ISS5 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
ments and with a fruit room attached. In 
the plan I have carefully studied the most 
essential points in the economy of space as 
well as in warmth and ventilation, and the 
arrangements for these are so combined as to 
make the design to cover most of the improve¬ 
ments mauy years of experience have sug¬ 
gested. The two principal desiderata in 
poultry keeping are, first, warm houses, that 
the hens may lay while eggs are dear in 
Winter; and, uext, good health in the stock. 
The secret of this is ventilation. Good feed¬ 
ing without the two last mentioned requisites 
will not keep the fowls in good condition aud, 
of coarse, they will disappoint their keeper. 
The whole size of the building, without shed, 
is 20x22 feet. The main room for poultry is 
12x 16, the laying room 6x'J and the fruit room 
8x20, with a closet 2>£x6, between the laying 
room and fruit room. It is built of pine, 
clapboarded, lathed and plastered, with one 
coat of plaster all through; the partitions aud 
ceiling are lathed on the rafters. This will 
tend to make the house warm aud weather¬ 
proof. The fruit room could not be made in 
a cellar under a poultry house, as it would 
not be sweet and wholesome. The least taint 
from fowl droppings, carbolic acid or sulphur 
would be injurious to fruit keeping. For the 
same reason the partition between the fruit 
room and the poultry room must be entire 
without any openings. So must the walls on 
the north aud west sides of the building, the 
only opening being a ventilator in the upper 
part of the laying house in the west end. 
The frout elevation is S feet; peak, 12 feet; 
roof shingled At the east end there is a shed 
8x10 feet, in which the fowls can air them¬ 
selves in cold, or find shelter in wet weather. 
This should not come in line with the front of 
the poultry house, as it would exclude the sun 
from the east window, full exposure to which is 
very important to warm the house iu VViuter. 
as the early suu warms the house at the time 
warmth is most required by the stock. All the 
windows must be kept near the grouud, for if 
the house is kept warm at the bottom it will 
be warm all through. Skylights or high win¬ 
dows warm only the top of the house while 
the sun shiues, and at other times make the 
building very cold. A veutilator 1*^x2 feet 
at the east, and another at the west end, near 
the ceiling, hinged as a door, with hooks to 
set it open at any desired distance, will give 
thorough ventilation. Both should never be 
entirely closed, except in very cold weather, 
or very cold nights, when the little one in the 
middle of the roof will keep the house sweet; 
in cold localities even this should have an in¬ 
side slide to keep the frost out when the wea¬ 
ther is near zero. 
The best material for the floors of all the 
rooms is earth, aud all should be high enough 
to preveut lloodiug in heavy rains or melting 
snow. They should be always perfectly 
dry aud be kept covered with dry earth or 
ashes. A dust bath must be provided, the 
best place for which is shown in the diagram, 
close to the glass. Pieces of board sunk nearly 
level with the floor can form the front and 
ends. The earth should be dug out for a foot 
in depth, aud the place be filled up level with 
sand and fine sifted ashes. Wood ashes tend 
to spoil the color of the fowls’ legs; so coal 
ashes aud a little flowers of sulphur are best. 
For perches set four posts in the earth of the 
floor 2‘tf feet high from the floor. Let them 
have deep grooves cut iu the upper ends to 
admit cross pieces, which should be boards, 
say five inches wide, set edgewise. They must 
have slots 2)^ inches wide 18 iuches apart, in 
which to lay the perches, which should be not 
less'than t wo iuches wide, with the edges a 
little rounded; lathing slips are justthe things 
to make them of. lustead of nailing the 
cross pieces on to the posts, a pin may be put 
through post and strip to keep the latter 
steady. 
It will bo seen that the perches and all con¬ 
nected with them ure separated from the sides 
of the building, and the whole cau bo taken 
apart os a bedstead,and all the parts and perches 
can be treated to a coat of crude petroleum 
occasionally. The perches should all bo the 
same bight. The hopper for food for winter 
feeding, should have a sloping top, to keep the 
fowls from soiling the food. The water ves¬ 
sel should also have a conical top for the same 
reason. For this purpose 1 have found noth¬ 
ing better than a low tub cut down from a 
paint keg, thoroughly burnt out, with the top 
set on, as this can be always properly cleansed, 
aud the ice knocked out in Winter; but food 
or water should never be kept iu a house 
where the stock can get out. A narrow hop¬ 
per containing crushed oyster shells, should 
be in every house hung on one side, and there 
should also be a hook for hanging up eubbuge 
in Winter. 
The doors for the front and laying room are 
shown; but there should also be slat doors 
opening the reverse way, which should be 
used all Summer to cool and ventilate the 
houses. Then the sashes may be stationary; 
but these and the end ventilators should have 
wire netting over them to prevent the fowls 
from breaking the glass or escaping. This 
will be found to pay. The best plan is to put 
the wire on loose frames, to be removed when 
the glass is to be cleaned. It is much better 
to have a laying room thau to have the nests 
in the main room; for the nests being portable 
and set on shelves, can be properly attended to. 
They are a foot square on all sides except the 
back, which is only four inches high. When 
this low side is turned next to the wall, but 
kept six inches from it. the hens can walk 
along behind the nests, and if all these are 
kept the same distance from the wall, and an 
opening is left at each end for the admittance 
of the hens, there will be a passage-waj' to all 
the nests so that the hens will be tempted to 
lay in them iustead of laying astray. 
In the front of each nest there should be a 
hole through which one cau see whether the 
hen is on it, or not. There should be ventila¬ 
tors in the partition to correspond with the 
two outside end ones so that a thorough cur¬ 
rent of air can be maintained through the 
laying as well as living room. There is room 
for a closet in this plan, in which can be kept 
the feed, etc. There should be uo board par¬ 
titions to harbor vermin and disease. The 
house can be closed for fumigation, and with 
care it will pay for all extra expenses over a 
cheaper house in the healthfuluessof the flock. 
The fruit room can be built on the north 
side. In ihe diagram it is 8x20 feet; buc it 
can be shortened at the east end if desired. 
This would not be as warm as a cellar to store 
fruit for Winter; but it will make au excellent 
fall fruit room for pears, grapes aud apples. 
There is a bank of drawers all down one side. 
The shelves, os shown, are kept clear of the 
walls to allow veutilation all around; they 
can be feet wide and l}4 or 2 feet apart. 
This room would hold quite a lot of fruit. 
There should be a small ventilator out of the 
west corner of the roof; but there should be 
no openings except on the east end. If this 
plan is followed tbe house will be useful for 
a longer time towards Winter, as frost will 
be kept out. A door and wiudow should be 
in tbe east end, the sash being hinged so as to 
permit ventilation, with a shade inside to 
exclude light when desirable. I have not 
estimated the actual cost of this building, but 
I have given what I believe to be the cheapest 
building consistent with usefulness. 
In Fig. 187, A is the fowl-house; B, fruit 
Poultry House. Fig. 187. 
room;.C, shed; D, top of drawers; E, closet; 
F, dust bath; G. feed hopper; H. water ves¬ 
sel; J, perches; K, front of drawers: L, fruit 
room; N, meat or cabbage room; V.V, venti¬ 
lators; O, rear view of nest; P, front view of 
uest; R, water vessel; ti, feed hopper. 
HENRY HALES. 
-»» « - 
THE GOLDEN POLISH FOWLS. 
In a recent number of the Rural you ask 
if any of the readprs have had auy experience 
with Golden Polish fowls. Two years ago I 
bought a trio, oil account of their beauty, to 
ornament my lawn ; but fiuuirig them to be 
excellent layers also, I raised a flue lot of 
chicks. The three hens I selected to breed 
from (his season commenced laying in Febru¬ 
ary. During April they layed 72 eggs of me¬ 
dium size and clear white in color. The heus 
are small aud are not inclined to be broody; 
they are quiet (the cocks do all the cackling) 
and become very tame if petted. The chicks 
are lively, aud hardy if kept in a dry place. 
They feather out quickly and learn at an early 
ago to take care of themselves. The flesh is 
dark and in flavor about the same as that of 
the common barn yard chicken. A group of 
these birds, all alike iu form and feather, 
makes a beautiful appearance, and as egg pro¬ 
ducers 1 consider them excellent. They are 
often called Golden-Spangled Polish; but the 
“Standard of Excellence,” the recognized 
' authority iu nomenclature, does not recognize 
such a name; but gives the “points” of the 
Golden Polish. T. B. HOOVER. 
*_York Co., Pa. 
SPRING MANAGEMENT OF BEES. 
The season is quite backward, yet I feel 
safe in now advising the placing of all colo- 
nieson their summer stands not to be removed 
again until Fall. All colonies that occupy 
three spaces between the frames or more, I 
would preserve as full colonies, uniting all 
smaller ones. 
Each individual colony must be confined t> 
the number of frames the bees will actually 
cover. This is done by means of a division 
board made of plain lumber, of tbe same size 
and shape as the frames, with a strip of felt 
or thin rubber tacked to the edges along the 
bottom aud ends so as to shut out all draft, 
and yet be easily moved to accommodate the 
swarms as they increase in number. 
To illustrate, let us take a good average 
stock in a Langstroth hive: start at one side 
of the hive with a frame nearly solid with 
honey, then place the frames that have brood 
in next. There should he three or four of 
these, making, with the frame of honey, five 
frames; then move up the division board and 
remove the remainder of the frames to the 
be« houses or shop, to be used as required. 
Contract the entrance to about %X2 inches 
for full colonies, and less for nuclei. Place 
immediately on the frames a covering of 
burlap or the best factory cloth, and, if you 
can afford it, a quilt on that: fill the cap of the 
hive with good dry oat straw well packed, and 
put a stone on each hive to hold the cover in 
place. If one has never tried this method, 
be will be surprised to see how rapidly the 
bees will build up. They will keep up the 
desired temperature much more easily and 
with less food than when they have too much 
room. They should be looked after once a 
week. Make sure they have all the honey 
they need, and after a couple of weeks there 
will be some stocks that will require more 
room; give this by sliding the division board 
back and putting in a frame at least partly 
filled with honey; then put the board up to 
this frame, and close the hive for another 
week. In no case, at this time of the year, 
would I put this frame in the center. It would 
spread the brood so that it would be apt to 
get chilled. If you do your work well, once 
a week will be often enough. Frequent dis¬ 
turbing early in the season results in no good. 
Onondaga Co., N. Y. c. M goodspeed. 
Having had considerable experience in 
growing vegetables for retail and home mar¬ 
ket, as well as for selling to consumers, and 
knowing their tastes as well as my own, and 
having, moreover, some experience as to 
growth aud productiveness, as well as in test¬ 
ing new varieties, etc , I feel confident the 
following list will be found suitable for kitchen, 
garden or near retail market:— 
Among bush beans, the Early Mohawk for 
green pod is best; it is quite hardy, and will 
stand a light frost. For yellow, the Golden 
Wax and Lemon Pod Wax are superior; the 
latter having short runners, should be brushed 
two feet, as for peas, when it will be found 
enormously productive, continuing long iu 
beariug. Having tried this plan for the first 
tiuie, last season, I was very much pleased 
with the result. These three sorts planted at 
the same time, will supply the table until pole 
kinds are ready, when for green pods (entire¬ 
ly striugless), Giant Wax for yellow; and for 
shell beans (greeu or dry), the Large Lima 
are best every time. Among beets, the new 
Early Eclipse is an improvement on the 
Egyptian as to table quality and size, and 
nearly as early. The Early Bassano. the 
sweetest aud tenderest of all turnip beets, I 
find sells more readily tbau any other, when 
color (pink) of flesh is no objection. It is also 
good for winter use if sown later in the season. 
The Long Blood Turnip is a standard winter 
sort. Among cabbages, the Jersey Wakefield 
and Henderson's Summer are best for early, 
and Flat Dutch aud Drumhead for late. Of 
the Savoys, the Green Curled is of extra 
quality, but uot so large as the Drumhead 
Savoy. Of the carrots, the Blunt rooted is 
best for early, aud tbe Pauver's Orange for 
late. Cauliflowers, Early Snowball aud Late 
Lenormand. Among celery, Boston Market 
and Crawford’s Half-dwarf are of excellent 
quality; the dwarf varieties are superior, 
making a more compact bunch. 
Of sweet corn, for a succession, plant Early 
Moutaua. Early Minnesota, Russell’s Prolific 
aud Evergreen. The Black Mexican, the 
sweetest and tenderest of all sweet corns, 
might be taken iustead of the Prolific for fam¬ 
ily use. Of cucumbers. White Spine and 
Tailby’s Hybrid are best for the table, and 
Green Prolific for pickles. The Large N. Y. 
Purple Egg Plant will be found the best for 
table or for market. Among lettuce. Tennis- 
ball (black-seeded) for extra early, or for 
forcing is best, it being hardy and a compact 
grower. For Summer, the Hanson is large 
and makes a solid head and is slow in shooting 
to seed. Among mask-melons, the Early 
Christiana and Surprise are the choicest of 
theyellow fleshed, and of the very best quality. 
The Hackensack, or Turk’s-cap of some cata¬ 
logues, is my choice of large, green-fleshed 
varieties. Of water-melons, I regard the Ice 
Cream or Icing, (white seeded, with lightrind) 
as superior to ail others for table use; but if size 
is wanted, without regard to fine quality, try 
the Cuban Queen and Iron clad. 
Of onions,for bunching green or for summer, 
use the Extra Early P„ed and tbe varieties 
known as Silver Skin; Neapolitan, Marzajole 
and Extra Early Pearl are very large, flat, 
white onions of the best quality, growing 
almost with the rapidity of a radish; they 
should find a place in every garden. For good 
keepers, I choose the Yellow Danvers and Rea 
Wethersfield. Of peas, the Philadelphia Ex¬ 
tra Early and American Wonder are superior 
for early dwarf; for medium, the Stratagem 
is the very best; for late. Champion of Eng¬ 
land, White Marrowfat and Tall Sugar (edible 
pods). This last. 1 find, sells the best of all I 
grow, and should be more generally culti¬ 
vated. Of potatoes, the leading early sorts 
are Early Rose, Beauty of Hebron and Early 
Ohio. The Pearl of Savoy, in a test of over 
70 varieties at the Experimental Grounds of 
the Rural New-Yorker, has proved to be 
one of the two earliest, and a very heavy 
cropper. Those intending to plant the Early 
Rose, would do well to exchange for the last 
named, at double the price for seed. For late, 
the White Elephant is very fine, large and 
productive; the Belle and Mammoth Pearl 
are also fine, large, smooth and productive 
sorts, and I think better keepers than the 
White Elephant. Of radishes, I prefer the 
Early Scarlet Turnip, and Market Gardener’s 
Long Scarlet for early Summer: and China 
Rose for Winter. Of squashes, the Yellow 
Crookneck (bosh) for Summer is of best 
quality; but with me it does not sell as well as 
the Early Bush Scallop. For Fall, the Boston 
Marrow and Summer Crookneck (striped 
green and whitej are the very best sorts; for 
Winter, the Hubbard is a standard. Tne new 
Essex Hybrid, both for table and for keeping, 
is worthy for general culture. Of tomatoes, 
I find tbe Acme to sell better than any other I 
have tried, on account of its color I maroon) 
and entire freedom from irregularities. The 
Trophy, Paragon and Livingston’s Favorite 
are all excellent, the vines of the last growing 
very large, and the fruit being always smooth. 
As to earliness, there is so little difference be¬ 
tween several kinds as to be scarcely notice¬ 
able. 
Those who have hot houses or who are mak¬ 
ing hoc-beds should plunge some pots or tin 
cans in the soil of the hot-bed, planting a few 
seeds in each. Thin out to one as soon as the 
third leaf appears, and when the vines are 
three inches high, nip out the top of each. In 
this way you may have ripe tomatoes two 
weeks sooner than from ordinary hot-bed 
plants. Among the white turnips, I have 
found the F.arly Purple-top the best early 
garden turnip; for a yellow, the Robertson's 
Golden Ball or Orange Jelly will be found the 
most delicate, as well as the sweetest and fin¬ 
est flavored of all. If the rutabaga is pre¬ 
ferred, the Purple-top Yellow is very good. 
Although tastes, soils and climates differ, 
yet I tbiuk this list will be found well suited 
for the purposes named, martin l. bell. 
Rockland Co., N. Y. 
FRUIT NOTES FROM INDIANA. 
The past Winter was the coldest with us 
for many years, the thermometer at the 
Signal Station indicating as low as 33° below 
zero, and for several days from 30 to 30° 
below. Reports from different portions of the 
country show that small fruits have been 
badly injured; but. on looking through our 
experimental grounds I fiud that out of 22 
varieties of raspberries only three—Herstine, 
Clarke aud Shaffer—are injured to auy ex¬ 
tent. Even the Gregg, which many consider 
uot hardy, is putting ont its foliage, even to 
the tips of the canes, and looks remarkably 
healthy. None were protected in the least, 
except by the snow which covered the lower 
portions of all alike. j. troop. 
Purdue University, La Fayette, Ind. 
pomologkul 
THE UPTON RUSSET APPLE. 
Some of our best fruits have been so slow in 
becoming popular and it has taken so long a 
time to make their good qualities known, that 
