686 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
September 26 
Live Stock and Dair 
MAPES, THE HEN MAN. 
House for Smaul Flock.—W ill Mr. 
Mapes state what he consitlers the most 
successful house for a flock of 40 or 50 
hens (size of building)? Would It be better 
to divide them into two or three flocks 
for Winter layers? m. g. a. 
South Haven. Mich. 
It is becoming more and more gener¬ 
ally conceded that success with hens as 
egg producers in Winter does not de¬ 
pend very largely on any particular size 
or style of building. At the same time 
it is best to consider some of the im¬ 
portant essentials when a new house is 
to be built. It must first be comfortably 
v/arm, both day and night. This does 
not necessarily mean that it must be 
warm enough to sit in without hat or 
coat, as most human habitations are 
usually kept. A flock of hens will sit in 
comfort at night in a temperature below 
the freezing point. Sunlight is another 
e.®sential, and sufficient window space 
must be provided to give a cheerful light 
to the space occupied during the day. 
Freedom from dampness is very import¬ 
ant. The lungs are constantly exhaling 
large quantities of moisture, and how to 
prevent this from condensing on the cold 
surfaces of the closed henhouse in Win¬ 
ter is one of the most troublesome ques¬ 
tions which confront us. A house 10x20 
feet, divided into two compartments 10 
xl2, and 8x10 feet will be found a very 
satisfactory size for such a flock. I 
would keep all in one flock, fitting up 
the smaller room as roosting quarters, 
with regard to warmth and pure air, 
rather than light. The larger room 
should be fitted up as a day room, with 
an abundance of light. The best flock 
of Winter layers I have ever known 
roosted in an old smokehouse without 
a window in it. Connected with it was 
a low shed with glass front, well littered 
with chaff, etc. The whole outfit was 
weather-beaten and old, but well pro¬ 
tected inside with building paper. In 
this old “shack” 20 hens averaged lo 
eggs a day for the whole month of Janu¬ 
ary, laying 19 eggs a day on three dif¬ 
ferent days in the month. I will en¬ 
deavor to secure a photograph of the 
wigwam-like buildings of Mrs. Craw¬ 
ford, built from old box lumber and bar¬ 
rel staves, covered with tarred paper. 
Her hens excel as Winter layers, al¬ 
though cramped for room, as most poul¬ 
try authorities would consider. 
Old or New Corn.—C an you tell me 
whether old corn is better for laying hens 
than new? Do you feed new corn as soon 
as you can husk it? w. h. o. d. 
Paxinos, Pa. 
I should not hesitate to feed new corn 
to hens as soon as it was ready to husk, 
if I were raising my own corn. I should 
prefer, however, to wait until it could be 
shelled readily. I have heard good ob¬ 
serving farmers and poultrymen say that 
they always thought their poultry im¬ 
proved in growth and productiveness as 
soon as the crop of new corn was avail¬ 
able. It is highly probable that this was 
due to an increased allowance rather 
than from a change from old to new 
corn. The stalk of the corn plant rapid¬ 
ly decreases in digestibility on account 
of oxidization. It is probable that this 
process goes on more slowly with the 
grain, yet new corn should be more di¬ 
gestible than old. In buying corn the 
shrinkage in weight due to drying is 
generally considered a point against 
new corn. Liability to ferment, before it 
is well dried, is another point against 
new corn in the markets. These do not 
apply to home-grown corn. 
The Paralyzed Sow. —Our sow that 
lost the use of her bacK and hind legs 
does not regain their use. After lying 
thus for two weeks she farrowed 13 i)igs 
an(i |6 no worse for it, She has an ex¬ 
cellent appetite and is strong in the use 
of her forward parts. After suckling 
her pigs she sometimes has trouble in 
regaining her equilibrium, and five of 
her pigs have been crushed in her strug¬ 
gle to regain her upright position. The 
remainder are growing finely. What 
was the cause of this sudden paralysis 
of the hind parts? Will she vecover? 
She seems to suffer no pain, and the 
milk flow seems to be normal. 
Swine Notes. —We find our four-foot 
alley along the front of hoghouse, with 
small doors opening into each of the 6x 
8-foot pens, a great convenience. When 
we wish to catch pigs for sale or other¬ 
wise it is easy to coax or drive the pigs 
into the alley and keep the sow con¬ 
fined in the pen. A movable panel, just 
long enough to reach across the alley, is 
then shoved along until the pigs are 
crowded into one end of the alley, where 
they can be caught readily without in¬ 
terference from the sow. We shall want 
to exhibit some large hogs at our county 
fair, and expect this alley to be a help 
in loading. The floor at one end is about 
on a level with a wagon box standing 
outside. The wagon box will be backed 
up against the end of the alley and a 
small door cut through the siding. A 
hog of any size can easily be admitted 
to the alley. By the use of this movable 
panel we expect to have him walk into 
the wagon (or crate) without difficulty 
or exertion. o. w. mapes. 
GOOD WORDS FOR BERKSHIRES. 
I wish to call attention to an article 
written by “Mapes the hen man,” in 
which he told about his pig (common 
bred) beating all the Berkshires with 
long pedigrees. I am not a breeder of 
any pigs, nor am I interested in any par¬ 
ticular breed, as I have not owned or 
bred any pigs for nearly 20 years. But 
I consider Mr. Mapes’s article did much 
barm in running down the purebred ani¬ 
mal. We have to have the purebred ani¬ 
mal of all breeds to improve the general 
breed by grading to a higher standard, 
the animals of the farmer in their re¬ 
spective classes. Mr. Mapes stands as 
a representative of advanced ideas, and 
when he by his words and writings dis¬ 
parages the purebred animal and up¬ 
holds the scrub he gives a sad blow to 
the man who seeks to improve his stock, 
and bolsters up the shiftless “good- 
enough” farmer who says he “wants 
none of your fancy breeds.” I do not 
think Mr. Mapes knew how badly it 
sounded, or the effect it would have, or 
he would not have written it as he did 
at least. I do know now, unless the 
breed has very much deteriorated since 
we used to raise Berkshires (with long 
pedigrees, too), that they would (jom- 
pare well with his scrub pig, and not 
suffer by comparison. I am aware some 
families have been bred a little fine to 
attain the largest size, but I have al¬ 
ways maintained, in my observation of 
different breeds both in this country and 
in England, that I have yet to see the 
hog that for the amount of feed eaten 
will produce an equal amount of pork 
that the Berkshire will. We had a pen 
once of purebreds and grades (half 
breeds), 10 or 12 in number, that aver¬ 
aged 231 pounds dressed at a little over 
eight months. The Hope Farm man 
speaks of the Berkshire being a shy 
breeder, or having small litters. I think 
he will find if he keeps the sows till they 
have had two or three litters they will 
do better. We used to think an old 
sow worth two or more gilts, as they 
produced larger, stronger pigs and more 
of them, and raised an evener lot of 
pigs. We always thought six or possi- 
lily eight good even pigs without a runt 
better than a litter of 10 or 12 with sev¬ 
eral defective ones in it, as are often seen 
in large litters. v. willtam.s. 
Pennsylvania, 
Etm A A stock you have—how inaiiy head 
rrijfj of each, what stock lood you 
■ ■ have used—.and mention tills 
paper. This book is a comprehensive treatise 
on the care of all live stock and iwultry,based 
on the scientific knowledge and attainments 
of the eminent veterinarian, J)r. Hess (M.I)., 
D.V.S.); written in popular language; com¬ 
mended and used by veterinarians every¬ 
where. (let it and become a master of all 
stock diseases. W rite to-day, to 
DR. HESS & CLARK, Ashland. Ohio. 
Makers of Dr. Hess Stock Food. 
Scoured to deatli! — Poor 
little calf—poor careless farmer. C H L O R O- 
NAPTHOLEUM DIP •would have put the 
calf right, saved it, made it healthy, hearty- 
valuable. Chloro-Napthsleum Dip is a harmless 
germicide—it annihilates all germs and para¬ 
sites, lice, ticks, itch. 1 gal., .Jl..50;5 gals., ¥6.75; 
10 gals., S12..50; booklet free. The West Disin¬ 
fecting Co., Inc , 4 E. 59th St., New York 
Wanted for FOSTER STEEL STANCHION 
Best COW fastener made. All metal, uig seller. 
Frank II. Bailies, Seed Brower, Dept. 12, HuehevCer, N.T. 
^MANN’S 
Latest Model 
lloiio Cutter 
^ves hens food which makes them lay. 
Cuts al 1 bone, meat and gristle; never clogs. 
Ten Days’ Free Trial. 
No money unti I satisfied that it cuts easiest 
and fastest. Return at our expense it not 
i satisfied. Catalogue free. 
F.W. MANN CO., BOX IS MILFORD, MASS. 
Breeders’ Directory 
^e^Kstered Jersey iBuiS 
from Imported Golden Dad at fair prices, 
a. V. SHANNON, 907 Liberty {Street, Plttabu^g, 
rOUR SOLID COLORED JERSEY BULLS. 
* 4, 5, 6 and 8 months old. Sire a D. G. Son of St' 
Lambert Boy. Sire of ai tested cows. 
,1. A. HERU, Route 4, Lancaster. Pa. 
for holstesim cattle 
Good ones, and all ages. Fine Yearling Bulls 
ready for service. ^ 
RAMBOUiLLET SHEEP. 
BERKSHIRE SWINE. 
Write DELLIH.RST FARMS, Mentor, Ohio. 
RARRAIM^ in purebred Holstein-Friesian Bull 
DnllUninO Calves. Low present prices to reduce 
stock. Write promptly. 
W. W. CHENEY. Manlius. N.Y. 
HOLSTEIN - FRIESIANS. 
Choice young stock of the best breeding for sale 
Prices reasonable. Every animal registered. 
WOODCRE8T FARM, Rifton, Ulster Co.,N. T, 
H olstein BtJT.,L calves, scotch comes, Spared 
Females. SILAS DBCkER, South Montrose, Pa. 
Fo CMnas, BerKsnires and C. WMtes. 
8 wkB. to 6 mes.. mated sot aklo. 
Service Boars, Bred Sows. Write foi 
prices and desoilption. Return if not 
_ satisfactory; we refund the money. 
HAMILTON & CO., Brclldoun, Chester Co., Pa. 
Berkshire Spring 
DDUllOIilULO i«jgg of both sexes in New England, 
farrowed in March and April. Also, three yearling 
Boars and six yearling Sows that will farrow in 
September. I own the only living daughter of Long¬ 
fellow, No. 16835. J. K. WATSON, Marbledale, Conn. 
Impr'^^d YORKSHIRES 
The best laige hog. Get a Boar and have large llttOTt, 
all white. Price, $8 to $20 now. 
Lake grove F'arm,M adison, Lake Co., Ohio. 
IMPROVED LARGE YORKSHIRES 
hog. Pigs of all ages from imported stock for sale. 
MEADOW BROOK STOCK FARM, Rochester,Ml(Sh 
tShe 
AMERICAN 
CREAM 
SEPARATOR 
is helping the cows to make money for 
thousands of farmers. It will help you. 
It is simple. It is practical. It is 
Sold on Trial, 
The machine that turns easily and does 
its work thoroughly. 'W'rite for separator 
book. It is free and you ought to have it. 
AmericaLn Sepa-ra-tor Co., 
10 x 1(166 hahthrid^o, N. Y. 
Won Mfilal at Parig^ TWO. 
N o MOBB BLIND HORSES.—ForSpeclflcOph 
thalmia. Moon Blindness, and other Sore Eyes, 
BARRS' CO., Iowa City, Iowa, have a sure core 
0i li Cl 
at farmers' prices. Sejitem- 
ber and October farrow. Fine 
stock; none belter; few :isgood. 
J. D. DATES. R F. D. No. 9, Ladlowville, N. Y. 
C hoice delaine ewes and rams at 
bargain prices. Stock all registered. F. C. 
MULKIN, Friendship, N. Y. 
SHROPSHIRE RAMS FOR SALE. 
Yearlings and Lambs: A 1 stock. ITull-blood but 
not registered. $10 and $12 each. Address, 
IRA H. HASBROUCK, Box 987, Kingston, N. Y. 
FERRETS 
—The Baest lot ever offered 
for sale at Shady Jjawn Ferret 
Farm Price list free. 
Address, W. J. WOOD, New 
London, Ohio. 
For Sale.—Scotch Collies, mag'nificently- 
bred. A. J. BENEDICT, Woodworth, Wls. 
CnYCQ—fortrapping.$1. STOW 
rUAUO & MILLER, Trappers, Conway. Mass. 
lEATH TO LICE 
on HENS and CHICKS, 
, , aa a V 64-page book FREE. 
D. J. LAMBERT, Box 307, Apponaug, B. L 
Var’s Poultry, Pigeons, Parrots, Dogs, Cats, 
etc. Eggs, a specialty. 60 p. hook, 10c. Bates 
free. J. A. BERGEY, Box 8, Telford. Pa. 
SQUABS PAY Sen! 
Easier, need attention only part of 
time, bring big prices. Raised in one 
month. Money-makers for poultry 
men, farmers,women. Send for FREE 
BOOKLET and learn this rich home 
industry. PLYMOUTH ROCK SQUAB 
CO., 4A Friend Street, Boston. Mass. 
UlUITC I CnUflDMC— Cockerelsfor $4 If 
WnilL LLUnUnilu takennow. 900 beauties 
from big eggs from big hens. All purebred, ■without 
llisqualiflcations. WHITE & RICE, 
Box A, Yorktown, N, Y. 
WAY 
Money in his pocket—smile upon his face— 
Everybody happy all about the place— 
Job done in a jiffy—work is almost play— 
Why? Because he runs his farm in 
THE EMPIRE WAY. 
The Empire way means greater profits 
for the butter maker, more money for 
the milk proclucer, less labor for both 
and greater satisfaction all around. Don’t make 
a mistake. Be sure and get an 
Eas'y 
Empire 
Separator, 
The Separator with the li^Kt bowl and few parts. 
The separator that’s easy to turn, easy to clean and that has practically 
no wear out to it. Don’t be persuaded into buying a separator without 
investigating the merits of the Empire. Don’t take anybody’s say so— 
try it and then decide for yourself. There can be no question as to 
what your judgment will be. 
The Empire is different from other separators. Without question it 
is the simplest in construction, has fewer parts to clean and nothing to 
get out of order, and it is sold on a fair basis. 
Empire Cream Separator Co., 
Bloomfield. New Jersey. 
Send for our booK- you will be interejied. 
