9i8 
TIIE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
December 24, 
Live Stock and Dairy 
STARTING A FLOCK OF SHEEP. 
I wish to build up a small flock of about 
20 choice ewes. How shall I commence in a 
small way? Which will pay best, purebreds 
or grades? Which is the best breed for all 
purposes? Are there many Oxford Downs 
kept in this country? If so, why don’t we 
see them advertised? I would like to know 
the poor qualities as well as good of the dif¬ 
ferent varieties. a. n. p. 
Pittsfield, N. H. 
From the expression “build up a flock” 
I take it that the questioner wants to 
raise a flock of 20 from a few individuals. 
At the ordinary ratio of increase it will 
take four or five years to get a flock of 
20 from two or three females. If he 
should have an unusually large number of 
male lambs (which might easily be the 
case, with one ram and a few ewes) it 
might take longer. If he proposes to work 
it this way, I would advise him to get 
purebreds, not simply those registered in 
some herd book, but good individuals, say, 
a ram and two or three ewes. If he knows 
nothing of sheep he would then have an op¬ 
portunity to learn the business by the time 
he gets his flock. Or he can add to these 
enough good grades of the breed he se¬ 
lects to bring his flock up at once to 20, 
without a large investment. Then as the 
flock increases cull out all but the pure¬ 
breds. It will cost no more to keep the 
latter than the grades, and he will take 
greater pride in them. His best lambs 
will sell for more as breeders than for 
mutton. One ram he must have. It 
would not be wise to use the ram on more 
than his daughters. The work of caring 
for the larger flock will not be much 
greater. 
What particular breed is kept depends 
wholly on his surroundings, and what the 
inquirer intends to do with them. It 
would also be wise to note what sheep are 
popular in his section, which would give a 
convenient outlet for stock sold as breed¬ 
ers. If they are to run on rough pas¬ 
tures, without much shelter or care, the 
Delaine Merinos will answer; heavy 
shearers, their tight wool will shed the 
storms; but their lambs will not make as 
early, as large, or as good mutton. If 
he wants to raise Winter lambs, better get 
the Dorsets. They will breed early in 
the season, are good milkers, and give 
a very good lamb. If he wants good wool, 
and mutton lambs, and there is a fine mar¬ 
ket for the latter right at his doors, from 
the large number of city people who are 
to be fed there every Summer, I would 
advise him to select the Cheviots or 
Shropshires. The former are a Scotch 
sheep; handsome, very hardy, with a long 
staple wool, which is in demand. They 
make good mothers, and are nearly as pro¬ 
lific as the Downs. They being less nu¬ 
merous will cost him more to buy. The 
Shropshires will stand less roughing it, 
being not so hardy, hut they are good 
shearers; very prolific; should with good 
care average at least a lamb and a half 
to the sheep. They mature early, and their 
lambs make pre-eminently fine mutton. 
The very fact that they are so numer¬ 
ous speaks volumes for their popularity. 
There are a good many Oxfords in 
this country, and are often advertised, 
but are not so numerous as the Shrop¬ 
shires or Hampshires. They are a beauti¬ 
ful sheep and larger than the Shropshires. 
Their rather large head often causes 
trouble at lambing time. It also takes 
them longer to develop. To write in detail 
of all the good breeds and their good and 
bad points, would take too much space. 
I have given enough as to the most suit¬ 
able breeds to be a guide. He should 
make up his mind what lie wants to do, 
then get the breed that best fills the bill, 
and stick to it. Don’t cross-breed, and 
don’t spare money for a good ram. For 
care and feed, see last Summer’s issues 
of The R. N.-Y. edward van alstyne. 
COSGROVE'S HEN NOTES. 
Keep hens busy if you want eggs in 
Winter. After a full Ijreakfast they are 
inclined to congregate in groups and sit 
still for hours, especially on cloudy or 
stormy days. This is not conducive to a 
good egg output, and to prevent it I do 
not feed the warm mash until noon, giving 
them a light feed of cracked corn, oats, 
barley or wheat. I prefer mixing two or 
three of these feeds to feeding them sepa¬ 
rately on alternate days, for this reason: T 
have noticed that some of the hens will 
pick out the wheat and others will select 
the corn, each taking what she most needs, 
I presume; of course if the feed is scanty 
they will fill up with anything. Corn is 
the great “standby;” whatever dry feed I 
use, corn is at least half of it. I do not 
take much stock in the bugbear of “get¬ 
ting hens too fat to lay.” I feed this dry 
feed in deep litter, kicking the litter over 
so as partly to conceal the feed, and not 
giving as much as they want, so they will 
continue to scratch most of the morning. 
I" or litter I use oat straw unthrashed, and 
leaves mixed with it, because the leaves 
hide the grain better, and the two things 
together make the best litter I have ever 
used. When it gets all broken up and too 
dirty to use, it goes out to the barn and 
is used as an absorbent back of the cows. 
Making the Mash. —I raised quite a 
lot of pumpkins this year, and about three i 
times a week a big pot full is chopped up 
and boiled until soft, and the animal meal, | 
middlings, cornmeal and bran are stirred 
into it, making a mash that is about one- 
third vegetable and two-thirds grain, less 
say one-tenth animal matter. Sometimes 
I grind some charcoal and mix in the 
mash, but usually feed the charcoal dry 
and by itself. I vary the mash by using 
small potatoes in place of pumpkins occa¬ 
sional!}', but there .ought never to be a 
great preponderance of vegetable stuff in 
the feed, and a glance at the droppings 
board under the roosts will show why. To 
the observant poultryman the appearance 
of the droppings is one of the best indica¬ 
tions of the condition of his fowls. A 
lump of bright green droppings indicates 
that some hen has canker or “vent gleet.” 
and the fowls in that coop must be looked 
over and the sick one taken out and doc¬ 
tored or killed and buried. If the drop¬ 
pings are too soft feed less mash and more 
dry feed, or less animal meal and vege¬ 
tables in the mash. With the best care 
hens will die occasionally of “heart failure” 
or no apparent cause, and every poultry- ' 
man expects to lose a certain per cent in 
that way. 1 think it speaks well for the 
condition of my flock to be able to say 
that with over .too head I have not found a 
dead hen in any of my coops or yards in 
five or six months; that is to say, dead 
from natural causes. Two were killed by 
some animal, and two young fowls smoth¬ 
ered in a small coop. geo. a. cosgrove. 
Connecticut._ 
TEACHING A HORSE TO TROT. 
I Tow do you teach a horse to trot, pro¬ 
vided he has Hie blood and should go well if 
properly trained? Mine wants to single-foot 
all the time. u (, 8 
Ilarrisville, W. Va. 
You have a slow saddle gait, and this 
class of horses does not take to the trot- 
ting gait readily. You can try crossing 
Ihe hopples and weighting heavily in 
front; if he does not take to the trot- 
ting gait after a time use the hopples ! 
straight and weight for a pace. It might 
be that after a long time he would strike a 
pace and go fast. m. d. w. 
I have a cow that gave over ."00 pounds of ; 
butter last year and the year before (grade 
Jersey). I know the common farmers do 
not have many such cows. I cannot under¬ 
stand why farmers will keep cows that bring 
I hem in less than 200 pounds per year, but 
then I’ve tried hard to get the same men 
to take The It. N.-Y.; they say they haven't 
time to read it. c. m. g. 
Massachusetts. 
NOW READY FOR IMMEDIATE SHIPMENT 
50 Reg. Chester White and 
25 Reg. Poland China Pigs, 
Eight, weeks to eight months old, including Young 
Boars ready for service and Sows bred. Also three 
litters Keg. Scotch Collie Pups. Send two-cent 
stamp for catalogue. Come and see our stock and 
make your selections. 
EDWARD WALTER, West Chester, Pa, 
nrjuii yA ■ i nr on hkn« and chicks 
LLHin III LI UU tit-page book FREE. 
D. J. LAMBERT, Box 307, Apponaug, It. I. 
DR. DAVID 
R0 B E RTS 
Q ffers these B<)OKS pppp 
No. l.—A bortion in Cows. 
No. 2 .—Barken Cows. 
No. 3 .—Rktainko Afterbirth. 
No. 4 . —Scours in Calvkh. 
No. 5.—How to Mark Your OWN 
STOCK-FOOD at Homk. 
DK. DAVID KOBKRT8, 431 Grand Avenue, 
WaukkshA, Wih. 
ANGORA BUCKS 
of Exile, JOHN L. 
FOR SALE. Thorough, 
bred Sons of Godfrey 
LEWIS. Corning, N. Y. 
ANGORA GOATS. 
27 Registered Bucks. 
200 Does. Some Kids. 
POULTRY and FOX TERRIERS 
(FOlt PLEASURE AND PROFIT.) 
Catalogue free. Established 1888. 
Elm Poultry Yards, Box Y, Hartford, Conn, 
When you write advertisers mention The 
It. N.-Y. and you'll get a quick reply and 
“a square deal." See guarantee, page s. 
Breeders’ Directory 
GEDNEY FAH.M 
L. E, ORTIZ, General Manager 
HIGHEST GLASS JERSEYS 
GOLDEN STREAMER 65000 
Son of Forfarshire out of Goi.dev Stream 8 t.h 
born Feb 22.1001, and considered the best Jersey bull 
that ever crossed the Atlantic as a two-year old. 
A few choice hull Calves for sale hv GOLDEN 
STREAMER and GOLDEN FERN S LAD out of im¬ 
ported cows. 
Speciai.TV— Young Bulls and Heifers, all ages. 
Also Imp CHESTER WHITES and REKKSHIKE 
PIGS. Standard-Bred BLACK MINOHCAS and 
WHITE WYANDOTTES 
SW Correspondence solicited 
GEDNEY FARM, White Plains, N. V. 
STAR FARM HOLSTEINS. 
A Christmas Gift for All. 
Until January 1,1905, I will cut ALL regular prices 
on all registered Holstein btock,50 percent. This 
will enableyou to make a Christmas present that wi I 
double in value by another Now Year, and will con 
tinuo to double In value for years to come Circulars 
senton application 
HORACE L. BRONSON. Dept,. D., Cortland. N Y 
Holsfein-Friesian Bull Calves 
FOR SALE. 
1 From choice A. R. O. Dams, and by such sires as 
Beryl Waynes Paul DeKol and Sir Korndyke Manor 
DeKol. We will make attractive prices on these 
youngsters as they must be disposed of to make room 
for our crop of Winter Calves. Write for prices on 
anything needed in Holstein-Friesians. 
WOODCREST FARM, Rifton, Ulster Co.. N.Y. 
HOLSTEINS. 
High-Class Advanced Registry Stock only. Best 
butter families. Stock for Sale. 
WOODSIDE FARM, 
Princeton, Worcester Co., Massachusetts. 
JOHN B.MARCOU. 
HOLSTEIN BULLS 
from 3 to 18 months old A 
few choice young Cows; 
Improved Chester Whites of all ages Prices right. 
CHAKLKS K. RECORD, Peterboro, N Y. 
SQUABS PAY 
Easier, need attention only part of 
time, bring big prices. Raised i n one 
month. Money-makers for poultry- 
men, farmers,women. Send for FREE 
BOOKLET and learn this rich home 
industry. PLYMOUTH ROCK SQUAB 
CO., 289 Atlantic Ave., Boston, Mass. 
Horse Sick? 
We ask only for an 
opportunity to con¬ 
vince you with¬ 
out your risking 
"“hST* BLATCHFORD’S OLD ENGLISH 
TniilP will cure indigestion, constipation worms, 
I Uniu fevers, colds, and all the ordinary ailments 
of horses, cattle, sheep and hogs Complete list of 
ingredients on every package " " know that, this 
is a truly superior restorative. Our customers are 
more than pleased and we wish every practical farmer 
would judge for himself its appearance, weight and 
smell. Ask your dealer or send for free sample, 
SPECIAL TRIAL OFFER and testimonials, 
li LATCH FORD’S CALF MEAT, FACTORY, 
Dept. 52, Waukegan, Ill. 
(Established at Leicester, Eng. in 1800 ) 
HOLSTEIN BULL CALVES. Scotch Collies, Spayed 
I * Females. SILAS DECKER. South Montrose, Pa. 
“QUALITY.” 
Registered Jersey Calves and Yearling Heifers, 
bred right, raised right, and for sale right. Ask for 
pedigrees, and for prices delivered at your station 
Satisfaction guaranteed E W. Mosher, Aurora.N Y 
YOU CAN’T AFFORD A GRADE 
when 1 will sell you a registered JERSEY HULL, 
best dairy stock; ready for service: at farmer’s price. 
R. F. SHANNON, 905 Liberty St., Pittsburg, Pa. 
CHOICE YEARLINC JERSEY BULL 
(registered), dam sister to Maqullla s Violet31 lbs lor. 
butter” days; also few grand yearling heifers, due t > 
freshen late winter. A. F. PEIRCE, Winchester, N H 
m REG. JERSEY HULLS, one month to 18 
months old. Photograph of each. 
WM M B1GHAM 8 SONS, Gettysburg, Pa. 
B erkshire and C. White Pigs, Serviceable Berkshire 
Boars, Collie Pups, White Holland Turkeys and 
Barred Hock Chickens Stock guaranteed purebred 
Prices away down. W. A. Lothers, Lack, Pa 
CHESTER WHITES 
> I , Both O. L C. and Todd strains 
Standard bred pigs 
/ (MMMN ,, /4 
- wi 
Standard bred pigs for sale. 
Honest dealing my motto. M. L. 
Bowersox,R.3; Bradford, Dk. Co,0 
Reg. P. Chinas, Berkshires and C. Whites. 
8 wks. to G mos. mated not akin 
service Boars, Bred sows. Write for 
prices and description. Return if not 
satisfactory; we refund the money. 
HAMILTON & CO., Ercildpun, Chester Co., Pa. 
BERKSHIRES 
Of the HIGHEST BREEDING at reasonable 
prices WILLOUGHBY FARM, Gettysburg,Pa 
Springbank Berkshires. 
1 have some grand 11 months old Service Boars 
Some Spring Gilts and Boars, and some Yearling 
Sows; will breed them for Spring litters. All Urst 
class individuals. 
J E. WATSON. Proprietor. Marblcdale, Conn. 
CHESHIRES 
Pigs of individual merit and from the best families 
E. S. HILL. Freeville,N V 
—Young Boars, 
Sows and 3-month 
Good Feeders. Very Hardy. 
THE JERSEY RED 
SOWS and PIGS. 
The FREE Catalogue Explains. 
ARTHUR J. COLLINS, Moorestown, N. J. 
JERSEYS! 
Combination and 
Golden Lad. For 
sale 11 cows. 10 heif¬ 
ers. and 25 hulls. 
WHITE SPRINGS FARM 
GUERNSEY HERD. 
Headed hv PETER THE GREAT OF PAXTANG. 
No 6346, and BLUE BLOOD. No. 6310. 
Such Cows as Sheet Anchor's Lassie. Ini]). Deanlo 
7th, Lady Myrtle of Homestead,-etc. The Herd num- 
ders about 40 carefully selected animals. Registered 
and tuberculin-tested.. Breeding stock for sale at 
all times, including the choicest of Bull and Heifer 
t alvcs of all ages, and at reasonable prices. For 
further particulars and catalogue, address, 
ALFRED G. LEWIS, Geneva, N. Y, 
SPECIAL BARGAINS, 
If ordered at once In Cockerels, Pullets ami 
Hens. We have ». C. and R C. Brown. Bf and White 
Leg White, Bf & Brd. P. Rocks. White. Bf Silver & 
Gold Wynd.,ButT Orpingtons, K. I. Reds, Minorcas, 
Brihmas, Cochins, Pit Games, and allot her breeds. 
Mr BLANCO POULTRY FARM, Carpenter, Ohio. 
PUCCUIQE DIPQ FOR SALE-From First Prize 
bllLOninL I lUuHerd at St. Louis Exposition 
and New York State Fair. 8 . G.OTIS,Sherwood,N Y, 
IMPROVED LARGE YORKSHIRES Kt' 
hog Pigs of all ages from Imported stock for sale. 
MEADOW BROOK STOCK FARM, Rochester, Mich 
R egistered shropshires of choicest breeding 
Vforsale. Large and well-built yearling Rams; also 
choice large March Ram Lambs. Cheap for quality. 
NUTWOOD FARMS, R. F. D , No. 4, Syracuse, N. Y. 
O. I. C. PIGS. 
August and September farrow Two Brood Sows; 
regl-tered stock. Pairs and trios not akin. Farmer’s 
p.ices F J SCHWARTZ. East Phtirsalia.N. Y. 
O UK LARGE ENGLISH long and broad, always 
mellow and marketable, the business type, 
Service Boars, Fall Pigs, Gilts bred for Spring 
farrow. Penna Berkshire Co,. Fannettsburg, Pa. 
BONNIE BRAE POULTRY FARM, 
New Rochelle N. Y. 
Breeders and shippers of high class Single Comb Pure 
White Leghorns and Mammoth Pekin Ducks Stock 
and Eggs for side at al 1 times Largest poultry plant 
In the vicinity of New York City. Agents Cyphers 
Incubators, Brooders, etc Correspondence invited. 
EMPIRE STATE S. C. WHITE LEGHORNS 
won two first premiums at New York State Fair. 1904. 
Trios, 15; Eggs. $1 per 15; $5 per 100. Catalogue free. 
ZIMMER BROS , R D 41, Weedsport. N Y. 
WUITC WYANDOTTE COCKERELS, Dus 
■W 111 1 E ton strain, purebred, farm raised, $1 to 
to $1.50 each.. Grand View Farm. Stan ford ville, N.Y' 
DDCn CAR EftftQ —Our Barred Rocks lay256to 
oncu run CUUdi 278 eggs a year. Pricelist 
xv th facts about better methods in Breeding, Hatch¬ 
ing and Feeding free. E. GRUNDY. Morrisonville, Ill 
JACKS FOR SALE. 
The finest lot of JACKS and JENNETS I ever 
owned. Some special bargains. Address, 
BAKER’S JACK FARM, 
Box 1, Lawrence, Ind. 
SHETLAND PONIES. 
Disposal sale of 70 head 
of high grade Shetlands. 
Catalogue and price list just published. Address, 
THOMSON PONY FARM, Toledo. Ohio, 
HIGH CLASS 
PERCHKRON AND FRENCH 
Coach Stallions Scotch Collie 
Pups. E. 8 . AKIN.Auburn. N.Y. 
Var’s Poultry, Pigeons, Parrots, Dogs, Cats. 
Ferrets, etc. Eggs a specialty. 60 p. book. 10c. 
Rates free J A. BERGEY, Box 8 ,Telford,Pa, 
COLLIE PUPS. 
I am a farmer and raise COLLIES for farm n»e. 
Unsurpassed In breeding and excellence. I guarantee 
satisfaction. P. L. SAVAGE, Marcellus, Mich. 
FOR SALE 
tration. 
—Purebred SCOTCH COLLIE PUPS 
from driving stock; eligible to regis- 
Prices moderate. Write promptly. 
W. W CHENEY. Maniius, N Y. 
$69 Holstein-Friesian Bull $60 
BERYL WAYNE’S SON No. 3, Born February 20, 1904. 
Sired by Beryl Wayne’s Son. whose dam has an official record of 27% pounds, and his sire’s two nearest 
dams, official seven day butter records averaging over 24 pounds each. This Bull is aline one, and Is 
certainly a rare bargain at the price we name. The first order at *69 takes him. 
BKOOK.SIDE HERD. The Stevens Brothers-Hastlngs Company, Lacona, New York. 
