332 
MOORE’S RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
®he faulty grn[i 
RAISING TURKEYS. 
A farmer's wife, in the Rural World, 
gives her practice with turkeys:—Have no 
more than four liens to each gobbler, and do 
not starve them during winter. Watch 
them closely about laying time, as they 
nearly always hunt a nest the day before 
they deposit their first egg. Make a good, 
large nest in some building that you can 
confine thorn in, and the next morning after 
they hunt their nest, catch them and shut 
them up in the place where you mode the 
nest, for after they have laid one egg there 
they will always go back to that nest. If 
they choose a good place of their own accord 
1 let them alone; though I put a few com¬ 
mon hen eggs in the nest and take out the 
turkey eggs every day and keep them in a 
cool place, as heat injures them quicker than 
coin, provided it does not freeze. I let each 
turkey set the first time she wants to; but 
let no young turkeys run with a common 
ben, for if they do so half a dozen times they 
are more trouble than fifty running with a 
turkey hen. 
The advantage of letting turkeys set on 
their first, laying of eggs is this:—the young 
turkeys are hatched before the weeds and 
grass get high enough to wot and befoul 
them in the mornings, I watch them two 
or three days, that no weak ones are loBt; 
then they get no more attention, only feed¬ 
ing when they come to the house. On no 
account, give them raw food when small—1 
teed mine on corn bread; sometimes soak it 
in sour milk and sometimes give them curd. 
Never shut them up unless it rains hard. To 
prevent cholera, I give them sulphur twice 
a week. 
| shape—the cocks being produced from those 
of elongated shape, and hens from the short 
or round. Others have pretended to discern 
the future sex from the position of the air 
bubble at the large, end. We need scarcely 
say that, these and all other fancies have 
hundreds of times, been proved to be erro¬ 
neous. There is not a breeder of prize poul- 
i try in England, who would not gladly give 
twenty pounds for the coveted knowledge, 
and thenceforth breed uo more cockerels 
than he really wanted ; but the secret has 
never been discovered yet, and it is even im¬ 
possible to say before an egg has been set 
upon a short time whether ir- will produce a 
chicken or not.” G. Thomson. 
Onondaga, Co., N. Y. 
♦ ♦ »- 
POULTRY NOTES. 
The Cochin Not Degenerated .—A veteran 
poultry breeder writes the London Field 
that , in his opinion, “ we do not possess any 
breed In a more primitive and less degener¬ 
ated state than the Cochin; that the Cochin 
is one of the least., if not the least, domesti¬ 
cated fowls we possess. 
England Importing Eggs.— It is slated 
that during the first three months of the 
present year, England imported .£509,270 
worth of eggs ; during March, £310,455. Wo 
wonder, where from ? 
Spangled Poland Fowls.—A correspondent 
at Tully, N. Y., asks “if a single comb in a 
Spangled Poland is a disqualification. A 
Spangled Poland wears a crest of feathers 
and not a comb. 
Remedy for Pip .—Castor oil is called an 
excellent remedy. Give it every alternate 
day for a week. 
Ipitsfotjulrg. 
EXPERIENCE 
WITH TWENTY-THREE 
HENS. 
Horseman. 
I am not in the poultry business very ex¬ 
tensively. 1 have kept for the past, your 
twenty-three liens; that is, I commenced 
with that number Jan. 1, 1873. Between 
that and the first of September I lost one 
and killed fourteen, leaving the total of 
eight on the first of September. From these 
and my pullets, which began to lay in No¬ 
vember, I got 2,940 eggs. 
Sold. 201 ) Colon, averssn 2 ij$c. per dozen... *61 65 
llNt'd In tho fiimily JO (luzoii. 2oe. y 00 
b orty-twoCOJokoim, *uy 60c. spiero.!.. 21 00 
_ _4M|| nx. 
Food corn, 8 bushels, 80e. m 
Buckwheat, 10 bushels, 86c. 8 M 
Oats, 4 bushels, 600 . ' o fin 
Corn meal. 3 'll) 
..— 20 80 
1>roflt ...*70 86 
My fowls xire Javus, and this statement, 
covers the year 1874. My hens had the run 
of the orchard, and were daily furnished 
with corn, buckwheat, oats or scalded meal, 
well seasoned with black pepper. They al¬ 
ways had plenty of fresh water and a clean, 
dry place to roost. 1 also gave them butter¬ 
milk twice a week. They had free access to 
lime, old mortar and coal ashes.—J ohn M. 
Severson. 
The only fault we can find with the above 
statement is that the cost or valuation of 
tlie original twenty-three hens is not given, 
xiiul the interest, on the money thus invested 
is not charged to the fowls. 
- *■ 
EDIBLE QUALITIES OF BRAHMAS. 
Fowl fanciers and writers often make 
great mistakes in speaking of certain breeds 
of poultry. Bralimas, for instance, are said 
to be unfit for the table until seven or eight 
months old, and then are set down os dry 
ami coarse in flesh. Regarding myself as 
an epicure, and having raised fowls of all 
breeds, and eaten them at, all ages and with 
all sauce-', I do pronounce Brahmas as equal 
to the best quality of fowls at the age of 
four and five months, being at that time 
very tender and juicy, and weighing from * 
seven to eight pounds per pair. Brahmas’ J 
hardiness, quick growth, and good laying ] 
qualities of large and abundant eggs, sum- 1 
mer and winter, should place them high in 1 
the estimation of those wishing to keep a 1 
quiet, handsome and useful fowl.— Journal i 
of the Farm. i 
HORSE FEED. 
The high price of hay has taught thinking 
farmers a lesRon in wintering horses. Very 
few rely now on hay, which, at *25 to *28 
per ton is much dearer than any other feed. 
Corn is cheap enough, but is too heating for 
working horses or any others, except in the 
coldest weather. Oats are fed with profit, 
but an all grain feed of any kind does not 
furnish sulheient bulk to distend the stom¬ 
ach. A combination of straw with corn and 
oats ground together, or of coarse mill feed 
(ship stufls) seems to be about the thing for 
winter keep of homes not working. Many 
keep them largely on straw, com stalks and 
bran, which keeps the bowels loose and pre¬ 
pares the animal for higher feeding when 
spring work begins. Shipstuffs sell at $20 per 
ton, or one cent, a pound, and at this price 
are much the cheapest feed for any stock not 
fattening. 
There is no waste in feeding mill feed, as 
there is with any coarse fodder, and a more 
important item is the value of the manure, 
which from bran is worth more than from 
the best of hay. The phosphates in grain 
are always found mainly in the outer cover¬ 
ing, or husk, and wheat bran is especially 
rich in them. Farmers whose land is grow¬ 
ing too poor for wheat can improve it rapid¬ 
ly by buying and feeding a few tons of mill 
feed each winter. At present prices it is a 
cheaper mode of supplying phosphates to 
worn-out soils than buying bone dust. The 
phosphate in the mill feed goes into the ma¬ 
nure in just, that combination with nitrogen 
that is needed to make it soluble and effect¬ 
ive. Hence it possesses a value which no 
artificially prepared phosphate can have, 
valuable as these often tire. 
Western New York. 
NEW YORK STATE SHEEP SHOW. 
The annual Exhibition of the New York 
State Sheep Breeders’ Association at Can¬ 
andaigua, we are informed, was a great, suc¬ 
cess. The Merinos predominated and the 
classes of this breed were full. Few Long 
and Middle Wooled sheep were shown. The 
following are the 
PRIZES AWARDED. 
1. —American Merinos [brad for weight of 
fleece]. 
Ramr. — Sweepstokes, Lusk A Townsend; Ba¬ 
tavia. Three years old and over I. Lusk A 
Townsend. 2. C. IS. Hhrpurd, Canandaigua; 
3. 1*. II. McMillan, Canandaigua. Two years 
1. P. AG. F. Martin, Bast. Kush; 2.0. H. 
Sackett, Canandaigua. 3. C. E. Shepard. 
One year—I. 8. Hillman, Avon. 2. Lusk A 
Townsend. 3. Ray Brothers, Honeoye. 
Ewkb.— Sweepstake*, P. A G. K. Martin. Throe 
years and over—1. P. A. O. F. Martin. 2. 
Ray Brothers. 8. J. J. Brainard, Attica. 
Two years—1. P. II. McMillan. 2. Kay 
Brothers. 3. Marriner A Bronson, East 
Bloomfield. One year 1. 1'. II. McMillan, 
2. Ray Brothers. 3. J. II. Kuril, Skaneateic*. 
2. — Tine Merinos [Bred for fineness of fleece.] 
Rams.— Sweepstake#, Carl Heyne, lied llook 
Three years and ever 1. Win.Chamberlain, 
Red Hook. 2. Carl Heyne. 3. Win. Cham¬ 
berlain. Two years I. Carl Heyne. 2 and 
3, Wm. Chamberlain. One year — 1. Curl 
lleyne. 2. Wm. Chamberlain. 3. Kay 
Brothers. 
Ewes. Sweepstake#, Carl Heyne. Three years 
and over — 1. wm. Chamberlain. 2. Carl 
lleyne. 3. W. T. Reiner, Penn Yan. Two 
years—1. C. Heyne. 2. W. Chamberlain. 3. 
Marriner A Bronson. One year l. C. Heyne. 
2. W. Chamberlain. 3. Marriner A Bronson. 
3.—Delaine Merinos. 
Rams.— Three years and over 1. J. II. Kuril. 
Two yearn- I. Adama A Daniels, Honeoye. 
2. 8. N, Franklin, Kings Ferry. 3. B. F. 
Burnet. One year, second prize - Ray 
Brothers. 3. A. G. Percey, Newark. 
Merino Fleeces. 
Ram. 1. Stephen Briggs, Penn Van. Age of 
fleece, 366 days ; weight, 31‘A lbs.; weight of 
sheep before shearing, J58*4 lbs. 
Ewe.— 1. Marriner A Bronson. Age of fleece, 
360 days- weight, 1.*!i lbs.; weight of sheep 
before shearing, 80 lbs. 
favorable day ; wet the earth in each can 
thoroughly ; turn them upside down, tap¬ 
ping gently on the bottom, and the ball of 
earth will slip out, and you can transplant 
them without their growth being checked 
24 hours. 
* »»- 
GARDENERS’ NOTES. 
Early and Late Peas in the Same Drill .— 
A writer in the “ London Gardeners’ Chron¬ 
icle ” planted early and late peas in the same 
drill. The early sorts, he says, came up 
first, caught hold of the stakes, supported 
the others until they got hold of the same, 
and the result was, that he had a beautiful 
crop of peas three weeks before the late va¬ 
rieties were ready to gather, thus giving a 
double crop oil the same ground, and with 
the same sticks. He recommends the plan 
to persons whose gardens are rich, but lim¬ 
ited in extent. 
Tomatoes from Cuttings .—A gardener of 
Todeoster, England, is growing his tomatoes 
altogether from cuttings. He found that he 
can thus propagate any special variety more 
surely than by seed, and that the plants 
struck from cuttings are much more fertile 
and productive than those grown from seed. 
In ten days cuttings struck in sixty pots 
were so well grown in the gluss that they 
were ready for setting out in the open 
ground. 
Early Minnesota Street Corn.— Vick, and 
others who have grown it, recommended 
this variety of sweet corn very highly. Vick 
says, “ We do not expect to see a better for 
some time, and an Illinoisan says, “You 
cannot recommend the Early Minnesota 
Corn too highly as an early corn or for flavor. 
It is the best and earliest corn grown.” 
fmnclogial. 
KEEPING WINTER PEARS. 
4.—Middle-Woolkd Sheep. 
A. B. Cooley, Canandaigua, took four first ami 
three second premiums, and W. G. Thorne, 
Skunoatclog, took one first premium. 
5. Long Wooled Sheep. 
W. N. Perry took one first and W. G. Thorne 
one first premium. 
-- 
SHEPHERDS’ NOTES. 
Washing Sheep .—There are some farmers 
who think it pays to wash sheep, hence they 
do it; others do not think so, and lienee do 
not do it. If it does pay it will continue to 
be done by those whom it does pay; and it 
will not be done by those whom it does not 
pay. It would not pay us to wash wool on 
the sheep’s back, hence we should not do it. 
That is our position relative to this matter, 
about which there is a great deal of elabor¬ 
ate discussion just now. 
Stretches in Sheep .—A correspondent of 
the Maine Farmer says stretches are “caused 
by sheep being kept for a long time on dry 
food. If one will Dike the trouble to haul a 
load of hemlock boughs for them, or give 
them a few roots now and then, it will, in a 
great, measure, prevent the disease. A table¬ 
spoonful of castor oil, will generally give 
relief, and soon effect a cure under good 
treatment. 
(i5ni’doit. 
EARLY TOMATOES WITHOUT A HOT-BED. 
NOTES FOR HORSEMEN. 
THE SEX OF EGGS. 
In a late issue of the Rural New-Yorker, 
a correspondent pretends to have settled the 
question of sex in eggs by studying their 
shape. Will you please insert the following 
paragraph copied from Capell’s Household 
Guide i 
Hundreds of years ago it was thought that 
the sex of eggs could bo distinguished by the i 
Horses with Contracted Feet .—I think I 
saw an inquiry in the Rural New-Yorker 
not long since, for a remedy for horses troub¬ 
led with contracted feet. Here is one, 
whether asked for or not, 1 will give you, 
which is worth more than any other 1 ever 
tried, ua I have tried it, and know of many 
others who have. 1 never knew an instance 
where it failed to cure. It is simply this : 
Make an excavation in the bottom of your 
stable close by the manger, from two to 
three feet square and one oV more feet deep ; 
fill the same with clay, Diking care to crush 
down into a solid mass. lie sure to get good , 
pare clay —not mud of any sort. Keep the 
surface damp, and a horse kept standing on 
such a surface will never be troubled with 
contracted hoofs. It Is not necessary to have 
any more of the damp surface thuu just 
where the fore feet rest.—C. 8. Horton. 
A Galksburoh, Michigan, correspondent 
writes the Country Gentleman as follows: 
Procure empty tin oyster cans that can be 
found in abundance in any village. With a 
pair of shears cut off the top and you will 
have a vessel about six inches deep, four and 
one-half wide, and one and one-lmlf thick. 
Fill with the beat soil you can find, and sow 
your seed, and place your cans near the 
kitchen stove. If you can procure some 
moss, such as grows on old logs, cut a piece 
to fit the top of each can. Saturate tho moss 
with water, and this will keep the seeds 
moist, and they will germinate very quick. 
As soon as the plants prick through the 
ground, take off the moss and place the cans 
near a window in tho sunshine. Alter a few 
days, pull up all of the plants but ouo or two. 
If you save but one, let it be near the center 
of the vessel. If two, of course they should 
stand near the ends of the vessel. As soon 
as the weather is warm enough, put them 
out-doors in the middle of the day. Leave 
them in the cans until all danger of frost is 
over, and the ground warm enough that 
they may grow right along. Then select a 
j As pear culture is receiving more atlen- 
, tion in this country than ever before, it is 
very desirable that tho people should have 
more instructions as to the best methods of 
• keeping winter pears, so that the luxury of 
good pears for the table may be enjoyed for 
six or eight months of the year, instead of 
only half that time, as is now the common 
rule. In the Pautucket (H. I.) Gazette of 
s the past month I noticed a brief paragraph, 
headed “ Pears in April,” stating that Mr. 
’ Rorkht Cushman of that place was very 
* successful in tho culture of grapes and pears, 
and also in the art of preserving these fruits 
in fine eating condition through the winter ; 
and that he had brought to the office of that 
paper, in the first week of April, “ a dozen 
of four varieties of pears, nearly all of which 
looked as if they might have been just picked 
from the trees, and were as juicy and pala¬ 
table as any we ever ate.” As I am person¬ 
ally acquainted with Mr. Cushman, and had 
the pleasure of visiting his house and friends 
the past fall, just after the Pomological 
meeting at Boston. I will state that he is 
only an amateur fruit grower in a small 
way, for home use, and his house and cellar, 
though good, are only of the Ordinary style. 
I did not learn anything respecting liis meth¬ 
od of keeping fruits in winter, und hence my 
object is to ask him if he will be kind enough 
to communicate through the Rural New- 
Yorker the particulars, especially as to his 
varieties of winter pears and method of 
preserving them so late—with a description 
of the cellar. M. B. Batkham. 
Palnesville, O, 
- ♦♦♦ - 
POMOLOGICAL NOTES. 
Origin of the Name of Green Gage Plum. 
—The origin of the name is simply that the 
Plum was brought into England about the 
middle of the last century, bj f the Rev. John 
Gage, Roman Catholic priest, in some way 
connected with a monastery or conventual 
establishment in France, I think near Fon¬ 
tainebleau, The laws of that time against 
Roman Catholic priests were so severe that 
Mr. Gage lived abroad, but frequently visited 
his brother, Sir Thomas Gage of liengrave 
Hall, near Coldham, in the County of Suffolk, 
fifth baronet. In one of these visits he 
brought over, from the garden of the mon¬ 
astery, grafts of this excellent fruit tree, 
which were cultivated in the garden at Hen- 
grave Hall, and soon were spread throughout 
England. This statement is correct ; the 
writer of this note (aged seventy-six) has 
frequently heard the sLury from her mother, 
whose family were near neighbors and most 
intimate friends of the Gage family, now 
extinct—the last baronet dying two or three 
years since without issue.—F. Z., Notes und 
Queries. 
