208 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
March 18 
The Hen. 
THE BEST POULTRY FLOOR. 
I built a house for young chicks, and, to pro¬ 
tect them from rats, bricked and cemented the 
floor. For some reason, the chicks do not do 
well in it. I put boards under the wire coops 
and keep straw on the floor. The past season 
has been very wet; the house seems damp and 
chilly, and has a peculiar smell, although kept 
clean and has a ventilator at top. The ground 
was well filled in with coal cinders before the 
bricks were put in, and the house is built in a 
dry place. The chicks last Spring had canker 
and bowel trouble. Do you think the cemented 
floor had anything to do with it? Would it be 
better to put in a board floor, raising it a few 
inches from the cement ? a. m. c. 
Bunker Hill, Ill. 
AN8WKKHD BY ,T. E STEVENSON. 
Cement makes a very good floor for 
some places, but it is about tbe most un¬ 
desirable floor that can be ptft in a poul¬ 
try house. A good dry earth floor is 
better, and a tight board floor still bet¬ 
ter. The floor has, undoubtedly, been 
the cause of trouble with A. M. C.’s 
chicks. Dampness is the one thing to 
be most carefully avoided in building a 
poultry house, and there is always some 
dampness from a cement floor, varying, 
of course, as to the situation. I would 
much rather have a house with only 
three sides, the front simply covered 
with wire netting or lath, than to have 
a damp floor. 
Cement and bricks will keep out rats 
all right, but a much better way to use 
them, and one just as effectual, is to lay 
a solid wall, about 18 inches or two feet, 
in the ground, and place the sills of the 
building on this; unless there is an ac¬ 
cumulation of rubbiBh or a lumber pile 
to give the rats a harbor, they will 
never get in, as they will not burrow 
much in the open. A cheaper and 
equally effective method is to bury gal¬ 
vanized wire netting, one-inch mesh; 
this should be about 18 inches in the 
ground, and securely stapled to the sills 
all around the building Good netting will 
last a number of years in the ground. 
The best way for A. M C. to fix his 
house would be to put a tight board 
floor about 10 or 12 inches above the 
cement; if convenient, there may be 
even more space left to advantage. If 
rats are very troublesome, it should be 
high enough so that any trash that is 
likely to collect in such places can be 
easily raked out, and so that a rat dog 
can get around between the floors, as, if 
the rats once get a harbor under the 
floor, they will gnaw their way in. At 
least one side should be left open, so as 
to admit a free circulation of air be¬ 
tween the floors. 
Dampness must be strictly avoided 
with young chicks, as it will affect them 
more quickly than older birds, but it is 
pretty sure to bring all ages to grief 
sooner or later. Even ducks, though 
they can paddle around in the mud and 
water all day, will do much better if 
they have a dry place at night. 
WARMING THE HEN’S TEA. 
The weather here has been very se¬ 
vere. The thermometer was as low as 
20 degrees below zero. I have a great 
many White Leghorn hens which suf¬ 
fered very much from the cold ; they had 
A COLD-WEATHER FOUNTAIN. Fig. 78. 
already started their Spring laying, 
which was checked by the severe cold 
snap. I have invented a water foun¬ 
tain, which is shown at Fig. 78 for the 
benefit of those interested in the chicken 
business. I find it very useful where 
the thermometer goes below zero, in 
keeping the water from freezing in the 
severest weather. I gave my tinner the 
idea, and we together worked the plan 
out. It is made of galvanized iron and a 
copper wire holder which is snapped in, 
fastening on the warming closet ready 
to carry to the henhouse. The heat can 
be regulated by turning the lamp up or 
down to suit the weather. h. b. 
Kentucky. 
SCRAPS. 
A New Jersey woman discovered a large crack 
in a choice egg she was setting under a broody 
hen. She fastened up the crack with sticking 
plaster and hatched a fine chick from the sur¬ 
gically-mended egg. 
A Brave Cat. —A cat, an eagle and a bit of 
meat were the characters in an aerial tragedy in 
Pennsylvania recently. The cat was strolling 
across the barnyard, carrying the meat to her 
kittens, when an eagle swooped down upon her. 
As she declined to give up the meat, cat and all 
were taken up into the air. There was a savage 
struggle in midair, and the animals descended to 
earth again. The cat shot into the barn, still 
carrying her piece of meat, but the eagle was 
dead, his body being literally ripped open by the 
cat’s claws. Puss had then used her enemy’s 
body as a parachute, and is still attending pla¬ 
cidly to her maternal duties. 
Incubators and Insurance.— Our objection to 
the incubator is based on a very convincing per¬ 
sonal experience, as well as information as to 
the experience of other companies. While we 
may admit that the hazard is in the kerosene 
lamp, we cannot lose sight of the fact that the 
claims for loss, the direct result of kerosene 
lamps, are perhaps more numerous than from 
any other one cause. The prudent man does not 
burn a kerosene lamp in a'room where no per¬ 
son is present, and the introduction of an incu¬ 
bator into any part of a house means, practical¬ 
ly, the burning of several kerosene lamps with 
no person present in case of accident, to take 
that prompt action usually necessary to save the 
building from destruction. 
HANOVER FIRE INSURANCE CO. 
Warning Customers.— Hr. Samuel Cushman is 
breeding Rhode Island Red fowls. In his cir¬ 
cular, he makes this remarkable statement: “We 
guarantee.nothing, and make no promises to re¬ 
place broken or infertile eggs. We feel that you 
should be well satisfied if you raise two nice 
chicks from a setting of hen’s eggs, or one gos¬ 
ling from a setting of geese eggs, although we 
do hope that every egg will hatch. We also warn 
you that you should not be surprised, or feel that 
you have a grievance, if two-thirds of your Rhode 
Island Red chicks raised have feathered legs, 
and dark undercolor, and come all shades, from 
brown to straw color. We do not expect it will 
be quite as bad as 'that, but do not want you to 
expect too much, and give you this warning in 
advance before you pay your money.” 
Good Egg Record. —Here is my record for Feb¬ 
ruary. We have 40 old hens and 60 pullets. The 
old hens are P. Rocks and mixed stock; the pul¬ 
lets are a cross on these with White Leghorn 
cocks. They gave us 561 eggs the first 14 days, and 
1,133 eggs for the whole month. My neighbors 
think that is a big record, but if the 40 old hens 
had done as well as the pullets, it would have 
been a better record. How does it compare with 
Hope Farm record for the month ? One thing 
seems certain, we got more eggs during the cold¬ 
est days than any other time. I think it must 
have been because we fed often, and gave them 
better care. a. l. l. 
Valatie, N. Y. 
Some Massachusetts Hens. —My hens have had 
a chance to run out every day when the weather 
was suitable. My henhouse is 42 x 8 feet in four 
rooms, ground floor, not quite five feet per hen. 
The hens are four Buff Wyandottes, 14 Brown 
Leghorns, and the rest a cross between Buff 
Wyandotte and Brown Leghorn. In December, 
the falling off in eggs was on account of a snow 
storm at Thanksgiving. I was away about a 
week, and they had fallen off from about tw r o 
dozen per day to less than one It took about 10 
days to get them back on the old track. I have 
been quite interested in the Hope Farm Notes 
and think they are quite an addition to the 
paper. When a man gives his failures as well 
as successes, it is fully as helpful as it is to 
give only his successes. 1 should not have had 
the courage to give my statement if it had not 
been for the Hope Farm Notes. I have not fed 
any of the patent egg-producing foods, but have 
tried to give them good care from the time they 
were chickens. Here is my account: 
Cr.—1898. 
No. Eggs. 
Price sold, 
October. 
$10 70 
November... 
17 22 
December.... 
.... 557 
14 09 
January. 
17 50 
February.... 
.... 862 
15 83 
3,355 
$76 34 
Dr. 
Cost of feed.$26 92 
Balance Cr.$48 42 
I had 49 pullets and 21 fowls, 70 in all, October 
1. I have lost two pullets. The highest number 
in one day was 41 eggs. w. h. h. 
Monson, Mass. 
Colored Eggs.— The astute alleged editor of a 
so-called poultry paper was recently asked by a 
reader whether there is any difference in the 
price of brown and white eggs in first-class mar- 
•kets. He answers, No, that some people prefer 
the white, some the brown shell, and the choice 
is merely personal. Farther, he says that the 
person who tries to make people believe there is 
a difference is lying and knows it. What a lot of 
liars there are, and The R. N.-Y. with the rest ! 
For many years past, dozens of leading com¬ 
mission men, wholesale egg dealers and fancy 
grocers have been telling us that the New York 
trade prefers and pays higher prices for eggs 
with white shells. Many of the market reports 
quote White Leghorn eggs, usually at materially 
higher prices. Up in central New York State are 
many farms devoted entirely to the production 
of eggs from White Leghorns, and these farms 
have developed because of an existing demand 
for white-shelled eggs, and find it profitable to 
supply that demand. In Boston, the conditions 
are the same except that people there prefer, and 
pay more for, eggs with brown shells, so we have 
told our readers, and so many of the egg handlers 
there have written. At least one man has gone 
so far by selection and breeding as to produce a 
special brown-egg strain of B. P. Rocks to supply 
this demand—that is, he says he has. “I said 
in my haste, all men are liars ! ” So we have 
plenty of company! But it’s strange no one ever 
before discovered this wholesale deception! 
Well, it’s better to be a liar than a fool, for a liar 
may reform. _ 
I have used Dr. D. Jayne’s Expectorant in my 
family for Croup, and l find nothing to equal it. 
K. T. DAVENI’OUT. Valley Head. Alabama, Octo¬ 
ber 18, 1895. 
If bilious take Jayne’s Painless Sanative Pills.— 
Adv 
Bone Cutters 
Green cut bone is essential 
to a balanced ration forall fowls, 
young or old. The Webster & 
Hannum bone cutter has al¬ 
ways been the favorite with 
poultrymen. 
The new cutter-head is practically 
indestructible, absolutely self-regu¬ 
lating and self-feeding; cuts meat and 
gristle as well as bone. Never clog*. 
Only award at World’s Fair, Chicago. 
Booklet all about hem and how to make them 
lay, free. Send your address. c ‘ 
E. C. STEARNS & CO., Box 20 Syracuse, N. Y. 
iiruo | A V double the when 
nCIlJ biW I. fed on Green Out Bone. 
MANN'S NEW BONE CUTTERS prepare bone in the best 
and cheapest way. Cut fast, fine, Uim easy. Mann s Clover 
Cutters, newest, fastest, * 8 . & $10. Mann's Swinging r eed 
Tray and Granite Crystal Grit make the business profitable. 
'Catalog free. V. W. MANN CO., Box 15, Milford, Mass. 
MORE EGGS 
are laid by hens when kept free froc 
vermin. LAMBERT’S DEATH TO 
LICE Is the remedy, it costs but 10c. U 
try It. My 64-page Poultry Book free. 
D.J. LAMBERT, Box 307, Apponaug, R.l 
MITES AND LICE 
" on your poultry? Paint 
roosts with Lee’s Lice Killer. 
All done. Next morning look ; 
and see all lice and mites lying 
dead on roost boards. Many 
report finding them in piles a 
half inch deep where each fowl 
roosted the night before.Seeing 
is believing. Same with hogs or 
sheep. Paint rubbing posts or 
sprinkle floor of sleeping pen. 
All done. No more lice, mites' 
or fleas. No handling, no labor. 
Cheap, only 75 cts. for a gallon 
can. Want some? No doubt an 
agent near you if not in your own 
town. If not, take an agency yourself. Sample 
post paid 10 cts. Write for full particulars and 
new (M-page book on “Insects” and diseases of 
poultry and stock. Our methods make easy the 
extermination of all kinds of insects and vermin. 
BEO. H. LEE CO., Omaha,Neb. or68 Murray St., New York 
egg, so thousands testify. It is the best 
Self-Regulating machine made. 
Brooders @5.00. Catalogue free. 
Address, GEO. S. SINGER,Cardington, 0. 
Special GO Day Discount Sale 
on our Latest Improved Standard Incu¬ 
bators and Brooders Large valuable 
Catalogue and Discount Sheet for 6c. 
Flower City Inc. Co., Rochester. N. Y. 
THE IMPROVED 
VICTOR Incubator 
Hatches Chickens by Steam. Absolutely 
self-regulating. The simplest, most 
reliable, aud cheapest first-class Hatcher 
, in the market. Circulars FREE. 
GKO. EKTEIi CO., QUINCY, ILb. 
Suits Everybody. 
We guarantee the Star 
Incubator to be perfectly 
satisfactory to every pur¬ 
chaser or return your 
money without question. 
No other incubator com¬ 
pany gives such a guaran¬ 
tee. They want their in¬ 
cubators to stay sold—we don’t, unless the 
buyer is satisfied that they are the best on 
earth and satisfactory in every way. 
NO MOISTURE to be supplied. Catalogue fret. 
STAR INCUBATOR & BROODER COMPANY, 
Bound Brook, New Jersey. 
POULTRY 
O We keep everything in the I’OILTRY LINK, ♦ 
♦ Fencing, Feed". Incubators, Live Stock. Brooders ♦ 
♦ —anything— it’s our business. Call or let us ♦ 
♦ send you our illustrated catalogue—it’s free for ♦ 
♦ the asking—It’s worth having. ip 
♦ Excelsior Wire and Poultry Supply Co., ♦ 
♦ 28 Vesey Street, New York City. + 
♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦<*“♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦ 
BRABAZON’S POULTRY-CATALOGUE 
rnrr j It’s a beauty; over 50 colored plates. Illus- 
’ i trates and describes fine Turkeys, Geese, 
1 xDucks and chickens; gives prices of fowls A eggs. Finest 
-'Buyer's Guide published. Inclose 10c. for postage, etc. 
£ J. R. Brabazon, Jr. & Co., Box 57, Delavao, WU. 
IJr 
v 
GREIDER’S FINE CATALOGUE 
B. 
of prize winning poultry tor 1899. The finest poultry book out. A 
perfect guide to poultry raisers. Calendar for ’99 on cover. Gives 
price of eggs and stock from tho very Ivst strains. It shows the 
;nest chickens and describes them all. Fifty different varieties. 
Everybody wants this poultry book. Send Six oonts in stamps. 
H. GRKIDER, FLORIN. PA. 
Blanchard's White Leghorns. 
The leading strain of heavy layers. Eggs for hatch¬ 
ing from fldest breeders and greatest layers out of 
1.200 hens. 15, $1.50; 30, $2.25; 00. $4; 100, $6. Send for 
cir. H. J. BLANCHARD,Groton, Tompkins Co., N. Y. 
WHITE WYANDOTTES “:r.sr 
bred. Hens prolific layers. None better. Low prices. 
Write for egg cir. Ralph Woodward, New Rochelle, N. Y 
200 
young Barred P. Rocks: also Eggs. Circula 
_free If you mention this paper. 
C. F. GIFFEN, Lock Box 85, St. Clairsville, Ohio. 
HOMESTEAD POULTRY YARDS 
WM.S. CRAFT, Prop., King St., Port Chester, N. Y. 
Has for sale a few Cockerels of following named 
breeds: Andalusians, L. Brahmas, Houdans, B. P. 
Rocks, W. Wyandottes, R. I. Reds and S. C. W. Leg¬ 
horns. Prices from $1 to $2 each. Good stock aud in 
perfect health Eggs for hatching In season. 
Silver Greek Poultry Ranch, 
LOCKPORT, ILL. 
Imperial Pekin Ducks Selected breeders at 
$1 each. Eggs for hatching, 15 for $1; 100 for $4; 
1.000 for $30. 
S. C. White Leghorn Eggs, 100 for $0. 
Limestone Grit, 100 pounds, 50 cents. Stamp for reply 
H OW TO START 
■ ■ In tbe POULTRY BUSINESS andhow 
to make it a complete success la the theme of 
I our POULTRY GUIDE. Tells all about pool- 
I try houses, how to build, coat, Ac., and how tc 
> breed, reed and market fowl*. Treats 
I famous CYPHERS INCUBATOR 
•hlch Is delivered freight paid to every purchaser. 
- hie machine requires absolutely so artlfical moisture. Bend 10 
cent* and get the book. Circulars FREE. • 
TIE CYPHERS INCUBATOR CO. Box 101. WAYLAND. N.Y. 
SOLD ON 
.Buy no Incubator and pay far It 
before giving It a trial. 
ave lost faith in i 
9 Mxny people have lost faith In incubators W 
' fflgSjcauae tney bought one that was never Intend- 
P—l _jy« I ed to hatch chickens—made merely to sell. 
f 1 The Von Culln Incubators 
l art aold on trial subject to yonr approv¬ 
al. Simplest machine made. A child can operate it. The blgfiMt 
eatalofae and “poultry pointers'' book published, sent for 5c. 
Plane for Brooders, Poultry Houses, etc., sent on receipt of 25c. 
Von Colin Incubator Co. 60 Adams St. Delaware City, Del. 
BOON! BUSINESS’ 
Don’t be satisfied with poor results, 
You can hutch thousand* of chick¬ 
ens with he 
PRAIRIE STATE INCURATOR 
without a possibility of failure. That 
is best attested by Its 200 first pre¬ 
miums In all kinds of competitions 
with all kinds of machines. Get our 
168-page catalogue with supplement. 
PRAIRIE STATE INCUBATOR CO., HOMER CITY. PA. 
as yon 
did last 
not do it. 
Nothing like starting right. 
If yon want to start right 
and stay right bay the 
Reliable Incubator. 
Made bo the veriest novice can’t fail 
with it. Light the lamp, the Reliable 
the rest. We send a 2*24 page 
book for 10 c in stamps that tel It- all 
it and the Keliablp Poultry Farm. 
RELIABLE INCH, k BROODER CO. Box B 1.1. Quincy. 111. 
50 Chicks from 50 Eggs 
| Mrs. M. T. Duval, Old Church, V*. 
I hatched with Bantam 49, 50 and 48 
chicks each from 50 eggs, and never 
_jbefore *aw an incubator. Yon can 
40 Kff Stz., $4.00 do as well. Try ouc 30 days free. Send io 
(or Mo. 2 SCat. Buckeye Incubator Co., Springfield, O. 
jJLIFE PRODUCERS 
SUCCESSFUL INCUBATORS. 
LIFE PRESERVERS 
.i JJ SUCCESSFUL BROODERS. 
II 4 All about them In our 148-page eata- 
__ logue. Mailed tor 6 cents in stamps. 
I)ES MOINES INCUBATOR CO., Box 90, Des Moines, la 
HATCH CHICKENS 
BY STEAM-"lthth» 
simple, perleot, ..lf-regulatinf 
EXCELSIOR INCUBATOR 
Thousand. In *000.11101 »p.ratlon 
Lowest priced lst-elass h.teb.r Bait. 
6EO.H. STAHL, v ... 
114 te lea S. 6th St.. Qnliaey, III. 
HE Vftll SEEK UNDOUBTED 1N- 
ir IVl) CUBATOR VALUE 
, perfect regulation, perfect application of heat, 
perfect control of moisture, immunity from tir« 
! by lamp explosion or super-heating, buy the 
ILLINOIS 
Capacity 50 to 400 eggs. Hot air or hot water, ai 
on prefer. Kgg chamber bolds just what we say it 
does. Nursery under egg tray for newly hatched chicks. Before 
you buy an Incubator or brooder send for our free book, ‘‘Illinois-' 
J. H. JONES, Box 107, STREATOR, ILL. 
