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PROPORTION OF COCKS AND HENS. 
The question is often asked, “ How many 
liens do you allow with acock?” it is one 
not easily answered. While with some va¬ 
rieties, as the Cochins, three or four, or even 
two, are ample, (though we have seen cocks 
of that variety that would servo ten or a 
dozen ;) in others, twelve to fifteen are not too 
many. 
It is impossible to give any definite num¬ 
ber for a rule. We have had pairs that did 
well, the eggs hatched well, and the hen did 
not suffer from the over attentions of the 
cock; and again, we have been obliged to 
put in one, two, throe, four and even more 
additional hens of common stock, with a 
trio of pure-bred fowls, to keep the blooded 
liens from being injured. Especially is tills 
the case with the i londans and Creve-CVeura; 
llto cocks of both these breeds seem to bo 
very vigorous, and require not less than four 
or six hens to run with them. The Dark 
Brahmas also need not less than four hens 
with the cock when he La young and vigorous. 
It was a favorite theory of ours, some 
years since, that poultry should be bred in 
pairs or trios. Because in the mid state, 
they ran in pairs, so also should they do in 
the domesticated state. It is needless to say 
that our theory would not work when car¬ 
ried into practice. Perhaps, were a pair of 
lbwis given a range of ton, twenty or more 
acres, and left to forage for themselves, one or 
tsvo hens would he all the cock could at 
tend; hut confined to an acre or less, and 
fed on stimulating food, the bird’s nature he 
comes, as it. were, changed, and lie feels him¬ 
self qualified for greater deeds. 
We have seen a lien’s hack and sides all 
cut open by the cock’s spurs, and the owner 
was complaining that tho hen did not lay. 
If b« had given her throe or four compan¬ 
ion* his cause of complaint would have 
ceased. Tho poor thing hadn’t time. 
The only mode of deciding tho question 
is by watching the fowls. Wo have known 
instances, though rare, of a cook serving 
twenty to twenty-five hens, and the eggs 
being very fertile. Again, a cock was cooped 
up with four liens, and it was found that when 
peuued with two the eggs hatched twenty- 
five per cent, hotter than with tho four. Wo 
think the latter case is of rare occurrence; a 
safe average is four to six hens to a cock. A 
few days’ observation will enable oue to tell 
whether more or less liens are needed. A 
young cock that has had a dozen or twenty 
hens to run with the first year Is rarely fit for 
more than three or four the second. But if 
well oared for tho first, and allowed not 
more than six liens, he is usually good for 
three or four years’ service. We know many 
are prejudiced against, using old cocks, and 
usually their prejudice is founded on experi¬ 
ence like the above. A young cock with old 
liens is our preference for breeding stock, 
though many reverse it and put an old cock 
with young pullets. Wo know the hen lays 
a larger egg than the pullet, and a large egg 
must certainly bring out a larger chick than 
a small one; and, as a rule, (to which there 
arc many exceptions,) a young cock is more 
vigorous than an old one. Therefore we 
think this selection preferable. 
Some, we are aware, contend that the 
cook has more influence on the progeny than 
tho hen, and that an old cock being more 
mature and developed, will throw better 
chicks. Such has not been our experience. 
How is it with your readers ? ir. 
--—- 
and keeps them from starving to death, as 
they naturally do when left to be provided for 
by the hen turkey. 
Treatment of the Voting 
As soon as the lien hatches her brood of 
turkeys, (which usually takes from thirty to 
thirty-two days,) she should be cooped up, 
in a coop similar to those given in a former 
article, (for chickens,)—which may be used 
for the purpose—the “rat-proof” kind, par¬ 
ticularly. For the first three or four weeks 
after hatching, great cure should betaken by 
the housewife to keep them from the scorch¬ 
ing sun, drenching rains, and tho heavy 
morning and evening dews; and this is why 
the young should be placed in the “rat- 
proof” coop—that they may lie kept dry. 
Moisture, internal or external, is generally 
certain death to chickens; cleanliness of the 
coops should be rigorously observed; dry, 
gravelly land is the most proper place to 
keep them on; avoid all grass-plats with your 
movable coop. The chicks should never he 
allowed to leave the coop in the morning 
until the dew is off the grass; lie sure to 
coop them in wet and unpleasant weather, 
rrepnraiifin of Pood. 
As we have said before, great care should 
be exercised in t he preparat ion of their food. 
Do not feed slop food of any kind. Many 
breeders feed loppered milk, but that, should 
be scrupulously avoided; it should not be 
fed under any consideration. Sour milk, 
boiled to a thick curd, is good, mixed with 
cooked Indian meal, seasoning the same occa¬ 
sionally with black pepper. They should be 
fed often, and made to cat up clean what 
food is given them before repeating the feed¬ 
ing. The food should be thrown on the 
ground—not in a trough—so that in picking 
Up their food I lie gravel t hat adheres to i t, 
will aid their digestive organs to perform 
their functions. Never feed Indian meal in 
an uncooked state, lor it is liable to hake in 
the crop, causing death in a very short time. 
Water should lie placed in shallow dishes, or 
okl t in pie-pans, near the coop, so that the 
J|rtrnfrfic anb (ftstfttl. 
EXPLODED THEORIES. 
I nil lienee 
young can satisfy their thirst whenever in¬ 
clined. At six weeks or two months old t he 
young turkeys may, as a general thing, be 
considered out of danger from over-feeding, 
&c., and should then bo fed cracked corn, 
boiled potatoes, refttso from the table, buck¬ 
wheat, and fresh boiled meat, occasionally, 
in small quantities. 
Varif*tl«H of Tni-kcyH. 
1 hero seems to be a great, diversity of 
opinion among breeders, as to which are the 
best kinds of turkeys to rear, the most hardy, 
&c. It ia assorted by some that the white 
turkey is more robust, and easily reared and 
fattened; while, on the contrary, It is said 
the black turkey is the best to rear for mar¬ 
ket purposes; their meat being whiter, and 
their flesh finer and sweeter; while ihe males 
are larger and the females better layers than 
the white. Our opinion is the bronze tur¬ 
key is the best variety—they are certainly 
much larger than either the white or black, 
and much hardier. We have seen gobblers of 
this variety, at two years old, which weighed, 
dressed, from sixteen to twenty pounds. Of 
t he proper mode of fattening turkeys for mar¬ 
ket, we may speak hereafter. J. Brace. 
- 4-*-4 - 
Feeding Trough for Poultry.— Figure 1 Is a 
trough divided by tho partition P. If desired, 
one part may contain water and tho other food, 
ABOUT TURKEYS. 
Tue rearing of turkeys should be one of 
the duties of our farm-house wives, for the 
turkey is a part, of our rural and domestic 
economy. In our opinion, no farm-yard 
seems complete without having therein a few 
turkeys commingling with other fowls, for 
they, next, to the common fowl, are the most 
useful and valuable of our domestic birds; 
still, to rear them successfully requires pa¬ 
tience as well as great, care in the manage¬ 
ment of their young. 
Hutchins; uf Turkeys, 
To rear a brood of turkeys with any kind 
of certainty of success, t he eggs should be 
placed under the common barn-yard fowl, or 
perhaps, as tho Brahma makes a good mot her, 
a lien of that breed will answer as well. 
Wo would advise, by all means, not to have 
the eggs sot under the lieu turkey — though 
they arc inveterate sillers, they are poor 
mothers, and it is ten chances to one if they 
will prove successful, with their roaming 
habits, in rearing their young. The mother 
never proves a good provider for them; she 
never scratches for her young like, tho lien, 
but generally loaves thorn to shift, for them¬ 
selves as soon as hatched. As tho young, at 
the moment of their birth, give no sign of 
seeking their food,— and by being reared by 
a common hen, whose instincts lead her to 
scratch and peck for her chicles — the young 
turkeys soon learn to imitate her example, 
which determines them to pick up their food 
Figure L 
the Whole being covered with a screen made of 
lat h nailed together In the form shown, and kept 
in position by the ends or the oenter laths fitting 
in and keyed to tho ends or tho trough. The 
bottom is square or of triangle form. This is 
for the use of grown poult ry. The Jart lee work 
prevent, them getting Into the food with their 
loot. 
A cheap and substantial feed or water dish Is 
shown In Figure 3. Tho sides of 
an old tin pan are connected t o¬ 
gether by a net-work of wire 
passing through holes beneath 
1*'.. a. the rim, and crossing above the 
center at the various angles.—s. 
- +++ - 
Notice Your Fowls. —A somewhat noted Eng- 
HhIi writer says:-“Tho more notice there is 
taken of fowls we believe t.lie better they will 
do. In a natural state they would, no doubt, lay 
a batch or two of eggs In the season, hatch 
thoin, and consider the end of ejfigf production 
fulfilled. In a domesticated state, we wish them 
to rear the advisable number of broods, and, in 
addition, to oontiuno to lay eggs as many months 
in the year as Ig commensurate with their well¬ 
doing; therefore, tho further we can remove 
our fowls from the wild state to perfect domest i¬ 
cation, that- is, the tamer wi; oun make them, 
the better for ourselves and for t heir happiness. 
Notice, therefore, the young broods and the old 
fowls, and Jet the children notice them too, (not 
handle them, lor ehickeusshould ncrerbe caught 
unneoeesarily,) and your fowls will repay good 
footling by doing good service." 
An old couplet says: 
“ Eet the flock's good feed 
Be the master’s heed; 
What at first he may oast 
Will be doubled at last.’’ 
Ho tlie CotlMtellalioriM of die /,inline 
Vegetation on the Earth < 
It is a favorite idea among many of our 
old farmers, that the moon and constellations 
in the zodiac haven great influence upon the 
vegetation of this world. This idea has been 
handed down to them by tradition; nor is 
the end likely to be with this generation. 
Among those of German descent is this in¬ 
fatuation the most prevalent. Although it 
does not speak well for their intelligence, yet 
it shows the obstinate tenacity with which 
they hold to the ignorant creeds and dark 
mysteries of by-gone ages. This superstition, 
or, rather, rampant ignorance, has stood in 
tlie way of their own prosperity—flic pro¬ 
gress of agriculture and home improvements, 
and, consequently, lias materially impeded 
the progress of civilization nod refinement 
wherever it has been adhered to. 
These deluded people believe that each 
vegetable grows best when planted in its ap¬ 
propriate sign. For instance, potatoes should 
be planted in the sign of the “scales” or 
“ lion,” in order that they may grow large, 
always avoiding the sign of the “ fish,” for if 
they are planted in that sign they will he 
sure to get “ watery potatoes.” Again, clover 
seed should he sown in a dry sign, or it will 
make the horses slobber. Vinegar should 
lie made in the sign of tlie “ lion,” in the 
first quarter of the moon, in order that it 
may grow strong. 
The moon, too, it is said, exerts a power¬ 
ful influence on new roofs and fences. I was 
even surprised with a notice in tlie Rural 
that a certain man out West had succeeded 
in killing a lot of locust trees by cutting them 
down in the “dark of the moon,” just, as 
though Hud had done the whole business. 
Now, for the benefit of the misguided, I 
will endeavor to show that these signs are 
generally an unmitigated humbug. I will 
venture to say that one-half of those who 
pay so much attention to them, know noth¬ 
ing at. all about them outside of their alma¬ 
nacs. The zodiac is an imaginary licit beyond 
the apparent path of the sun in the heavens. 
This belt Is sixteen degrees broad, and, of 
course, extends clear around the heavens, or 
three hundred and sixty degrees. The dis¬ 
tance bet ween every thirty degrees is called 
a sign. The sun in Us apparent path, seems 
to travel eastward through all those twelve 
signs once a year. The ancients imagined 
the stars in each sign to represent some ani¬ 
mal or object, and gave them names accord¬ 
ingly. They also pretended to predict future 
events by these signs, the science of which 
was called astrology. But hmV the modern 
“prophet*" came to pervert the original “sci¬ 
ence" in applying it to the growth of plants, 
is to me unknown. 
Now tlie question is, do these constella¬ 
tions of the zodiac effect the growth of 
plants on the earth? For good, healthy 
growth, plants require light, heat., air, anil 
the necessary elements in the soil, Now the 
nearest, star in the signs of the zodiac has 
been demonstrated to be more than twenty 
billions of miles distant from the earth. 
They, no doubt, influence the motions of 
the earth to a limited extent, but tlie light 
and heat received from aU the stars together 
is not enough to justify tho assertion that 
they affect the growth of vegetation here on 
the earth; much less, then, would the stars 
of a single constellation constitute so much 
light and heat as to materially influence its 
growth. 
The earth must be balanced as it, floats in 
its orbit around the sun, and since that is a 
truth, it necessarily follows that, ihe attrac¬ 
tion must be about the same in every part 
of its orbit. Of course account must be 
taken of the elliptical shape of the eart h’s 
orbit, and the place in which the earth is, 
whether at its perihelion or at its aphelion; 
but this difference of motion is evidently 
not occasioned by the fixed stars, and conse¬ 
quently their influence is about the same all 
the /mm. And since all these are astronoiui- 
mical and philosophical truths, it follows 
that cmc day is as good for planting as an¬ 
other, the soil and season is favorable. 
Now, let me attack 'lie theory of the moon. 
It. is claimed that if a roof Ls put on a build¬ 
ing in the dark of the moon, the shingles 
will remain in their places; but if put on 
While the moon is increasing they will in¬ 
evitably “turn up;” likewise with ordinary 
rail fences. Tlio moon, apparently, goes 
around the earth in about the same time, in 
whatever quarter it is. To be sure it appears 
later every day, but it nevertheless goes 
around (ordinarily speaking) in a little over 
twenty-four hours, as regular as the sun. 
Now, it must, he gravitation or attraction 
that causes these shingles to turn up, and if 
it has the power to raise them during one 
revolution when it is full, why does it not, 
have the same power when in its last quar¬ 
ter, it being at the same distance from the 
earth ? This leads to absurdity at once. The 
moon certainly does affect the growth of 
vegetation, but not to the extent claimed by 
these ultra signists. The light reflected from 
tilt! moon contributes very little to the growth 
of plants, hut its light and heat are so feeble 
in comparison to those of the sun that, it is 
not considered of much account by those 
who have investigated the matter. 
Those are old and exploded theories, and 
are only upheld by t hose who are far behind 
the times in their knowledge of natural 
sciences. When education once becomes 
more universally disseminated throughout 
thi! world, the people will better understand 
the mysterious workings of that “ Glorious 
Architect, who built, the skies.” But as we 
are in “ the foremost ranks of all the files of 
time,” and bare the accumulated knowledge 
°l all the ages, we should endeavor to profit 
by it, and to use our advantages in such a 
way as to bring about the best results for tlie 
refinement ot the people and tlie improve¬ 
ment of humanity. j. c. s. 
Gallon, Ohio, 18(1!). 
-——- 
USEFUL AND SCIENTIFIC ITEMS. 
nfomdorpra!. 
[Qi-kstiojh to be answered in Ibia Department, when accompanied 
by »pecfmmi», ehocild he tent directly to C. V. Kci.«y, 5130 Clark 
Ave., St. Louie, AIo.J 
The. mine, of Australian Gold imported into 
England during the two months ending Feb¬ 
ruary m, of this year, was £658,586, as com¬ 
pared with £850,900 in the corresponding 
two months ot 1808. 
Bessemer Steel Converters, — According to 
a recent report, made by M. de Billyh In¬ 
spector-General of Mines, there are now in 
use in Europe.— Italy and Russia excepted 
— 128 Bessemer converters, these having a 
total capacity of 555 tons. Krupp is the 
largest owner of Bessemer converters, there 
being lfl at the Essen works, some of these 
having a capacity of 7 tons. In France 
20,000 tons of Bessemer steel were made in 
1867, and 35,000 tons in 1868. 
Consumption of Iron .—According to a 
calculation made by tin Italian statistician 
of the quantity of iron consumed by tlie 
principal countries of the world, as compared 
with the population, it appears that the 
yearly average for England is about 170 
pounds for every person; in Belgium, 110 
pounds; in tlx United States, 101 pounds; 
in France, 75 pounds; in Prussia, 64 pounds; 
in Sweden,42pounds; in Austria, 23 pounds; 
in Spain, 15 pounds; in Italy, 14 pounds, 
and in Russia 7 pounds. 
Strange Soup .—Three thousand pounds of 
“fungus” was landed last month in San 
Francisco, from one ship, hailing from Ta¬ 
hiti. This material is gathered from trees 
in the southern part of the Society Islands, 
| and packed in bags woven from slips of the 
boorrn bark, tlie wood of which orange crates 
are made. This fungus is in appearance 
like very thin and dirty India rubber. It is 
shipped to China for use in making “soup.” 
The value is about 12>£ cents per pound at 
the islands, and about 100,000 pounds are 
produced there annually. 
The Noeliluca. —This most beautiful of the 
marine infusoria , emits a brilliant electric 
light, which makes the sea shine like streams 
of silver in the wake of a ship, of a warm, 
summer evening, when they come to the 
surface in countless multitudes. It. js a 
globular animal, like a minute soap-bubble, 
and, being about the thirtieth of an inch in 
diameter, is a giant, among the infusoria. Its 
j electric light, supposed to be emitted by a 
direct exertion of the nerve-power, appeal’s 
constant to the naked eye, but really con¬ 
sists of momentary scintillations, that in¬ 
crease in rapidity and intensity by the dash 
of an oar or tlie motion of tlie waves. 
-1 Wonderful Clock. — A clock has just 
been completed for tlie Cathedral of Beau¬ 
vais, France, which greatly surpasses any 
other existing specimen of the eloekmaker’s 
art. It, contains no less than 90,000 wheels, 
and indicates, among other things too nu¬ 
merous to recite, the days of tlie week, the 
month, the year, the signs of the zodiac, the 
equation of time, the course of tlie planets, 
the phases of the moon, the time, at every 
capital in the world, the movable feasts for 
a hundred years, the saints’ days, &c. Per 
haps the most curious part of the mechanism 
is that which gives the additional day in 
leap-year, which consequently is called into 
action but once in four years. Tlie clock is 
wound every eight days. The main dial is 
twelve feet in diameter, and the total cost 
exceeds $50,000. 
Bessemer Steel ,—The London Mining Jour¬ 
nal says that it is understood that Mr. Besse¬ 
mer 1ms signified his willingness to reduce 
his royalties from £2 to 2s. Od. per ton, except 
for steel rails, for which a rebate of 20s. per 
ton is already allowed. Ordinary Bessemer 
steel will thus be reduced nearly £2 per ton, 
and rails about £1 10s. This will remove 
all inducements which might otherwise exist, 
to infringe the patent rights remaining to Mr. 
Bessemer after the expiration of his princi- 
>ul patents in the course of next year, and 
A the same time will give an impetus to the 
steel rail trade, by permitting the steel rails 
to be sold in the market at a price but little 
higher than that of iron, if the Heaton 
iroceas should solve the question of convert¬ 
ing cheap pig iron into steel, iron rails may 
irobahly, be entirely displaced. 
TO DESTROY CURRANT WORMS. 
A correspondent of the Country Gen¬ 
tleman destroys the currant worm (as here¬ 
tofore recommended in the Rural) by tho 
use of white hellebore. He says:_“A so¬ 
lution of a large tablespoonftll to a gallon of 
water, applied with a broom or syringe, will 
destroy them effectually, and should be re¬ 
peated as fast, as they hatch out. By this 
means we have not only saved our bushes, 
hut secured our usual crop of fruit. As 
hellebore is a poison, we use great care in 
washing the currants before using, and have 
never experienced any ill effects. 
A writer in the New England Home¬ 
stead says:—“The currant worms have 
coiwe again, and now by right management, 
all who have currant bushes may have a 
crop ot fruit in spite of them. Examine 
your bushes carefully, and you will find a 
few leaves on each bush, near the ground, 
upon which the eggs have been deposited, 
and which will be full of small holes as soon 
as the eggs batch. By picking off all such 
leaves now, and following it up for a few 
days, you will head off the first crop of 
worms, and with small pains, too, compared 
with the value of the fruit. In June, or the 
first of July, another attack will he made, 
and must be similarly met. This work can 
be much more readily done by cutting out 
all the suckers of t his year, excepting four 
or five of tlie strongest, so that there will he 
but few leaves near the ground to examine. 
Keep all the underbrush cleared away, if 
you do not wish to afford a hiding place for 
the enemy. 
“ The whole matter consists in destroying 
the worms before they spread over the 
bushes, which can be easily done by the 
plan above mentioned ; and lie who has not 
sufficient persistence in the light does not 
deserve the results of victory. If, however, 
by any means the worms are allowed to 
swarm all over the bushes, they may still be 
destroyed by a vigorous onset. Either dust 
them with powdered white hellebore, from a 
common pepper box, or sift all over tho 
bushes water-slaked lime, which is perhaps 
the safer way, and about as effectual.” 
--- 
LANDRETH ON THE PEA BUG. 
Mu. Landretii, the well known seeds¬ 
man, says:—This troublesome little insect, 
which deposits its egg in tlie pea while in 
the pod, might he even more mischievous 
than it is, for by some wonderful provision, 
it is taught to avoid the germ of liie; and 
strange as it appears to the inexperienced, 
peas which are nearly eaten to a shell, vege¬ 
tate with almost as much certainty, though 
not with equal vigor, as those untouched. 
It would he well, however, if we were rid of 
its attentions, and a method seems within 
our reach. It is simply as follows;—So soon 
as the pea is dry enough to harvest, let it be 
placed in a tight vessel, and pulverized cam¬ 
phor, at the rate of two ounces to the bushel, 
or a tablespoonful of sulphuric ether to it 
similar quantity be applied; in a few days, if 
not hours, the bugs will be found sickened, 
and ultimately dead. If each person who 
saves peas would adopt the coarse described, 
we should, ere long, rid ourselves of a pestif¬ 
erous insect. 
Insects in Orchards.— The orchard fenced and 
used as a hog-yard is the best preventive of the 
increase of the moth, while the rubbing of full 
grown trees by the bogs is in no way deleteri¬ 
ous. Let mo say I have confidence unbounded 
in unearthing the trunk of the tree, the 20th of 
June, to the branching out of tlie root, and ex¬ 
posing It untit .1 uly 15tb, nibbing tt with a cheap 
bar soup until tlie body, for a foot from tlie 
ground, presents a smooth surface of soap and 
bark —all this to prevent, the laying, hatching 
and breeding of the grub Unit, is certainly de¬ 
stroying our orchards very rapidly. This is tho 
season id' tlie laying of tho eggs, according to a 
lengthy scientific exposition I have Siam, and ihe 
remedy is valuable, according to my own expe¬ 
rience.—P. I). McM-FORb. 
- +++ - 
Tin- White Griil*. A correspondent asks for an 
effectual remedy for White Grab. Riley, in 
his Annual Report as Stale Entomologist of Mis¬ 
souri, says the natural checks and destroyers of 
this grub are the badger, weasel, skunk, martin, 
crow, the different hawks, and especially the 
ground booties among insects. Hogs are fond of 
them, and may be turned into a meadow, which 
is to be cultivated the following year, with good 
advantage. During the visits of these grubs as 
beetles, they should lie shaken from (he trees, 
gathered up, scalded and led to hogs. This has 
been successfully practiced in France. Tho bee¬ 
tles appoar in different localities regularly every 
three yours. There are also fungi which attack 
tho grub. 
--» 4 »- —-- 
To Destroy Ant Hills.. —The Isle of Wight, Eng¬ 
land, plan is to take a spade, cut the hill cross¬ 
wise in diamond shape, lay tho Bod over, throw 
out the dirt a little below the surface, and tho 
first heavy rains will destroy the ants. After 
that is done the sod is put back.— Geo. Morgan, 
Port Byron , N. Y. 
- 4 ~*~* - 
Put Specimens of Insects in small glass vials or 
boxes. Don’t send them unprotected in a letter. 
