1903 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
479 
MAPES, THE HEN MAN. 
Egg Burglary. —Almost every com¬ 
munity has a few individuals who would 
rather steal than work, and to such a 
henroost seems to possess special attrac¬ 
tions. In our latest experience it was 
the hens’ nests which tempted to the 
fall, a man and wife were the thieves, 
and to cap the climax, it was a bride 
and bridegroom! The bridegroom is 18 
years old, the bride 15. What a com¬ 
bination! When gathering our eggs a 
few days ago I found a few houses at 
the farthest end of the farm with only 
about half the usual number of eggs in 
the nests, and suspected foul play. Put¬ 
ting on my detective’s cap, I started on 
a still hunt, and soon had a chain of 
circumstantial evidence around the pair 
sufficient to warrant an arrest. The con¬ 
stable who arrested them last evening 
took them to his home for safe keeping 
until he ceuld bring them before a mag¬ 
istrate this morning, and placed them in 
separate rooms under lock and key. The 
rain was pouring outside in torrents, 
while he and his male prisoner slept. 
The bride’s cage was empty this morn¬ 
ing, she having escaped through a win¬ 
dow and over a roof in the pouring rain, 
barefooted and bareheaded, and is still 
at large at this writing. The young man 
pleaded guilty to the charge of burglary 
in the third degree, and begged hard for 
mercy. What was I to do? By simply 
saying the word I could have had him 
held for the grand jury, and either sent 
to prison or to a reformatory. I suspect 
that these large State institutions for 
reforming young criminals often fail of 
their object, and after extracting a prom¬ 
ise from him to go to work and earn an 
honest living, and also one from a man 
who wants help, to give him a trial, we 
let him go on his good behavior, with 
the charge still hanging over him. These 
youngsters have been reared amidst bad 
surroundings, and the parents are prob¬ 
ably as much to blame as they are. I 
presume the Hope Farm man could find 
a text for a sermon in this incident. 
Rkgulating Sizp: of Eggs. —Does the 
food which a hen eats influence the size 
of her eggs? I should answer this in 
the affirmative. Je.sse has often said 
that the feeding of animal meal caused 
a good many hens to sicken and die. 
About six weeks ago I consented to 
eliminate the animal meal entirely from 
our morning mash, and rely solely on 
the skim-milk with which it is wetted, 
for animal matter, while we watched for 
results. The number of dead hens for 
the “boneyard” has not been noticeably 
less. The egg yield was not noticeably 
less for the first two or three weeks, 
after which it began falling gradually, 
while the size of the eggs was very no¬ 
ticeably less. We had to sort out a good 
many that were entirely too small to 
ship to our fancy grocery trade, and the 
remainder were not up to the usual 
standard in size. When the egg yield 
had dropped to 550 a day in mid-May 
we considered it time to call a halt, and 
all hands were glad to return to the use 
of the animal meal. The baskets soon 
began to fill again, and the eggs to come 
back to their usual size. At this writ¬ 
ing (June 10) they have got back to 
about 750 a day, a gain of 200 a day. 
This experiment convinces me that the 
size of eggs, as well as the number, is 
at least partially under the control of 
the feeder. If we had taken the pains 
to w'cigh the eggs carefully at different 
stages of the test, it would have been 
more satisfactory to the public, but to 
one who is in the habit of gathering as 
many eggs out of the nests as I do the 
simple “feel” of four eggs in my hand 
at once, hundreds of times in succession, 
even if my eyes were blindfold, is 
convincing proof. In this case the hens 
only had what milk it takes to wet the 
morning mash, and on account of the 
drought the supply of worms, bugs, etc., 
was very small. If they could also have 
had milk to drink instead of water I 
should have expected different results. 
Fortunately, we returned to the use of 
the animal meal, and got both the size 
and number of eggs back to near the 
usual mark, before the rains began, so 
that the drought cannot be charged with 
the trouble. 
Is animal food really necessary for a 
hen? 
While it may not be a necessity for 
life and health, it seems to help towards 
best results. The avidity with which a 
hen will devour a morsel of meat is evi¬ 
dence of her need. I frequently see a 
mouse attempt to run the gauntlet of 50 
hens’ beaks and eyes, with as poor suc¬ 
cess as though the eyes belonged to 50 
cats. 
FF.ATHER Eating. —I once had a lot of 
hens that had commenced to lay well in 
early Winter, and for some reason my 
supply of both milk and meat scrap fail¬ 
ed at once. What was the result? - The 
egg yield suddenly stopped, and feather 
eating began. They did not stop with 
eating feathers, but literally began to 
eat each other alive. Before I hardly 
knew it they developed cannibalistic 
traits, and ate their way to the very 
vitals of a number of the hens. Some of 
Nature’s wants were evidently crying 
out for animal food. As soon as blood 
was started they were crazy for more. 
Raising Guinea Hens.— Will you Inform 
me how to raise young Guinea hens? I had 
13 hatch out, and now have only four. I 
would like to know how to feed them, when 
and how much, and what kind of feed, and 
what to do with them when they first hatch 
out. I suppose the wet weather has much 
to do with their being a failure, I have 
never had any experience and would bo 
glad to get some advice, so I will not lose 
my next setting. m. c. 
This reader fails to give any address, 
and is so nearly anonymous that it is 
inserted here, and attention called to the 
fact that name and address should al¬ 
ways be given, I have had but little 
knowledge of Guineas, but judge they 
should be kept as dry as possible and 
allowed plenty of insect food in connec¬ 
tion with grains, much as young tur¬ 
keys are fed. o. w. maptis. 
DOES IT PAY TO SELL MILK? 
Many dairymen think that if they can 
sell their milk to the creamery at two 
cents or even cent a quart they are 
all right, never thinking what can be 
done by making it into butter and using 
the skim-milk for pigs and calves. All 
are not aware how much butter can be 
made from one can of milk, 40 quarts, 
provided all the cream or butter fat 
can be made into butter, which can be 
done with a good separator. Many farm¬ 
ers claim that butter cannot be made 
profitably at less than 20 cents per 
pound. Still, they will sell milk, five per 
cent fat, at 1% and 1% cent, and at this 
rate the creamery will make it into but¬ 
ter for 12 to 15 cents a pound and have 
the skim-milk in the bargain. Fifty 
quarts of milk at 114 cent equal 62%' 
cents. The 50 quarts of milk, five per 
cent, will yield five pounds of butter, at 
12% cents a pound; 50 quarts at 1% 
cent equal 75 cents, or butter at 15 cents, 
and this is not all. It costs 10 cents a 
can to deliver the milk and 10 cents a 
can for skim-milk. This amount still 
comes out of the amount received for 
milk, 75 cents. Take 20 cents or what¬ 
ever it costs to deliver and for skim- 
milk, and it leaves 55 cents net. The 
five pounds of butter at 20 cents, which 
is a low price for good butter, will bring 
$1, and you have all the skim-milk if 
skimmed at home. Milk should never 
be sold at less than two cents a quart. 
When it is less make it into butter, for 
then the creameries cannot make cheap 
butter, and butter will be worth 20 cents 
or more. The milk trade could not do 
without your milk more than a week. 
Then milk would bring the price, two 
cents or more; butter at 25 cents a 
pound, five per cent milk at two cents, 
or five percent milk at 2% cents a quart; 
or six per cent milk at three cents a 
quart, for four per cent milk will make 
four pounds of butter to the 100 pounds 
of milk; five per cent, five pounds, and 
six per cent six pounds. Well fed herds 
will average about five per cent. 
Gebhardt, N. Y. d. j. b. 
DON’T LET THE CALF RUN AWAY WITH YOUR MONEY 
£ 
2 ^ 
Don’t let a $15.00 calf eat up .$ 40.00 to $ 60.00 worth of cream. 
The cream from the average cow will sell for $ 40.00 to $ 60.00 a year and just 
as good calves can be raised on sweet separator skimmed milk as with the cow. 
Don't waste Time, Labor and Cream by trying to skim your milk by hand. 
It is like trying to care for a 40 -acre patch of corn with a hoe. 
Buy a U. S. Separator and Save your Calves and Money 
The U. S. skims the cleanest, cleans the easiest, wears the longest, is the 
most profitable, etc., etc. 
lyrtie for catalogues 
For Western customers, we transfer onr separators from Chicago, LaCrosse, Minneapolis, 
Sioux City and Omaha. Address all letters to Bellows Falls, Vt. 
aVermont Farm Machine Co.. Bellows Falls, Vt. 
SHARPLES 
TUBULARi 
FARM 
S£»VRA110R] 
Just one Tubular, all the 
others are of the "bucket 
bowl” type. Plenty of the 
oKl style, bucket bowls, but 
only one of the Tubular 
style. Others have tried to 
imitate, but they can’t get 
Tubular patents. If you want the 
Improved Tubular Separator 
come to us; if you are satisfied with the 
old style bucket bowl, go to any of the 
others. Write for catalogue No. 
The Sharpies Co>- P. IN. Sharpies,. 
Chicago, III. West Chester, Pa. 
You can add value to any cow with a 
National 
Hand Separator 
because It will save over 80 per cent, of the loss 
resulting from the old method of setting. It 
will separate warm or cold milk, light or 
heavy cream, and skim clean. We send the 
National and let it prove its worth right in 
your own home dairy. 
10 DAYS’ USE FREE. 
Costs nothlngifyou don’t buy—costa 
nothing if you do, for it pays its 
cost in what i t saves. Send 
for catalogue. 
National Dairy Barhlne Co. 
Newark, N.J. 
Dairy doll-ars 
We claim that tb« 
EMPIRE 
Running Cream Separator 
will make you more money than any other ' 
separator can or will, because the Empir^ 
turns more easily, is more easily 
cleaned and kept cleaiv and has j 
fewer parts to get out of order. 
Send for our book, ’’A Dairy¬ 
man’s Dollars;” investigate all 
claims and decide for yourself. 
^Empire Cream Separator Co. | 
Bloomfield, N. J. 
Western Office, Fisher Bldg., ^ 
Chica^^o. 
DEtAluL 
CreamSeparators 
For twenty years the World’s Standard 
Send for free catalogue. 
The Do Laval Separator Co., 74 Cortlaiidt St . N.Y. 
Mark Your Stock 
Dip Your Stock 
Cure Your Stock 
Shear Your Stock 
We make a specialty of Ear 
Labels and Buttons, Tattoo 
Markers, Milk Oil Sheep Dip 
Cooper Sheep Dip (English), 
Worm Powders, Insect Pow¬ 
der, Rice’s Lice Paint, Shears, 
Shearing Machines, Toxaline 
French Worm Cure, Crooks, 
Bells, Poultry Tonic, Poultry 
Bands, Shepberds’ Cordial. 
All Best and Cheapest. 
Write for llln.trated Oatalocne. 
F. 8 . BURCH & CO., 
142 Illinois St. Chicago. 
Mention this paper. 
Wilder’s Stanchion 
—being an improvement 
over Smith's. Lightest, 
strongest, quickest, safest 
Stanchion made. Has steel 
latch and automatic lock. 
Becomes stationary when 
open. Animal cannot turn 
it in backing out. Made of 
best seasoned hard wood. 
Pins for fasteningwith every 
Stanchion. Send for testi¬ 
monials. J. K. WILDER & 
SON'S. Box 20, Monroe, Mich. 
CREAM EXTRACTOR 
FREE 
THK CHAIN-HANGING 
Cattle Stanchion 
The most practical and humane Fastener ever in¬ 
vented. Gives perfect freedom of the head. Illustrated 
Circular and Price free on application. Manufactured 
by O. H. KOBKKTSON, ForestvUle, Conn. 
Pat. May 31,lt)01. 
This is a genuine 
offer made to introduce the PeopleB 
Cream Extractor in every neighbor¬ 
hood. It is the best and simplest in 
the world. We ask that you show it to 
your neighbors who have cows. Send 
your name and the name of the near¬ 
est freight office. Address 
PEOPLES SUPPLY CO,, 
Dept. 86. Kansas City, Bio. 
DON’T BE HUMBUGGED 
by Cream Extractors that mix water with 
the milk and do not extract. 
The Superior Cream Extractor 
(No Water Mixed with the Milk) 
effects a complete separation In an hour 
by a circulation of cold water in an outer 
jacket, A trial convinces, and every can 
is guaranteed. Write us to-day tor our 
catalogue. 
SUPERIOR FENCE MACHINE CO., 
183 Grand River Avenue, Detroit, Mich. 
THE ARRAS 
Cream Extractor 
The loading Cream Extractor 
on the market because milk and 
water are not mixed. You al¬ 
ways have pure, sweet milk for 
homo use and not diluted for 
feeding. The most convenient 
extractor made for handling 
your milk in Winter as well as 
in Summer. It saves all can 
lifting, sklmmiug and washing 
of crocks. It is easily kept 
clean. Write for descriptive 
catalogue and special introduc- 
torv prices to THE AKKAS 
CKE.XM SEl’AKATOK CO. 
Bl.UKli’TON, OHIO. 
PRESCOTT’S Si” 
WINGING 
IVEL 
Nt'HlON 
KEEl’.S GOW.S CLEAN 
Swings forward while get¬ 
ting up or lying down. Locks 
back while standing. FuU 
partlcnlarsfree. PRESCOTT, 
69 Beve-vly St., Boston, Mask 
