough greater than that of the mangels 
to counter-balance the smaller yield and 
increased expense of harvesting. 
Cornell University, geo. c. watson. 
A Heifer’s Udder —My heifer will be 
two years old in October, and is due to 
calve December 5. Her udder seems to be 
very full of milk, and has the appearance 
of that of a cow that is giving milk 
and has gone over-night without being 
milked ; it has that hard, stretched look 
and feeling—not the soft, velvety appear¬ 
ance of a cow springing bag. I handle 
her udder and try to milk her and lately 
I have been able to get some milk from 
her, but have never tried to get any 
quantity as I was told that it would ruin 
her. The heifer’s dam was a big milker 
(22 quarts) about half Jersey; the heifer’s 
sire is an imported pedigreed Jersey, and 
a prize winner. Shall I milk her or not ? 
Is there any danger of ill effects arising 
from there being too much milk in her 
bag? She gets nothing to eat except 
the grass in the pasture. G. R. 
Boston, Mass. 
Ans. —Heifers are usually much longer 
springing than cows, being from two to 
four months. But in this case, if the 
udder is as full as you describe, there is 
either some inflammation or disease of 
the udder, or the heifer is due to calve 
much earlier than you expect. With 
heifers, there is rarely, if ever, any 
occasion to milk them before calving. I 
never knew of a case. Even with cows, 
it is only occasionally necessary in the 
case of exceptionally heavy milkers on 
full feed. I certainly would advise you 
not to milk your heifer before calving. 
Neither should the udder be handled and 
stripped too much during pregnancy. If 
the udder continues unduly hard, rub 
once or twice daily with camphorated 
spirit; or if this fail to reduce the in¬ 
duration, rub once daily with a diluted 
solution of the compound tincture of 
iodine. Her calf, if a heifer, should be a 
desirable one to raise, f. l. kilborne. 
Sugar Beets and Sheep. —Calculi of 
various kinds are the almost invariable 
cause of urinary disorders in sheep. I 
have read numerous chapters on the 
subject. Lith has an able essay on this 
subject in the Journal of the Royal Agri¬ 
cultural Society of England for 1867. 
Stevens, of England, in the Veterinarian, 
Vol. XIII., goes exhaustively into the 
subject, but as Henry Steel, F. R C. V. 
S., F. Z S., A. V, D. is possibly the best 
known, I quote from his work. Dis¬ 
eases of the Sheep, page 177: “Calculi 
in the urethra give rise to severe obstruc¬ 
tions to the passage of urine very fre¬ 
quently with fatal results. Upon exam¬ 
ination (postmortem), deposits of gravel, 
calculi or other materials from the urine 
are found in all the passages; the kid¬ 
neys and bladder are inflamed, the lining 
membrane of the urethra ulcerated, the 
bladder may be ruptured from over-dis¬ 
tension. This disorder has been noticed 
especially in certain districts, as in the 
Cotswolds, says Gamgee; but we may 
add is dependent on dieting rather than 
locality. Thus it occurs in animals high 
fed on saccharine roots rich in phos¬ 
phates, especially mangels.” The experi¬ 
ence of such well-known sheep breeders 
as George Ingersol, G.H. Davison, C. Hills 
& Sons, and many others, also proves 
that it is unwise to feed sugar beets to 
rams or wethers in large quantities. 
OAKLEIQH THORNE. 
Bad Results From Dishorning. —I 
have a cow that was dishorned January 
1, 1893. Her head all healed up, and did 
nicely. Late last fall, one of the stubs 
commenced to discharge from the center, 
and has done so ever since. She has 
done well until the past two or three 
weeks. What can I do for her ? 
South Dansville, N. Y. j. l. f. 
Ans. —An abscess has evidently formed 
in the frontal sinus, as a result of the 
dishorning. Enlarge the opening in the 
center or core of the horn, so as to allow 
it to be freely syringed out. Then wash 
out daily, first with tepid water, and 
finally with a solution of one dram each 
of sulphate of zinc and carbolic acid in 
one quart of water. Turning the head 
to one side, will facilitate the washing 
out of the pus. F. L. K. 
Killing Gophers.—A California paper 
thus details the methods of a well-known 
farmer; “ He wraps a small clod of heavy 
earth in cotton batting. He then satu- | 
rates it with turpentine and brimstone 
or sulphur, places it at the mouth of the 
hole, and is absolutely sure of its work. 
He touches a match to it, rolls it down 
with a stick while burning and closes up 
the mouth of the hole. The brimstone 
soon does its work. The gopher finds 
himself a prisoner in sulphur fumes, 
which he cannot stand many seconds. 
The gas finds its way into every section 
of the hole, the turpentine continuing to 
burn until it is all consumed.” 
Dock Sweepings for Hogs. —Would 
flour sweepings from one of the docks in 
the city, make good pig feed ? It is 
quite clean, there being only a few 
slivers off the dock in it. It costs 75 
cents per 100 pounds. A. f. 
R. N.-Y.—Yes. These flour sweepings 
will make good hog feed. We would 
sift them carefully to keep out all the 
sharp splinters, and cook or steam be¬ 
fore feeding. They would be excellent 
to cook with turnips, potatoes or clover 
hay. 
A PoLAND-CniNA’s EARS. —It takes a 
stranger to see good points in stock or 
methods that are not apparent to a native. 
Richard Gibson, cf Canada, recently saw 
a Western herd of cattle. He says in the 
Farmer’s Advocate : 
“ In addition to the steers, there is an¬ 
other element of profit in connection 
with the feeding thereof, and that is the 
Poland-China, as a scavenger, a perfect 
success; as a utilizer of waste, he stands 
without a rival; but as a first-class bacon 
hog, I am afraid the claims of his par¬ 
tisans are overdrawn ; neither his con¬ 
formation nor the food he so evidently 
enjoys, seems to me conducive to the 
manufacture of that choice side meat 
styled breakfast bacon. I was much 
amused watching them. They evidently 
understood when to expect a ration, and 
I never knew until I saw them following 
steers why they flopped their ears. It is 
to protect their eyes. What cute crea¬ 
tures. Here I’ve been saying to breeders 
for years : ‘ You’ve got an almost per¬ 
fect hog in the Poland-China for your 
purpose of converting corn into pork; 
but there is something wanting; they 
lack finish ; if you could only breed them 
with prick ears, what an improvement it 
would be.’ But the Poland-China knows 
his business, and evidently refuses to be 
improved that way. Wise hog !” 
Hogs and Alfalfa.— Mr. R. E. Van 
Huss, of Finney County, Kansas, has this 
to say about Kansas pork making : “ I 
came here seven years ago, bringing 
with me, among other things, three small 
pigs. I sold two of these and kept the 
other. The first pig I ever sold of my 
own raising here, I traded for one bushel 
of Alfalfa seed, which, at that time, was 
valued at $7 per bushel, hogs being about 
the same price per 100 pounds. I sowed 
the Alfalfa seed in the spring of 1888, 
and in the spring of 1889 I fenced one 
acre hog tight and turned in 10 head of 
hogs. They did very well on this one 
acre. The next year I pastured be¬ 
tween 30 and 40 hogs on this one acre. 
The result, as you readily can see, 
was that the hogs did not have very 
good grazing that season. The next 
spring (1891) I increased my pasture to 
five acres and turned in 60 hogs, big and 
little. I also pastured my work horses 
and milch cows on the same piece of 
Alfalfa, and the result was as before— 
rather close picking. The spring of 1892 
I increased the Alfalfa pasture to 20 
acres. I have been out of luck since 
that time in not having hogs enough to 
eat it off. During the past season—a 
very dry one—I pastured 60 hogs, 15 
horses and three milch cows. The 
horses and cows were on the pasture 
probably two-thirds of the season. I al¬ 
so mowed the pasture twice during the 
season for hay. I am of the opinion 
that hogs will do better on Alfalfa when 
it is nearly ready for making hay. The 
very young plants seem too washy. 
Hogs, however, seem to eat it with more 
avidity when young and tender.” 
Tkeat PKOiiCTLY— Champs, Diabkhka, Asiatic 
Cholera, and all Bowel Affections, with Dr. Jayne’s 
Carminative Balsam, and you will obtain speedy 
relief, and promote a certain cure.—Adu. 
JERSEYS, 
From Miller & Sibley’s herd, will be tuberculin tested 
before sale if desired. 
Our bull, Ida’s Rioter of St. L,, has ISdauRh- 
lers tested. averaKluK over 19 lbs. 3 oz. of butter 
apiece per week, amonK them Ida Marlxold, who won 
two sweepstakes prizes and many other honors at 
the World’s Fair contests. 
Major Appel PorIs won first prize at Pennsyl¬ 
vania State Fair In 1893. Sired by Stoke Pogls 5th, 
who bad 21 daughters and 51 granddaughters tested. 
Highest Jersey weekly, monthly and yearly milk 
records held by our herd. (Inly superior stock for 
sale. In general none loss than $200. Specify what 
you want. Mention this paper. 
MILLER & SIBLEY, Franklin, Venango Co., Pa. 
GUERNSEYS! 
The GBANDEST of DAIBY Breed*. 
Combining the richness of the Jersey with the size 
approximate to the Holstein or Short-horn, but 
standing alonh and ctnbquai.bd In producing the 
richest colored butter In mid-winter on dry feed. 
Gentle as pets, persistent milkers and hardy In con¬ 
stitution, they combine more qualifications for the 
dairy or family cow than any other breed. In the 
“ Old Brick Guernsey Herd” 
are daughters and granddaughters of the renowned 
Sqnlre Kent, 1504 A. G. C. C. and of the finest strains 
on Guernsey or In America—Comns, son of Squire 
Kent and Statelllte, son of Kohim head the herd. All 
particulars In regard to Breed and Herd cheerfully 
given. 8. P. TABHR WILLETTS, 
The Old Brick,” Roslyn, L. I„ N, Y 
Aberdeen-Ane^us Cattle 
J. P. HINK. Shlnrock, Krie Co., O. 
CAIiVES. 
Grandsons of Ida’s Stoke Pogis 
From dams of Individual excellence, calves, one to 
six months old. $‘25 each, crated and registered. 
KOBT. F, SHANNON, Pittsburgh, Pa. 
HiG:h-Cla88 8hrop8hire8 
75 yearling rams that will weigh 250 to 300 pounds, 
and shear 12 to 15 pounds at maturity; and IM year¬ 
ling ewes, to weigh 175 to 21^0 pounds, and shear 9 to 
12 pounds at maturity. Just arrived, recorded In Eng¬ 
land and America. “A grand lot.” Send for cata¬ 
logue. THE WILLOWS, 
QBO. E. Bbbok, Prop. Paw Paw, Mich. 
Hampshire-Down Sheep. 
The best mutton breed In England or America. 
Yearling and ram lambs; also Ewes and Ewe Lambs 
for sale. Prices 20 per cent below former years. 
JNO. I. GORDON, Mercer, Pas 
Chenango Valley Stock Farms, Greene, N. Y., 
J. D. VAN VALKBNBUUGU, JK., Prop. 
For sale. Registered Dorset-Horn Sheep; also some 
fine grade Dorset Lambs, with many of the points of 
registered stock. Just the thing for grading up flocks. 
PKKIN DUCKS—100 choice breeders yet to go at 
a price. Brookslde Poultry Farm. Columbus, N. J. 
MAKE HENS LAY 
by feeding green bone cut In 
„ . MANN’.S HD.NK CUTTER. 
Price $ 111,181 and upward Warranted. Catalog 
free if this paper is named 
r.W.MANNCO., Milford, Maes. 
THE PHI2E 
on GREEN BONE CUTTERS 
at the World’s Fair, was 
awarded Webster & Hannnm. 
Get circular. 
WEBSTER & HANNUM, Cazenovla, N. Y. 
SIIOO-FLy 
Saves Dairymen and Horsemen 
millions 1 $. No Flies or Sores, 
more milk. Agents $90 month. 
Shoo-Fly Mfg. Co., 1005 Fnlrmount Ave., Phlla., Pa. 
FEEDING ANIMALS. 
This Is a practical work of 560 pages, by Professor 
B. W. STEWART, upen the science of feeding le a'l 
Its details, giving practical rations for all farm ani¬ 
mals. Its accuracy Is proved by Its adoption as a 
text book In nearly all Agricultural Colleges and Ex¬ 
periment Stations In America, it will pay anybody 
having a horse or a cow, or who feeds a few pigs or 
sheep to buy and study It carefully. Price, $$2.00. 
TUB RURAL NEW-YORKER, 
Corner Chambers and Pearl Streets, New York. 
P13 O There Is probably no branch of 
X XVvyJL’ X X farming or stock-raising that Is 
so sure to return a profit as the 
flock of sheep, and there Is prob¬ 
ably no branch so much neg¬ 
lected. A well-kept flock would 
restore the fertility to many run 
down farms, and put their own¬ 
ers on the road to prosperity. 
But every man doesn’t know how to care for sheep 
though be can easily learn. “ Sheep Farming” is a 
practical treatise on sheep, their management and 
diseases. It tells In plain language how to select 
and breed them, and how to care for them. It is a 
little book worth three times Us cost to any farmer 
who raises sheep. Sent postpaid for 25 cents. 
Address TUB RURAL NEW-YORKER, 
Cor. Chambers and Pearl Sts., New York. 
IN 
SHEEP 
