URAL NEW-YORKER. 
NOV. 21 
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THE POULTRY-KEEPEE.-No. 11. 
NOTES ON LA FLtCHE rOWLS. 
The La Fleche of ft fine strain, is peculiar to 
Maine. Its type Is always kept pure, es¬ 
pecially in the environs of La Fleche, where 
Uu-y practice tho mode of fattening that 
suits them. Mr. Lolroue, to whom I owe 
soma of the information, thinks that the 
origin of thi La Fleche is unknown. Their 
reputation, he says, may be dated from the 
fifteenth century according to some old his¬ 
torian* I think, however, they have a more 
ancient origin. It was in Mans that they 
had these beautiful fowls first, then at 
Mezeray, and then at La Fleche. A Iso they 
arc known under different names. Poultry 
rearing ha 9 ceased for a long time in Mans, 
it decreases at Mezeray, aDd i* not well 
fcept-up In La Fleche and the surrounding 
places. 
The La Fleche fowls are easy to fatten, are 
very hardy, and rarely ill. They acclimatise 
themselves in whatever country they are 
sent to, and the purity and superiority are 
cosily preseiwed, provided promiscuousness 
is avoided, and fresh blood is introduced 
every now and then. They habituate them¬ 
selves to any food after they have attained a 
certain age, but they ought at first to be fed 
with food something like that they have in 
their native country. Brought-up at liberty 
they do not roam far, particularly if provided 
with grass. 
The variety of La Fleche may be included 
among tbo throe or four of the most beauti 
ful of French varieties. Though its plumage 
is uniformly black, it is very rich, on account 
of the beautiful violet and green iridescence. 
Its comb and gills are of a deep red, which, 
with its large, transparent white ear, form 
with the plumage a contrast as remarkable 
as that of the Spanish variety. The fineness, 
delicacy, and superior flavor of the flesh are 
very perceptible even when unfatted, and 
most conspicuously developed when fattened, 
as is demonstrated in the pullets and cockerels 
submitted to fattening at seven or eight, 
months old. These last are put aside when 
required, that they may have no intercourse 
with the hens, and that is why they are 
called virgin cocks. The hens are just as 
easy to fatten before they begin to lay. 
Most, fowls require from nine to eleven 
months to arrive at a state of perfection. 
But they derive from this a compensating 
advantage, for the chickens being very long 
in becoming adults, and not following the 
hen till very late, continue to grow in the 
winter, and come iu during the spring at the 
time wlieu good fowls are very rare. Never 
cross this variety, for it would deteriorate 
this property. 
Tliere is a variety exactly similar in form 
and qualities to the principal race excepting 
the comb, which is large, of a single lobe, 
nearly round, flattened at the top, and form¬ 
ing a point, behind, granulated in the upper 
part. It is generally those with the granu¬ 
lated comb that are known under the name 
of the Mans Fowls. These two varieties 
have also certain similarities. They possess 
the same qualities, ar * equally easy to fatten, 
and the birds, in proportion to the weight 
they attain, yield a good profit to the fattener, 
because they are more early than the large 
varieties. 
The usual food for the La Fleche consists in 
giving them three times a-day barley still in 
the husk. The keepers ration them, because 
they are very voracious, and at certain times 
fatten too quickly. They give to chickens 
and to the mother after the particular food 
of the first few days, a soft mixture of meal 
during the six first months. The older they 
are the more you may increase their rations 
of bran, and diminish that of meal. Grass 
they should always have abundantly. 
-- 
HOW TO PRESERVE EGGS. 
The Farmer’s Advocate, London, Ontario, 
recently offered a prize for the best method 
of keeping eggs over winter. The first recipe 
given below, took the prize“ Whatever 
excludes the air prevents the decay of the 
egg. What I have found to be the moat suc¬ 
cessful method of doing so is to place a small 
quantity of Balt butter in the palm of the left 
hand and turn the egg round in it, so that 
every pore of the shell is closed ; then dry a 
sufficient quantity of bran in an oven (be 
sure you have the bran well dried, or it will 
rust.) Then pack them with the small ends 
down, a layer of bran and another of eggs, 
unt il your box is full; then place in a cool, 
dry place. If done when new laid, they will 
retain the sweet milk and curd of a new laid 
egg for at least eight or ten months. Any 
oil will do, but salt butter never becomes 
rancid, and a very small quantity of butter 
will do a very large quantity of eggs. To in¬ 
sure freshness I rub them when gathered in 
from the nests ; then pack when there is a 
sufficient quantity,”— E. Alexander. 
Mrs Wxn. Church says the best way she 
finds is to “ take a pot or pail, or anything 
convenient, put about an inch or two of meal 
or any kind of bran (I generally take shorts 
from flour—being a farmer’s wife, I have it 
on hand) in it, put a layer of eggs, either end 
down, clo:e together ; then cover with meal, 
another layer of eggs, and bo on until the box 
is full, occasionally giving it a shake to fill 
well between the eggs. This plan I have 
adopted for years with success, and the last 
when used—which is often the end of April 
and beginning of May—are as good a3 the 
first. I commence to pack in September. 
The whole secret lies in carefully selecting 
fresh eggs, packing on end, and keeping the 
air from them. Keep In a dry, cool place.” 
J. B. Strath naim says:—“I take a tub of 
any size and put a layer of common salt, 
about an inch deep in the bottom. Then 
grease the eggs with butter, and place them 
in the salt with the small end down, so that 
they will not touch the wood of the tub nor 
each other; then fill the vacancies with salt 
and cover them again about an inch deep, as 
before ; then place another layer of eggs as 
before ; then salt alternately till the tub is 
tilled ; then cover the top with salt, and put. 
them where they will not freeze. 1 have 
kept eggs in this manner from September till 
April as good as fresh eggs. The grease on 
the shell keeps the salt from penetrating, 
thereby keeping the etrgs fresh, while the 
saving qualities of the salt keep them from 
becoming putrid. This recipe ib both cheap 
and good, as the salt can be fed to cattle 
afterwards.” 
Emily Audlnwood, Stanstead Plains, P. 
Q., Bays“ I have tried several experiments, 
but find none to answer so well as the follow¬ 
ing :—I have kept eggs for two years, and 
found them perfectly good when used 2 lb. 
coarse salt boiled 10 minutes in 1 gallon rain 
water ; pour oft’ into un earthen jar. When 
nearly cold, stir in five tablespoon fills of 
quicklime ; let it stand till next day ; then 
put in the eggs, and keep them tightly 
covered until wanted for use.” 
W right, in his poultry book, recommends 
the following method for preserving eggs : 
To four gallons of boiling water add half a 
peck of new lime, stirring it some little time. 
When cold, remove any hard lumps with a 
coarse sieve, add ten ounces of salt, three 
ounces cream of tartar and mix thoroughly. 
The mixture should stand a fortnight before 
using. The eggs are to be packed as closely 
as possible and to be kept closely covered up. 
If put in when new-laid, he says they will 
keep nine months. 
FARM MACHINERY. 
The Rural New - Yorker has always 
shown its appreciation of the efforts of 
American inventoi'9 and manufacturers to 
relieve the agriculturists of the country of 
the burdonB of labor by providing the most 
complete agricultural machinery for their 
use that is to be found in any country. The 
late Fairs and public trials of agricultural 
implements have enabled farmers to note 
the progress being made in the direction of 
perfecting such tools. The strides made are 
wonderful. Increased simplicity and du¬ 
rability and adaptation to the work to be 
done are the characteristics. The old farm¬ 
ers whose thrift andecouomy and prudent 
care have kept their first-purchased ma¬ 
chines in good working condition, are aston¬ 
ished at the changes and improvements ; and 
yet they cling to their well-tried and well- 
preserved favorites. 
It is a mistake to suppose that manufac¬ 
turers of farm machinery are eager that the 
old machinery should wear or rust out quick¬ 
ly. No one who values his reputation as a 
manufacturer and that of the machine 
which be has invented, can desire any 6uck 
impression to obtain. No manufacturer 
but delights to be shown by a farmer one of 
his earliest and crudest-made machines in 
good working condition after years of wear 
and tear. Such a veteran implement does 
the maker’s eyes good to behold. He points 
to it, with honest pride, as an illustration of 
the work he has done in the past and de¬ 
lights to contrast its crudities with perfected 
machines of the present. There is no doubt 
about this, and that nothing is more foreign 
to his wishes than that the fanner should 
neglect to give proper care to his machinery. 
The Rural New-Yorker has not infre¬ 
quently spoken of the great aggregate loss 
to American farmers annually from this in¬ 
difference and carelessness in relation to the 
proper storing, cleaning, oiling, painting, 
&c., of farm implements. If fanners were 
to be Bure that they were swindled out of 
half the amount by any other class of men, 
they would raise the greatest possible hulla¬ 
baloo about it. They would solicit legisla¬ 
tion, run men for the legislature and Congress 
with a viev/to securing it, hold conventions 
in which to express their indignant protest 
in the shape of most scathing resolutions. 
And yet the mowers stand exposed in the 
meadows, the horse-rako is tilted up in a 
fence corner, the drill stands in the sun and 
storm on a headland, the plow rusts in the 
furrow, the hens roost on the thresher, the 
wagon stands by the roadside, the cultivator 
is stalled in the cornfield, &c., <£sc. No man 
can ride a half day in a farm district without 
seeing that what we assert is true—unless it 
be in a neighborhood or entirely different 
district than it has ever been our fortune 
to see. 
Ja this a hackneyed theme for a scold ? 
Arc we “scolding?” No; but we are stat¬ 
ing facts and defending honest manufactur¬ 
ers from the consequences of such wanton 
neglect of farm 'machinery. We would de¬ 
fend the farmers from the consequences of 
their own acts, but we have too much re¬ 
spect for the Itn'RAt, readers to believe that 
we are talking to one who is neglectful on 
this point. Bat this paper is designed to be 
loaned. We would be glad if the Rural 
which contains this article could be loaned 
to every farmer in the respective neighbor¬ 
hoods of our subscribers who fails to take 
proper core of his tools. Wby ? Because 
we want him to save enough money by such 
care to enable him to subscribe for his own 
paper, pay his taxes without grumbling and 
become a respectable citizen. This is our 
sole object. Will our readers help us in this 
laudable missionary work ? 
-- 
SCALES ON THE FARM. 
A merchant does not sell dry goods with¬ 
out a yard-stick or measure of his own ; a 
grocer does not allow bis customer to weigh 
the sugar for him when he gets home and 
send the price according to his (the custom¬ 
ers) own weighing ; he (the grocer) keeps his 
own scales. Why should the fanner allow a 
pound of butter, cheese, pork or wool, straw, 
hay or grain to go off his farm except it be 
paid for by his own weight ? There is only 
one good reason for it that we know of, and 
that is that it is rarely the ease that he has 
any scales with which to weigh his own pro¬ 
duce when he sells it. It is rather absurd, 
too, and veiy poor farm economy. Occasion¬ 
ally a farmer will dig out from somewhere a 
set of old, rusty steelyards with which to 
weigh two or three pounds of pork for seme 
poor day laborer; but, as a rule, it is as rare 
as ripe cherries on trees in January, to find a 
farmer who has a good set of scales for either 
the house, granary or barn. 
Scales, or a pair of ballances, in the house 
are of the greatest convenience for a house¬ 
keeper and cook, and by those who have 
tested their utility are regarded as essential. 
For weighing butter, cheese, grain, dressed 
hogs, &o., a p.et of farm scales are equally 
convenient and useful as a means both of 
avoiding and correcting mistakes, and of de¬ 
tecting and exposing dishonesty. A farmer 
told us the past summer that his scales had 
paid for themselves five Limes over in one 
year by enabling him to detect the errors 
(not to say tricks) of dealers who might or 
might not be honest; at any rate they were 
careless. He had insisted upon the accuracy 
of his own weights and had always won in 
any controversy. “Why,” said he, “I 
would as soon do without a churn in making 
butter, as without scales of my own in selling 
my produce.” He was right. 
- — - 
NOTES AND QUERIES. 
Width of Wheat Drill.— The Germantown 
Telegraph calls attention to the fact that “ in 
England, where close calculation is much 
more the rule in farming among the more in¬ 
telligent than with us, there is a growing 
feeling in favor of wide drill. Home set them 
as wide as ten inches, and the reports, espe¬ 
cially this year, are generally in favor of wide 
drills.” The condition and strength of the 
land must be considered. 
Clover Duller. —( W. C. F.)—Yes, there are 
several clover hullers made. Which is the 
best we do not know, nor are we posted as to 
the prices of any of them. 
re is wine- 
FEEDING HOGS. 
From Mr. Fred. Harris, Rising Sun (he 
does not tell us the State), we have a state¬ 
ment of an experiment hi feeding hogs. We 
like to receive records of all experiments, 
but wo want the details given so clearly that 
there can be no error made. Mr. Harris 
doubtless thinks ho has so given them in this 
case, and perhaps we shall bo able to give 
precisely what ho means, at least, what we 
understand him to menu ; if we do not com¬ 
prehend clearly, it will not be our fault, we 
think. 
Mr. Harris fed 200 head of hogs, and the 
gain—that is, the weight he added to them 
after he commenced feeding—cost him six 
cents per pound. On the 20t,h of August the 
200 hogs weighed 30,025 pounds. He fed un¬ 
til the 20tli day of October, when he had in¬ 
creased their weight 12,990 pounds. As we 
understand him, these 12,990 pounds of gain 
cost him 
1,000 bushels oi old corn at 80 cents.$800 00 
500 bushels now corn at 60 cents . 250 00 
Total cost of 12,990 pounds...$850 00 
The 12,990 pounds were sold at 6 cents per 
pound. 779 00 
Or at a loss of... .. $70 80 
He says;—“Old corn advanced afterward 
to 85 cents per bushel, which would make my 
loss still greater, calculating the feeding equal 
to hauling to market, which was about the 
same distance. From my standpoint, 1 think 
it costs a farmer seven cents gross to make a 
pound of pork, taking in consideration the 
raising of the hogs and the fattening.” 
But one thing should be noticed in Mr. 
Harris’ statement. While from his stand¬ 
point he thinks it costs a farmer seven cents 
per pound to make a pound of pork, he really 
gives us no details as to the cost of the 200 
hogs weighing 80,025 pounds on the 20th of 
August. Can he show by figures that the 
30,025 pounds cost as much per pound as the 
12,990 pounds he added to them by feeding 
corn ? Did the 80,025 pounds cost over five 
cents per pound ? That is, does he know it 
did { An experiment to be of any value 
must be complete. If Mr. Harris bought 
his 200 hogs on the 20th day of August he 
knows what they cost him. If he did not 
buy them, but bwl and reared them, he 
should know their cost. It might cost Mr. 
Harris $850 to add 12,990 pounds of pork to 
30,035 pounds of hogs in two months ; but if 
he had fed a different, breed of hogs it might 
not have cost, so much ; or if he had lived in 
a different locality, or kept his hogs in warm 
pens, or in any different way from what he 
did, the results might have been different. 
He does not tell us the breed, nor whether 
the hogs were confined or not, nor whether 
there was opportunity for waste of corn, nor 
whether the 39,025 pounds of hogs cost three 
or live cents per pound. 
We comment upon this statement iu this 
way to show how important accuracy and 
completeness of detail are in such records, 
in order to make them of any practical value. 
-»♦» - — 
PIG-PEN PAPERS. 
How to Spay Sows. — in answer to a cor¬ 
respondent, wc give the following directions, 
which we think have hitherto appeared in 
the Rural New-Yorker: — Place the sow 
upon her left side. Put a cushion of hay and 
straw under her side. Make an incision 
about four inches in front of the hip or pin 
bone, and about three inches below. Let the 
knife be sharp and clean. Cut very carefully 
through the skin and flesh. Insert the fore 
finger of the right hand ; feel carefully for 
the ovaries, which are soft and pulpy to the 
touch, draw them to the opening, and with 
a knife or scissors, separate them from the 
uterus (the womb). Return the severed ends, 
put in two or three stitches, then put upon 
the wounds a little oil and common salt ; put 
her into a dry place for tliree or four days, 
after which she may be let out. Hog flesh, 
as a rule, does not take, on much inflamma¬ 
tory action, and soon heals by nature’s own 
efforts. 
The Hog Crop of Indiana.— The Indiana 
Farmer is of the opinion that the hog crop of 
that State will fall below the average nearly 
one-fourth this year, the. principal cause hog 
cholera—which means, in the judgment of 
good swineherds, want of proper care and 
feed for the swine. There have been a great 
many remedies for iiog cholera published, 
but it is evident that preventives are of more 
importance. Wholesome food, dry feeding 
grounds, shelter from storms, and sulrhur, 
charcoal and ashes in the feed occasionally, 
are preventives. Why do not the Indiana 
farmers make a note of it ? 
