542 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
July 25 
r 
UveSt^kandDair^ 
Nl/^PJES, THE HEN MAN. 
Tuk New Mii.k Contract. —I am not 
in favor of ratifying the contract of the 
sales committee of the F. S. M. P. A. 
with the People’s Pure Milk Co. for the 
reason, first, that it ignores the influence 
of supply and demand on the value of 
milk for too long a period. It is too 
much like gambling. No human fore¬ 
sight can tell what may happen to in¬ 
fluence the market value of milk five 
years hence. We do know, however, 
that the population of Greater New 
York is increasing with astonishing 
rapidity, and that the popularity and 
value of milk as human food is on the 
increase. Both theae factors tend to 
make it probable that before the expira¬ 
tion of a five-year contract the market 
value of milk will be greater than it is 
now. Second, we only have to look back 
five years to know that the cost of pro¬ 
ducing milk is increasing. We are liv¬ 
ing in an era of an increasing volume 
of currency, and inflation of prices. 
How long this is to continue, and when 
the tide will turn the other way, no man 
knows. The price of hay, grain and 
labor is now much higher than it was 
five years ago. If the same ratio of in¬ 
crease should continue another five 
years, what now looks like a remunera¬ 
tive price will then be a starvation 
price. Third, the privilege reserved to 
decrease the price in any one month, in 
order to reduce surplus, with promise 
to make up the yearly average on some 
other month, is not businesslike. Sup¬ 
pose supplies should be normal during 
the first half of the year, and the full 
price paid, with a large surplus during 
the latter months of the year. The com¬ 
pany would then have no opportunity 
to protect itself by reducing price in 
order to reduce the surplus in the latter 
months. On the other hand, should 
price be reduced during the first half 
of the year in order to reduce supplies, 
it might be extremely embarrassing to 
select the right months in which to 
bring back the yearly average, should 
the surplus supplies continue during 
the latter months of the year. The pro¬ 
moters of the company make it impos¬ 
sible, in the fifth section of the contract, 
for producers to secure a controlling in¬ 
terest In the company. The amount ot 
stock which farmers may secure is 
limited to $3,000,000 out of $25,000,000. 
This makes it certain that they intend 
to keep the controlling interest out of 
farmers’ hands, and makes a middle¬ 
man’s concern out of it, instead of a 
producer’s concern. The interests of 
buyer and seller cannot both be studied 
by the same company. The first duty 
of the management will be to keep the 
stock of the company as valuable as 
possible. In order to do this they must 
buy as low as they can and sell as high 
as they can. This places the company 
in the same category with the present 
middlemen. “It is naught, it is naught, 
saith the buyer’’ is a proposition as old 
as Solomon, and is not likely to be 
changed for the special benefit of milk 
producers. 
Hen Accommodations.—How large a yard 
or field ought 100 hens to have to do as 
well or nearly as well as when running at 
large? How high should a poultry fence 
made of Page wire be to keep hens of the 
Leghorn breeds from fiying over? How far 
from your farm buildings do you keep your 
hens? Do they bother any by coming 
around the bams and garden? How far 
apart are your henhouses? Do the hens 
stay in separate fiocks, or run mostly 
together? j. r. w. 
Adamsville, N. Y. 
I would suggest that the 100 hens be 
kept in two fiocks of 50 each, and that 
a yard 12 feet wide and 24 feet long is 
ample. When more than 50 hens are 
kept in one fiock in confinement, too 
many hens are apt to crowd into one 
nest, even if plenty of nests are pro¬ 
vided. I frequently find 15 or 20 eggs 
laid in one nest, while right beside it is 
a nest identical in appearance, with not 
an egg in it. This tendency to crowd 
often causes eggs to be broken in the 
nests, and is likely to produce prostra¬ 
tions from heat this warm weather. 
Yesterday (July 10) was one of the hot¬ 
test days I ever knew (103 degrees in 
the shade), and I found more dead hens 
when gathering eggs than ever before, 
with one exception. The hens had free 
range, and could seek the coolest situa¬ 
tions to be found. A half-dozen had 
evidently been overcome with heat in 
the nests. Instead of depending on a 
high fence to confine Leghorn hens, I 
would make the fence low (say four 
feet) and stretch wire netting over the 
entire top. This will cost but little 
more and will give perfect control of the 
flocks. A baseboard of one foot and a 
rail on top of four-foot posts, with the 
rest covered with wire netting, will 
make a good yard, high enough for a 
man or boy to enter if occasion de¬ 
mands, which need not occur very often. 
The top rails will act as braces to pre¬ 
vent the posts from sagging. A cheap 
awning, partially covering the netting 
overhead, will furnish welcome shade 
in Summer. Our nearest colonies are 
located about 25 rods from barn and 
garden, and hens never trouble us about 
either place. Most of our colonies are 
located eight rods distant from each 
other, with some only five rods apart. 
The latter distance is ample, except that 
the grass is kept picked too close to 
maintain a good sod. Each colony keeps 
near its own home as a general thine-, 
instead of all congregating in one large 
flock. 
Rural Lawlicssness. —I was privi¬ 
leged to join Wallkill River Grange No. 
983 a few days ago as a charter member. 
Organizer Vail, at the time of installing 
its officers, told us that legislatio.-i is 
needed to protect fruit growers from 
theft. In his section the courts have 
held that fruit on the tree or grapes on 
the vine are real estate, and that real 
estate cannot be stolen. People go into 
the vineyards and pluck grapes from the 
vines with impunity, but dare not pick 
fruit from the ground. When common 
sense is so lacking on the bench, it 
would be best to use a little before the 
bench, and prosecute for malicious mis¬ 
chief instead of for larceny. The young 
couple who recently stole my eggs were 
held for burglary instead of for petit 
larceny, because they “entered a build¬ 
ing to commit a crime.’’ The prospect 
of a term in prison for burglary soon 
brought them to their senses. They 
have both confessed that they took the 
eggs from the buildings, and begged of 
me to give them another chance to go 
to work and earn an honest living. I 
shall probably not appear against them 
when the grand jury meets. If Deputy 
Vail or any other Granger will prose¬ 
cute his grape thieves under either Sec¬ 
tion 671 or Section 537 of the New Penal 
Code of New York State, he will find 
that fruit thieves can be punished for 
stealing fruit from the tree or vine, as 
readily as if taken from the ground. 
O. W. MAPES. 
SWEET CORNSTALKS IN SILOS. 
Will Evergreen sweet corn keep In a silo? 
Would it be better to mix it with Pride of 
the North, load for load, or put it all to¬ 
gether about half way up in silo, with other 
corn below and above it? h. g. p. 
Collingwood, N. Y. 
If the Evergreen corn is well matured 
we would cut it into the silo alone. If 
cut as it is usually thought fit for the 
canning factory would mix the Pride of 
the North with it load for load, 
BRIEF POULTRY NOTES. 
There has been but little serious 
trouble with gapes this year, though the 
flock has not been entirely free from it. 
The long drought was wonderful for 
young poultry, and there were scarcely 
any deaths except from accident until 
the rain came. If I raise poultry an¬ 
other year I intend to have a small field 
fenced away from all adult fowls. The 
turkeys will wander into the usual farm 
“Chickenville” and bite the chicks 
cruelly. Even where feeding coops are 
provided the adult hens will also make 
Double, and if, as in my case, there are 
a few pet ducklings the old mother hens 
will fight the defenceless little things 
till blood is drawn from them their 
tender bodies. I suppose they fear the 
queer unwieldy babies, and think them 
enemies to their own youngsters. An 
enclosed park for the little chicks and 
another for the young turkeys would 
pay a good percentage on the money in¬ 
vested, in freedom from annoyance and 
^\orry if not in safety to the chicks, and 
many an unlucky chick or turkey would 
be saved from accidents which are un¬ 
avoidable where cld and young run to¬ 
gether. I had a load of sharp gravel 
brought and divided into several piles 
where the hens were most likely to find 
it this year. The pile near the chicken 
ccops receives the most attention from 
fowls old and young. Gravel is not 
unsightly, and if more of it were used 
around the farm premises it would add 
to the health of the poultry, cleaning 
up unsightly places, disinfecting as all 
clean fresh earth does and furnishing 
grit in abundance. sara a. little. 
Horse Owners! Use 
GOMBAULT’S 
Caustic 
Balsam 
A Safe, Speedy, and Positite Cnr* 
The safest, BestBLI.STER ever need. Take* 
ihe place of all Itnaments for mild or severe action. 
Removes all Bunches or Blemishes from Horses 
and Cattle, SUPEBSKDKS ALL CAUTKBF 
O B FI BING, Impossible to produce scar or blemish 
Every bottle sold Is warranted to give satisfaction 
Price #1.60 per bottle. Sold by druggists, or sent 
by express, charges paid, with full directions for 
its use. Send for de.scrlptlve circulars. 
THE LAWRENCR-WILLIAMS CO., Cleveland. O. 
SPAVINS^ 
»pllnts, Curbsand ^allother 
:>rms of Lameness are quick* 
y and permanently cured by 
sin? KENDALL’S SPAVIN 
^URE. SlabotUe; 6 for $5. 
U1 druggists. Unequaled for 
imilvuse. Book**ATreatffleon 
>e Horse'' sent free. Address 
IR. B, J. KENDALL CO., 
Enosburg Falls, VI. 
Above trade mark on every box. 
Work 
Horses 
need not be laid off for 
treatment if you use 
Bickmore's ''cure. 
Cures while you work him of all Harness, Sad¬ 
dle or Collar Galls, Scratches, Cuts, Cracks, 
etc. Sold everywhere by dealers. Guaranteed. 
Money refunded i f it fails. Sample mailed for 10 cents. 
BICKMORE GALL CURE COMPANY, Boi 519, Old Town M«. 
Breeders’ Directory 
ro« HOLSTEIN CATTLE 
Good ones, and all ages. Fine Yearling Bulls 
ready for service. 
RAMBOUILLET SHEEP. 
BERKSHIRE SWINE. 
Write DELLIIURST FABMS, Mentor, Ohio 
HOLSTEIN - FRIESIANS 
Choice young stock of the host breeding for sale. 
Prices reasonable. Every animal registered. 
WOODCHEST FAKM, Rifton, Ulster Co.,N. Y. 
Registered Jersey BuM Calves 
from Imported Golden Lad at fair prices, 
a. F. SHANNON, 90" Liberty jStreet, Pittsburg, Pa. 
U O A I tr t^reored jOevon 
I Iw La b at reasonable prices 
B. J. WIGHTMAN, West Eaton, N. T, 
GUERNSEYS 
—.so Cows and 3 Bulls 
for sale. Some choice 
Slock at low prices. 
Address JOHN MILLIGAN,273 W. Main Street, Port 
Jervis, N. Y. 
Ohio Farm Berkshires 
Boars fit for Service. Young Sows bred, and fine 
lot of Spring Pigs. 
M. L. & H. H. BENHAM, Le Roy, 0. 
IMPROVED LARGE YORKSHIRES 
hog. Pigs cf nil ages from imported stock for sale. 
MEADOW BROOK STOCK FARM, Rochester,Mich 
Impr^ed YORKSHIRES 
The best large hog. Get a Boa rand have large litters, 
all white. Price. $8 to $20 now. 
LAKE GROVE FARM, Madison, Lake Co.. Ohio. 
Reg. P. Chinas, Berkshires and C. Whites. 
8 wks. to C mos.. mated not akin. 
Service Boars, Bred Sows. Write for 
prices and description. Return If not 
satisfactory; wo refund the money. 
HAMILTON & CO., Brclldonn, Chester Co., Pa. 
PRESENT BARGAINS 
In purebred Holstcln- 
Fricsian Bull Calves 
and Scotch Colli Ptips. Apply promptly. 
^V. W. CHENEY, Manlius, N. Y. 
For Sale.—Scotch Collies, magnificently 
bred. A. J. BENEDICT, Woodworth, Wis. 
90 
varieties. Any amount Poultry, Eggs. Pigeons 
and Hares. Guide desc. fiO-page book. 10c. 
J. A. BERGEY, Box 8, Telford, Pa. 
rn n Q A I C —The choicest bred St. Bernard puppies 
run uALl In the United Stales. Sired by Uli. 
Keno. F. M. WILLIAMS, Box 424, Adams, N, Y. 
DEATH TO LICE 
G4-page b.ook FHKK. 
SHOO-FLY 
THE 
ILNIMALS’ 
FRIEND 
Hftlf cent'8 worth eaves 3 quarts milk and much flesh. Kills 
every flv it strikes; keeps off the rest. Harmless to man or beast 
NO LlCK in poultry house or any placcitls sprayed. Ifyour 
dealer does not keep it, send lH,00 for Improved Three Tube 
Sprayer and! nough Shoo-Fly loprot€ct200oows. Cash returned 
if cows are not protected, 
SH00-FLYMFG.C0..1005 Fairmount Ave., Phila.,Pa. 
NKWTON'8 Heave, Ceogh, IHi« 
temper and Indigestion Core* 
A veterinary specilic for wind, 
throat and stomach troubles. 
Strong recomviend$. |1.00 per 
can. Dealers. Mail or Kx. paid. 
>'ewton Horse Remedy Co*, 
Toledo, Ohio* 
THE LUCKY “4-LEAF CLOVER” 
Plymouth Cream Extract¬ 
or is the CREAM of them all. 
Inner can quickly remova¬ 
ble; water all around and 
under milk; has far greater 
cooling surface than any 
other. No water required 5 
months in year. Special air 
chamber with ventilator. 
New and original faucet, 
ImiKissible to leak or sour. 
Express charges prepaid. 
Catalogue free. 
Plymouth Cresm Separator Company, Plymouth, Ohio. 
It’s Almost 
Fatst Believing 
the amount of time, labor and money this machine saves 
you, say notliing of in- 
It spreads all kinds of manure, lime, 
salt, ashes, compost, etc., rapidly, 
evenly and better than it can possibly be done by 
lumpy, caked, coarse, strawy or stalky the manure is. 
hand. 
•A' * 
..flK 
It makes no difference bow bard, 
The Improved Kemp’’Manure Spreader 
will tear it apart, make it fine and spread it just where vou want it and in any desired quantity per acre. Greatly improved 
for l'J03. Send for our new illustrated catalogue, which descril>es improvements in detail, and tells about “How to Grow 
BigrCrops.*’ * . ... - 
made by oui 
ke:mp 
BigCrops.*’ Catalogue mailed f^ee. Keineml>er that the only original and genuine Kemp Manure Spreader is the one 
made by ourselves and the patents thereon have V)een fully sustained by a recent decision of tlie United SfratesCircuitCourt. 
" <S* BVRPEE MANUFACTURING CO.. BOX 38. SYRACUSE. N. Y. 
