JAN § 
wheat and cracked corn they will require but 
little labor in feed, as it will be necessary only 
to give them a morning and night meal of soft 
food. The soft food may consist of com 
meal, ground oats and ground meat, equal 
parts, scalded; but any variety, such as cooked 
potatoes or turnips, chopped cabbage or on¬ 
ions, milk or anything they will eat, may be 
given with the soft food or at noon. 
6. Warmth is the most essential requisite in 
raising chicks. They must never become 
chilled at any time. 
7. When the chicks crowd under the brooder 
or under the hen, it indicates that they do not 
get sufficient warmth, and when they are 
found dead, without apparent cause, under 
the brooder in the morning, it indicates insuf¬ 
ficient heat, the deaths occurring from crowd¬ 
ing. 
8. If too much warmth is given, the chicks 
will sleep along the edges of the brooder. It 
is better to give too much than not enough. 
9. If chicks have bowel disease, and become 
“clogged,” they have at some time been chilled. 
If the bowel disease is more prevalent among 
those chicks that are shooting out feathers very 
rapidly, it indicates that a meal of chopped 
raw meat is needed once a day, as the debility 
occurs from lack of sufficient nitrogenous 
matter to produce the feathers. The young 
of all birds require animal food until they are 
feathered, and chicks are no exception. 
10. Give water in vessels so contrived that 
the chicks can wet no portion of the body. 
Dampness is fatal. Warm water should be 
used at all times if possible. 
LI. Hard-boiled eggs will cause bowel dis¬ 
ease, but a raw egg mixed with the food for 
25 chicks, three times a week, will invigorate 
them. 
12. Adult fowls and chicks should never be 
in the same building, as lice always come 
from the adults to the chicks. 
13. Never allow chicks in the open air in 
damp weather until they are a month old, 
and not then unless they are strong and 
active. 
14. Dorkings, Leghorns, Games and Hou- 
dans require more animal food when very 
young than Brahmas, Cochins, Plymouth 
Rocks and Wyandottes, and they begin to 
feather earlier. 
15. The chicks that appear almost naked 
until well grown, are usually easy to raise, as 
they do not feather fast enough to become 
debilitated. 
16. The cross of Wyandotte or Plymouth 
Rock cock with Brahma or Cochin hens, pro¬ 
duces hardy chicks that grow rapidly and 
large; but the most breast meat and plumpest 
carcasses are produced by crossing Dorking, 
Game, or Leghorn cocks with hens of any of 
the large breeds. 
17. Contrary to claims against the cross, 
one of the best crosses for broilers is the 
Brown Leghorn with the Brahma or Cochin. 
The carcass has a plump breast, and yellow 
legs and skin. Such chicks, however, should 
be sold for small-sized broilers, as the combs 
appear too soon to permit them being sold 
when older. 
18. Broilers are sold entire, the feathers 
only being removed. They must be dry-pick¬ 
ed, the pm feathers removed, and the skin 
free from bruises or rents. Pack in boxes or 
barrels, and ship by express. They cannot be 
sent to market alive in cold weather, as they 
would perish. 
19. The cost per pound of broiler, for food 
only, is five cents; but the cost of the eggs for 
hatching, fuel and warmth, labor and inter¬ 
est on investment must be considered in the 
cost. 
20. If well fed, the chicks will double their 
weight every ten days until they are forty 
days old. If forced, they will weigh a pound 
each when six weeks old, and two pounds at 
ten weeks. 
21. The space used on the broiler farms 
under shelter is 5x7% feet, with yards 5x16 
feet, for 100 chicks. They never leave this 
space until they are sent to market. The 
brooder is one yard square. As the brooder 
house is warmed by the heat that escapes from 
the brooders, if the chicks grow too large for 
the brooders (by which time they are usually 
well fattened) they do not all go under the 
brooder. 
22. The first broilers usually come into mar¬ 
ket about February 1st, and they should weigh 
not over a pound. Then follow those not over 
1 % pound, in March; April and May demand 
sizes not over \% pound. The prices vary 
from 25 to 60 cents, and occasionally more, 
per pound, being highest in April and May. 
23. The best market is New York city early 
in the season, but Boston prices equal those of 
New York later. Chicago prices equal those 
of New York, but the demand is a little later 
than in New York for the early lots. 
24. Sandy soils that cannot be devoted prof¬ 
itably to agriculture, make the best locations 
for the broiler business, as such soils dry im¬ 
mediately after a rain, while the water dis¬ 
solves and carries down the filth, thus pre¬ 
venting cholera and gapes. 
25. Whenever the chicks droop, though re¬ 
ceiving the best of care, look on the heads and 
necks for the large body lice, and if any are 
found, rub a few drops of lard on the heads 
and throats, but do not grease the bodies. 
FACTS FOR FARMERS. 
PUREBRED POULTRY MOST PROFITABLE; A 
WARM STRAW SHED. 
It is a fact that all farmers are not able to 
provide as comfortable houses for their poult- 
try as many of the fanciers are, yet this need 
not deter the former from keeping thorough¬ 
bred fowls. That every farmer should keep a 
greater or less number of fowls no one will at¬ 
tempt to deny. They are just as essential in 
their way as any other stock. It is an estab¬ 
lished fact that it costs no more to keep thor¬ 
oughbred fowls than it does to keep common 
chickens, and the fact is equally patent that 
they are worth a great deal more to their 
owner. 
So much has been said about poultry quart¬ 
ers in winter and so many different descrip¬ 
tions have been given of the very best kind of 
houses, that it will be a little difficult to de¬ 
scribe one that has not been shown up over and 
over. When I lived in Indiana I made a straw 
shed every summer in which to keep a part of 
my stock, and I soon found that it was a first- 
class place to winter fowls. The last shed I 
made was the best. It was made of eight by 
eight inch timber and had the same sized posts, 
framed and fastened in these timbers. These 
posts were six feet high and set on rocks. The 
framework of the shed formed an L,one side of 
which was 30 feet long by 20, the other 10 long 
The straw was stacked on the north and west, 
leaving it open on the east and south. The 
eastern 10 feet were cut off for roosting places 
and in it were placed all the perches that were 
necessary. I boarded these ten feet up tightly, 
allowing the chickens only a hole large enough 
to allow them a free ingress and egress. The 
remainder of the entire shed was used for a 
range for the fowls during the stormy days, 
and in fine weather they could run out. This 
was always warm enough to keep the combs 
from freezing, especially when a large number 
were kept in it, because of the heat arising 
from the bodies of the birds. 1 never had any 
trouble with birds being killed by stock in the 
day-time, for they were always active enough 
to keep from under the feet of the animals. 
With this plan I was sure to get eggs when 
any one in the neighborhood had any and very 
often when they didn’t. It costs some work to 
make such a shed, but it is a work tliaj can be 
done during rainy weather, when nothing else 
can be done. If one prefers, he can board up 
on two sides of the posts and stuff straw be¬ 
tween the boards, leaving a door with a hole 
in the bottom of it, as before described. Any 
one will find that by throwing lime or ashes 
once a week on the droppings he will keep 
down all foul odors and in the spring have the 
best bed of manure he ever possessed. 
Horner City, Pa. dr. c. a. robinson. 
[We would not advise the use of either lime 
or wood ashes with the manure, as either will 
liberate the ammonia if wet. Land plaster 
or dry earth or muck is much better.— Eds.] 
PITHY POULTRY PARAGRAPHS. 
HENRY HALES. 
Forming A Good Strain of Fowls by Se¬ 
lection. —Every experienced poultry breeder 
knows that he succeeds sometimes better 
than others; that is, at times the selections for 
breeding for certain objects, will turn out 
just what is wished and he will strike a vein; 
while at other times he is not so successful,yet 
to all appearances all the conditions may be 
equally favorable. A wideawake breeder 
will take advantage of a fortunate mating 
and carry it out still further till he reaches 
the fullest development of the breed, and so 
owns the best prize-taking birds of his strain. 
This is how breeds are improved and choice 
strains of poultry are made. Every farmer 
should save the best prolific hens; get cocks of 
a pure breed such as suit his purpose to cross 
with his hens, and he is bound to have, with 
pi’oper care, paying poultry. 
Egg-producing Quacks. — Every one 
knows that eggs are the chief object for 
which we keep poultry, hence such eye¬ 
catching phrases as “Make your hens lay,” 
“Do you want eggs*” etc. Such phrases take 
with those who are anxious to get eggs in a 
hurry and are lacking in experience. These 
stimulating nostrums are not injurious when 
given sparingly, but they are entirely super¬ 
fluous. A little Cayenne pepper, ginger, or 
some such thing, is all that will do any good 
when fowls are in health, and any of these 
must always be given very sparingly or the 
fowls will suffer from reaction. Either of 
them will cost next to nothing at the grocery 
stores as compared with the price when put 
up in fancy packages, the bulk of which is 
made up of meal or some other bulk-making 
vegetable base. With proper feeding, no 
money need be wasted in any egg-producing 
notions. 
Don't Spread too Much.— Many disap¬ 
pointments occur to amateurs in poul¬ 
try keeping through their attempting too 
much with inadequate facilities. Too much 
crowding, or too many varieties are the 
rocks on which many find themselves strand¬ 
ed, after a sad experience of loss from debil¬ 
ity and disease among their stock. On a 
farm never let too many crowd into one build¬ 
ing, especially if the poultry house is in a 
corner where the sun never penetrates. Plen¬ 
ty of sun-light, dry, clean houses without 
crowding are essential parts of profitable 
poultry keeping in winter. 
During a Thaw, when poultry run in and 
out of their houses with wet feet and plumage, 
the earth floor often gets wet and hard by the 
constant treading. In such cases do not dig 
the surface in; it will pay to skin off the hard 
face and save it for manure. Spread dry 
earth or ashes in its place rather than dig in 
dirt and disease. 
For Fowls out of Condition Douglass’s 
Mixture, or a little sulphate of iron in the 
drinking-water, and then a little of the afore¬ 
mentioned stimulants are good and they will 
usually bring them up to their normal con¬ 
dition. 
The Longer Winter Lasts, the greater 
the necessity of supplying animal and vege¬ 
table food, to carry hens through their lay¬ 
ing, which is too heavy a strain on them if 
not well supported by liberal feeding. 
Fowls for Breeding strong stock, should 
not be too much stimulated to lay before the 
eggs are wanted for setting, or their progeny 
will not be so strong, as the hens will be too 
much exhausted. 
pumpLogicdl. 
FRUITS FOR NORTHWESTERN NORTH 
CAROLINA. 
According to latest tests the following are 
the best varieties of fruits for this section: 
Three Best Early Apples: Early Harvest, 
Maryland, Yellow Horse. 
Three Best Fall Apples: Magnum Bonum, 
Buckingham, Merit. 
Three Best Winter Apples: Red Cheek, 
David’s Winter, Winesap. 
Three Best Early Peaches: Alexander, 
Early Rivers, Crawford’s Early. 
Three Later Peaches: Thurber, Eaton’s 
Golden Cling, Crawford’s Late. 
Three Best Plums: Wild Goose, White Im¬ 
perial, Italian Prune, or Prince. 
Three Best Early Pears: Bloodgood, Doy- 
ennd, Bartlett. 
Three Best Summer Pears: Duchesse, 
Clairgeau, Seek el. 
Three Late Pears: Lawrence, Salem, Easter 
Beurrd. 
Three Best White Grapes: Lady, Ealia 
(?—Eds.), Martha. * 
Three Best Red Grapes: Brighton, Dela¬ 
ware, Vergennes. 
Three Best Black Grapes: Hartford, Con¬ 
cord, Norton’s Virginia. 
Three Best Strawberries: Crescent, Charles 
Downing, Sharpless. 
Three Best Raspberries: Mammoth Cluster, 
Miami, Davison’s Thornless. 
Three Best Cherrias: Black Tartarian, Gov¬ 
ernor Wood, Great Bigarreau. 
The above list is compiled from years of 
experience. N. w. craft. 
Yadkin Co., N. C. 
-»♦«- 
FRUITS FOR WESTERN ILLINOIS. 
For three choice varieties of fruit for our 
part of the the country east of St. Louis—say 
60 miles square—I would recommend: 
Summer Apples: Astrachan, Benoni, and 
Keswick Codlin. 
Fall Apples: Maiden’s Blush, Jonathan and 
Red Streak. 
Winter Apples: Winesap, Rome Beauty, 
Huntsman. 
Summer Pears: Bartlett, Seckel, Duchesse. 
Fall Pears: Sheldon, Howell, Anjou. 
Plums: Wild Goose, Lombard, Marianna. 
Early Peaches: Alexander, Early Crawford, 
Foster. 
Late Peaches: Oldmixon Free, Smock, 
White Heath. 
White Grapes: Niagara, Duchess, Elvira. 
Red Grapes: Delaware, Brighton, Lindley. 
Black Grapes: Moore’s Early, Concord, 
Jewell. 
Early Strawberries: Crescent, Charles 
Downing, Crystal. 
Late Strawberries: Capt. Jack, Sharpless, 
Sucker State. 
d Raspberries: Cuihbert, Turner, Bran- I 
dywine. 
Black Raspberries: Gregg, Tyler, Shaffer. 
Blackberries: Snyder, Lawton, Taylor. 
Currants: Red Dutch, Cherry, White ; 
Grape. 
Gooseberry: Houghton, Downing, Smith. 
Jersey Co., Ill. p. e. vandenburg. 
WILLIAM FALCONER. 
— 
Flower suggestions', oxalises,callas,begonias, i 
bouvardias, marguerites, abutilons; the 
flowers of smilax more fragrant than those 
of mignonette; primroses from seeds; 
cyclamens, amaryllis, helleborus, freesias; 
hyacinths the easiest to force; Leptosyne 
maritima, Ruellia macrantha : the lilac for ' 
forcing-, snowballs, deutzias, etc. 
The lengthening days and brighter sunshine 
begin to cheer our window plants which evince 
their appreciation in fresh growth and flowers. 
And our windows are gay enough. Suspended 
from the brackets in the sunniest windows are 
red, white, red-edged, and single and double 
flowered oxalises; red, pink and white gerani¬ 
ums; Speciosaand Earl of Beaconsfield fuchs¬ 
ias single petunias; carnations of the various 
shades between white, pink and scarlet; great 
calla cups, Saundersii, rubra and other bego¬ 
nias; still a few bouvardias; the fragrant Cat¬ 
alonian jessamine,a few waxy camellias; a pro¬ 
fusion of snowy marguerites, white, yellow 
and crimson abutilons, and many others. 
Isn’t smilax worth growing for its flowers? 
Though small, they are borne in the greatest 
profusion and are more fragrant than mig¬ 
nonette. We have no better house-plant in 
winter than the Chinese primroses. While 
you may keep over the double-flowering ones 
for another year don’t bother about the 
singles; you can get just as good sorts again 
from seed, and in this way better plants. I 
What lovely plants the cyclamens are! Even 
after they have done blooming, give them 
water enough to keep the foliage plump and 
green till April or May. For house-plants 
I’d sooner have the ordinary type than the 
Giganteum cyclamen, but get a good strain of 
seed. Pure white, and for red “Brilliant” 
are good. Keep your amaryllises dry for a 
couple of months yet; then when you bring 
them to the light and give them water they 
will throw up flowers more freely than if you 
should start them now. 
If you don’t grow Christmas roses (Helle¬ 
borus) try a few next year, and grow them in 
pots. Planted outside you can’t enjoy them 
in winter even when they bloom; planted in 
frames they flower splendidly, but walking 
out there in frost and snow, rain or slush to 
see them is poor enjoyment; but if you grow 
them in pots and have them in your window 
in winter they will grow well and bloom 
beautifully, and that too in a cold room and 
sunless window. 
Freesias are splendid winter-blooming win¬ 
dow plants; F. refracta alba is the best. 
They are Cape of Good Hope bulbs. They 
should be started in August, September or 
October, just as we want them to bloom, al¬ 
lowing four to 4% months from potting to 
blooming time. Unlike hyacinths,* as pot 
plants they not only bloom well every year 
but they also multiply abundantly. You 
cannot get really good flowers of Oriental hya¬ 
cinths in before February; but you can have 
Roman white hyacinths in all the time from 
the first of November till April. It is the 
easiest of all bulbs to force. Good bulbs yield 
one large and tnree lesser spikes of flowers. 
The red and blue “Romans” are not nearly so 
well worth growing or accommodating as is 
the white. 
Leptosyne maritima is the name of a Cali¬ 
fornia plant that has large, bright yellow', 
sunflower-like blossoms and which blooms in 
the greatest perfection in winter. I grow a 
good many of it and like it much. Raised 
from seed sown in summer, I get good bloom¬ 
ing plants for winter. The whole plant is 
fleshy and brittle. Over-watering is very in¬ 
jurious to it. 
Ruellia macrantha is another plant that 
gives me great satisfaction as a winter bloom¬ 
er. It comes from South America and has 
large, funnel-shaped rose-purple dowel’s. 
Plants raised from cuttings last spring, plant¬ 
ed out in summer, lifted and potted in Sep¬ 
tember and brought indoors in October, 
began blooming about the first of Decem¬ 
ber. Although the plants may be kept over 
for many years, I prefer young stock for fine 
flowers. 
The lilac is the earliest of all shrubs to force 
into flower, and if you give it heat enough, it 
doesn’t matter much whether you keep it in 
he cellar or in a sunny window, it will bloom 
