MOORE’S RURAL NEW-YORKER 
POULTRY NOTES AND QUERIES. 
Gapes in Fowls.—In tbe Rural New- 
Yorker of April 27, a contributor thinks 
he can master roup in fowls by the use of 
homeopathic remedies. Is “ roup the dis¬ 
ease commonly called gapes ? I f so, 1 would 
like to know his success, for gap os is cer¬ 
tainly produced by live worms in t he wind¬ 
pipe. 1 did not believe it until this year, it 
post-mortem examination revealing the fact 
to me, in this wise:—I held a chicken in my 
hand when it died; was trying to relieve it 
by the use of a small feather inserted into 
the trachea. As soon as it died, I cut off its 
head, opened the trachea, and found five 
living, squirming worms; one was an iuch 
long; they were as large in diameter as a 
No. 9 needle; all were as ml as blood. How 
can homeopathy kill these worms, and re¬ 
move them so that they shall not obstruct 
breathing?—that is the question.— Mary H. 
Ca I.DWKLL. 
Gapes is a trouble very different from 
roup. To relieve a chicken attacked with 
gapes, take a small quill feather, strip it, 
except a half inch at the extremity, dip the 
feather end in spirits of turpentine, and 
pass the feather so prepared down through 
the small openings of the wind-pipe of the 
chicken, at the base of the longue, give it 
one or two turns, which will generally 
bring up or destroy the worms. The tur¬ 
pentines at once kills the worms, and its ap¬ 
plication causes coughing, during which, 
those that are not drawn out by the feather 
are expelled. 
Diseased St. Lawrence Co., N. Y., 
Chickens.— Lyman Sears writes us of his 
chickens, which wo judgo have been well 
taken care of; yet they are diseased. lie 
says:—“The first symptoms are drooping 
and dumpishnesB; stand very erect when 
standing; appetite not very good; in about 
three days the crop will be distended and 
hard, the skin being generally black; in 
three days more a hole will appear in 
the crop, from which the food will come 
out—in one caso the whole crop, skin and 
all, came out, leaving the breast bone bare. 
The flesh is black, with a very offensive 
smell; this one would pick up corn and 
swallow it, and it would drop out. on to the 
ground. Six have died, or rather 1 have 
killed six within the last three weeks. Now 
if any one knows what is the trouble, and 
a remedy, they will confer a great favor by 
telling mo ?” 
Game Fowls.— J. F. Johnston writes: 
One of your correspondents says—“If we 
keep fowls for beauty, keep Ham burgs.” 
Right, so for as It goes; but why not add 
the graceful and sprightly Game, Karl Der¬ 
by, Sumatra Pheasant, Spangled, &c., &e., 
or the no less beautiful White-top j#d Po¬ 
land? If one lias no eye for beauty and 
wish bulk of carcass, then the Asiatics, un¬ 
wieldy of course as they are, are the birds. 
JJut as for a fowl which is the best for all 
purposes, or which combines all good qual¬ 
ities—opinions, of course, vary—1 choose 
tin: Game as approaching nearer than any 
other to a perfect bird. They are hardy, 
good layers, good mothers, not equalled for 
meat by any other, and for beauty—where 
is there combined in one bird of any other 
breed, so much grace of movement, beauty 
of plumage and symmetry of form?” 
Buff Coeliin.s as Winter Layers. — D. 
\V. II. (page 297) asks “ who have tried them 
to say if the Buff Cochins are good Winter 
layers, and why they are never recommend¬ 
ed. for profit?” Yes, they are good Winter 
layers; but they should bo kept but one 
year; or if kept a second year the older ones 
should be separated from the younger ones 
and fed more sparingly, as they are liable to 
get too fat to lay well. They are never 
recommended for profit simply because they 
will recommend themselves. Defective 
poultry, like defective implements, require 
to have their strong points shown up and 
illustrated in order that their weak ones 
may be less visible. The Buffs are one of 
the few kinds of “ substantiate ” which only 
require to be known to be appreciated.— 
Farmer, Mystic Bridge, Conn. 
Silver - Spangled Hamburg's. — C. F. 
T y leu wishes to know what quality Silver- 
Spangled Hamburgs have to commend them 
except beauty. I can say, emphatically, 
they have every quality, except size. They 
are very hardy, will endure confinement 
well, and will lay more eggs than any other 
breed of fowls known. (I apeak from ex¬ 
perience and observation.) They are non- 
sitters. My largest weighcocks, six 
pounds; hens, five pounds. They lay a 
medium sized egg. Their flesh (what there 
is of it) is full as good as the much-lauded 
Brahma. Could they be bred a little larger, 
they would combine all the good qualities. 
They might he bred larger if breeders would 
take the same pains with them in that 
respect they do with Brahmas and Cochins. 
—A. Y. Van Epps. 
A TTen that Over-Lays.—T have noticed 
in the Rural New-Yorker remedies for 
almost all diseases that poultry is heir to, 
with one exception. I have a pure-bred 
Partridge Cochin hen that a few weeks 
back took a notion to lay two eggs a day; 
since t hat time, it has averaged three eggs 
iu two days, some thereof being soft -shelled. 
I cannot account for it, but believe that If 
will eventually wear down the lien aud 
cause it to die. My hens arc constantly 
supplied with sand, lime, ami broken bone. 
Will you please State a remedy, or at least 
the cause, and a preventive? The hen ap¬ 
pears hearty and lively, and at the tirno of 
writing weighs ten pounds.— Subscriber, 
Schoencck , Pa. 
Some attribute such results to over-feed¬ 
ing. We have no well established theory in 
relation to the matter, and shall be glad to 
hear from intelligent correspondents, in 
response to the above inquiry. 
Egg-Eating Hens. — A writer iu the 
Journal of Horticulture advises:—Any one 
who is troubled with hens oaring their eggs, 
to break an egg and dust the contents with 
fine Cayenne pepper, turning the egg round, 
so as to get the pepper before the yolk, if 
possible, and leave the egg in the offender’s 
nest. Or, if he catches her in the act of 
eating an egg, let him drive her away quiet¬ 
ly, and place popper iu the remainder of the 
egg, endeavoring, as stated above, to get the 
popper underneath, lie will very soon see 
her running furiously about with distended 
beak. If one dose is not sufficient, admin¬ 
ister another, a little stronger; but one dose 
has proved to be a perfect euro. 
liens Losing Feathers. — My hens are 
losing their feathers, and have done so for 
three years past. They begin to shed them 
in March, and got almost entirely naked 
during the summer. What will prevent or 
remedy it?— A Ritual SUBSCRIBER. 
Do you give thorn any animal food and 
lime? If not, you should—plenty of it. 
The Diseased Fowls 111 Texas.—(See 
Rural March 30, page 212.) If your sub¬ 
scriber at San Antonia, Texas, will apply 
lard twice a day for two or three days, I 
will insure a cure.—A Subscriber, Arka- 
delphiu. Ark. 
Nest Building. I should like poultry 
fanciers of experience to state the best 
method of ncst-building for hens. Should 
they lie elevated or made on the ground ? 
In either case what are the advantages?— 
H. W. Dews. 
Gapes in Pennsylvania Chickens.— 
Sharon, Pa., subscriber, is informed that 
his chickens have the gapes. See articles 
on the subject iu hack and future numbers 
of the Rural New-Yorker. 
Partridge Cochins.—B. A. K. asks Mr. 
Van Winkle to give his experience with 
“Partridge Cochins” through the Rural 
New-Yorker. 
There’S no use o’Talking.—We don't 
intend to advertise any body’s Japanese 
Bantams, or any other fowls without pay 
for it. 
arum. 
REPLY TO MR. MOORE. 
We did not intend to make any reply to 
anything that Mr. Moore might have to 
offer iu regard to our answer to his attack 
upon us, in the Rural New-Yorker of 
March 2d. But we find so many misstate¬ 
ments in his article published in tbe RunAL 
of April 27lh, that wccannot pass them un¬ 
noticed. Let us examine the “facts” as 
submitted by him in said article. 
1. In our article published in the Rural 
of February 10th, in referring to the hive 
wo had previously described, we said:—“ It 
possesses more advantages, with fewer ob¬ 
jections, than any patent ldvo we have ever 
seen, in our opinion. Remember, we always 
mean the latter, if we do happen to forget 
to say so.” Iu the Rural of March 2d, 
after asserting wo had described a Lang- 
stroth Hive, he says:—“I then found ho 
meant the latter (patent hive), though he 
forgot to say so." Yet ho would make our 
readers believe that he quoted from our 
article as it was printed. Does Mr. M. want 
the credit of making us correct the printers’ 
mistakes? It seems he would like to make 
it look as though wo were not honest enough 
to do so. 
2. In answer tohis “ query,” we will only 
say that he has repeatedly told vs that it 
was Mr. Lanostkoth. 
3. As a “clincher” ho says the hive in 
question is described in the “ Hive and 
Honey Boo,” published in 1859. Wo know 
it is an easy matter to make assertions; but 
we demand the proof. We challenge Mr. 
M. to produce a word that describes the 
hive wo delineated in the Rural of Dec. 
Kith, 1871. Mr. M. makes a quotation from 
Lanostkoth to show that this hive was in 
use thirteen years ago. Does the simple 
fact that Mr. L. mentioned a two-story hive 
prove it was iu use then? The only illus¬ 
tration of a two-story hive in his work 
plainly shows Mr. L.’s idea of such a hive to 
be wholly unlike the one wo described. 
Mr. M. will have to try again, for it don’t 
clinch. worth a cent. 
4. To fortify his position ho quoted from 
the pen of one who lias an ax to grind. But 
do such assertions prove anything? Al¬ 
though friend M. infers that we know noth¬ 
ing of what we are writing about, we can 
inform 1dm that the principle of the two- 
story hive was known and described moro 
than twenty-two years ago, which was pre¬ 
vious to the first issue of the “Hive and 
Honoy Bee.” 
5. We had received many inquiries from 
the readers of the Rural asking our opin¬ 
ion of a good hive; and wo finally consent¬ 
ed to give our views through these columns. 
We should not have Baid a word in regard 
to patent hives, had not our opinion been 
repeatedly called for. Mr. M. seizes the 
opportunity, occasioned by a typographical 
(Bconomi). 
within range of flight of an old hive, combs 
should be selected so as to give the new hive 
two-thirds or more of the brood, as a good 
many bees will return to the old stand. I 
have hived natural swarms without having 
them cluster before hiving, as follows:—The 
queen’s wings having been previously 
clipped, and a hive in readiness, as soon as 
swarm begins to issue, look for queen in 
front of hive. As soon as bees commence 
returning, put the queen on alighting board, 
and tho swarm will enter the hive; after 
which, remove tho hive to a new staud. and 
replace parent hive on its staud. 
Rochester, Pa. J. E. MOORE. 
<£ntomolo(|iatl. 
ENTOMOLOGICAL NOTES. 
Breeding or Hatching Butterflies.— 
I wish some Naturalist would iuform me 
how to breed or hatch butterflies from tho 
egg.—N. i\ Sangbokn. 
To breed butterflies successfully, one not 
only requires a thorough knowledge of tho 
habits of each species, but a place in which 
to Co nil lie the sexes until the eggs are laid. 
The eggs must then be kept where they will 
not be injured by severe changes of tem¬ 
perature, or too wet or too dry. With our 
native butterflies it is not so difficult a mat¬ 
ter as with foreigu species, although some 
of them do not bear confinement very well. 
When t he eggs are hatched it is not difficult 
to rear the larvae, provided wc know what 
kind of food they require, for they may bo 
confined iu flue wire or gauze cases, aud 
fed until they change to chrysalis. By a 
little observation and n few experiments 
you can soon learn to manage the most 
common species, but there are thousands 
of species, and each lias its own peculiar 
habits, all of which must be learned before 
you can become an expert in rearing butter¬ 
flies from tbe egg. 
Wire-Worm in Corn.—J. B., Tioga Co., 
Pa., asks for a remedy for wire-worm in 
corn. The best we know of is to dip tho 
seed corn in diluted tar, when warm, and 
roll it iu plaster to dry it, before planting. 
Another mode which is pronounced success¬ 
ful, but which we have never tried, is to put 
the corn in a strong decoction of copperas 
water—one pound of copperas to suflicieut 
water to cover a half-bushel of seed—at 
uoou, the day before planting. When ready 
to plant, take out the corn—say a peck—add 
one pint or more of Roft soap, stir thorough¬ 
ly, and then add plaster enough to dry it 
and keep it in condition for planting. It is 
asserted by a correspondent, who lias tried 
it, that this will not only prevent the rav¬ 
ages of the wire-worms, but “ will increase 
the crop more than thirty percent, on some 
kinds of soil.” W« are not prepared to be¬ 
lieve tho latter assertion, however. 
Killing Minute Insects. — I wish to 
know the best, manner of killing minute in- 
ODDS AND ENDS. 
Egg Plants, or Vegetable Eggs—Are 
used iu their green state—that is, while the 
seeds are soft and white. They will do as 
soon as they are large enough; but economy 
suggests that they be full size before pull¬ 
ing. Pare olT the outside rind, cut around 
in slices one-quarter of an inch in thickness. 
Have on a dish equal portions of salt and 
pepper, which must be rubbed with the 
lingers on to each side of tho slices; then 
roll iu flour and fry on a buttered griddle. 
When browtt on both sides they will be soft 
and ready to eat while hot. They make a 
nice breakfast dish, and are a substitute for 
meat.—M rs. C. Blair, Craivfordsville, Ind. 
mistake, to make an ungentlemanly attack ^forming them" w « to be 
upon us: making assertions ho can not sus- examined with a microscope.—A Friend 
tain. We have no personal interest in the oe the Rural. 
hive in dispute; but have ever given advice Place them in any vial, or where the 
with a view to benefit the great mass of bee fumes of ether or camphor can be introduced 
keepers who wish to learn how to make a)l(1 c(m f m ed for a few moments. Do not 
their bees a source of income; and, judging trm( .j, the insects with any liquid, for this is 
from the many letters of commendation no t ncocssary; a drop of ether or a lump of 
we have received from our readers, wo catU plior can be introduced without coming 
should say that our efforts have not been iu C0 „tac$ with your specimens. Mount 
altogether unsuccessful. them upon your glass slides with Canada 
Herbert A. BtffiCft. . , 
South Haven, Mich., May 2cl, 1872. 
_ +++ _ White Worms iu Soil. — “VrOLET” 
“ ARTT-PTrTAT swarms” writes that tho soil in which her home 
ARTIFI CIAL S WARMS. planta aro grow ing is filled with white 
tir .... . , , i worms, and wants to know the cause. Of 
When artificial swarms are made, as de- ’ . . „ ... . ,_._ 
.. . . .... ,. ,, w, . course, we cannot tell without knowing 
scribed by “ M* C.,’ on page 282 of Rural - 
... ,, . .. , , . . | . more of tho soil and circumstances, but 
New-Yorker, the queen should be left in ^ ,,uu 
.. , .. , , , ... would suggest watering the plants with to- 
tkc lower hive, or new swarm, and the » 
. , . r i ... - hacco water; and if it docs not destroy tho 
upper, or parent hive, supplied with a fer- . . . . , 
, , . , i ,, worms, stir a little sulphur into the soil 
tile queen, or, at least, a sealed queen cell, ’ „ ,, * . rrM „ 
.. .. .. .. . , rr about the roots of the plants. The worms 
after being removed to the new stand. Un- \ 1 , .. . 
, ... . . . . certainly do the plants no good, and it is 
less this is done, one lave will be left with- ® ’ 
out a fertile queen from fifteen to twenty bcat to dostro Y them * 
days. If the parent hive is left quecnless, 
the cells occupied with brood will be filled 
with hooey as fast as bees hatch; and un¬ 
less emptied, there will not be the room for 
brood there should be. Had a queen been 
given, eggs would be deposited in cells, aud 
the honey stored inboxes. Should the new 
swarm he left queenless, all comb built, un¬ 
til they have a queen, will be drone comb; 
and it will not make a good stock hive, I 
prefer waiting until natural swarms should 
issue, then place half tho combs, with ad¬ 
hering bees, in new hive, filling up both 
hives with empty frames placed between 
the combs, so as to secure straight combs on 
frames given. I give a fertile queen to a 
new hive, after placing it on stand. When 
a new hive is set up iu the same apiary, or 
How to Put up Pickles for Market. 
—A lady at Neosho, Mo., asks some of our 
correspondents to toll her how to put up 
pickles for market well and profitably—all 
the ways of keeping them, what to put them 
iu, etc., and if it will pay to put them up in 
salt in kegs or barrels at 40 or 45 cents per 
gallon. Where can she get cider vinegar? 
Ts there a rule for making whisky pickles? 
How are peppers pickled? These are her 
questions. 
Killing Grasshoppers.—An Australian 
newspaper says that, tho practice has been 
very successfully adopted in gardens, of 
sowing rows of common larkspur, the leaves 
of which atti-act grasshoppers at once, and 
when eaten is certain death to them—aud 
that thousands of grasshoppers have been 
thus seen lying dead—all of which may or 
may not be true. We cannot say that we 
believe it. Let some one try this season. 
To Destroy tho Cotton Worm, a corre¬ 
spondent of the Southern Cultivator says 
apply a solution of arsenic in water, sprink¬ 
led upon the plants by means of a common 
garden watering pot. Two pounds of arse¬ 
nic to three pork barrels of water is the 
proportion, and this, it. is said, will be suf¬ 
ficient for one acre of plants. 
