1007. 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
851 
FEEDING THE HENS. 
I have about 225 chickens, they do not 
lay very well; they are too fat. I think 
they had too much feed. How much food 
is needed by this number, and what kind is 
the best? J. D. s. 
Cro ton-on-Hudson, N. Y. 
This feeding question seems to be one 
that must be answered again and again. 
J. D. S. says his hens are too fat. If 
that is really the case, then feed less fat¬ 
tening food; cut out the corn or meal 
from the ration, feed oats, buckwheat, 
wheat screenings, or try feeding a “dry 
mash;” mix bran, middlings, ground oats 
and beef scraps—about eight parts of the 
grain to one part of scraps—and put it 
where the hens can get it at any time; 
they will not eat too much of it. To make 
a really good ration for hens not too fat, 
I would add to above about 20 per cent, 
or one-fifth cornmeal, but if whole or 
cracked corn is fed at night it would not 
be necessary to add the meal. As to how 
much to feed it would be impossible to 
say; it would depend upon what kind of 
fowls he keeps, how old they are, wheth¬ 
er they are confined or have free range, 
etc. In one of my big yards, an acre in 
extent, are nine houses of old hens, many 
of them “too fat.” Feeding wheat 
screenings, oats and cracked corn, I find 
one coop will eat all the corn and leave 
a large part of the wheat and oats in the 
trough, while another coop will just re¬ 
verse that, leaving all the corn. Now, in 
my judgment, it is safe to say that the 
hen takes that which she most needs; and 
while old hens will get “too fat,” es¬ 
pecially in the Fall, that fat is their pro¬ 
tection against the cold of Winter, and 
except in extreme cases, is no great hin¬ 
drance to good laying. I have often seen 
my hens go on the nests and lay when 
they were so fat and heavy that they 
could not get up in the high nests, but 
after trying to get up, would be obliged 
to lay in the nests on the ground. In 
nine cases out of 10, poor laying is not 
occasioned by hens being too fat, so much 
as it is by their not having enough to eat 
and of sufficient variety. As a general 
thing, a handful to a hen, if they are fed 
three times a day, is plenty; as a matter 
of fact, I have never fed my fowls by 
measurement, always being governed by 
the actions of the fowls, as to the quan¬ 
tity fed. A laying hen needs and will 
eat nearly double the quantity of food 
that she will when not laying. So a rigid 
rule of so much food per hen is not a 
good working practice. Judgment must 
be used, and good feeding is a matter to 
be learned only by observation and prac¬ 
tice. As the Mope Farm man once told 
us, an old woman working for him took 
charge of the hens, and soon had them 
laying finely, while the scientific editor 
could hardly get an egg from them pre¬ 
viously. GEO. A. COSGROVE. 
THE AMERICAN MERINO . 
The picture of the American Merino 
at Fig. 415, page 838, was sent us by G. 
B. Quinn, proprietor of Willow Roe Stud, 
Roxbury, Ohio. In speaking of his favor¬ 
ite breed Mr. Quinn says: 
“Those who have scornfully referred to 
the ‘greasy wrinkly merino’ are either ig- 
• norant or prejudiced against tins grand 
race of wool producers, which by long 
and careful handling have been evolved, 
a model of pure breeding and prepotent 
power. When these purebreds are crossed 
upon grade flocks, they make the very 
best showing in the line of conformation 
and wool-bearing. Many of the so-called 
Merino flocks to-day are not so prepo¬ 
tent as they should be. For best results 
they should be bred in intensive lines, 
carrying the blood of the best sires pro¬ 
duced in the breed. This does not mean 
that they must be bred intensely wrin¬ 
kled, but it does mean that many under 
false ideas have sought to breed them so 
plain-bodied that their sheep are worth¬ 
less as sires, as they have bred out of 
them the prepotent power that was in the 
true type. I believe that the light dry 
fleeced sheep has humbugged more of the 
rank and file of sheep men than any other 
type. Nd man should use a Merino sire 
of a lighter type than a B. For the last 
15 or 20 years breeders of grade Meri¬ 
nos have steadily bred off the fleeces of 
wool that required a lifetime to breed 
on. But now a change is coming, and 
there is a demand for heavier sires.” 
Acid Piiosfitatb as a Lice-Killer.— 
Having seen the inquiry on page 778 about 
eradicating hen lice, I will give a remedy that 
we have found very good. However, I am 
not doubting the efficiency of Mr. Cosgrove’s 
remedy in the least, but simply give mine for 
those who wish to try it. The remedy or. 
preventive that we use is the brand of fertil¬ 
izer known as “acid phosphate," that may 
be had at most fertilizer companies at about 
$16 per ton. This should be scattered on 
the dropping board every two or three days, 
and the whole house given a dusting with it 
about every week. Many of our neighbors 
and friends have tried this, and think they 
cannot be without it. This fertilizer also 
prevents fermentation of the manure, thereby 
keeping the house sweet and adds to fertil¬ 
izing value of the manure. 
Missouri. w. r. Thompson. 
“Lots of people steal nowadays,” urged 
the burglar. “Use that as a plea.” “Bah!” 
sneered the lawyer. “You ain’t incorpo¬ 
rated.”—Washington Herald. 
Saves Hours 
of Gleaning 
Of course your wife would try to 
wash even the worst cream separator 
bowl properly twice every day. But 
why ask her to slave over a heavy, 
complicated" bucket bowl, ’’like either 
[ l?%lbs. lE/slbs. 8/4lbs. I07albs 6^1b& 
I 
I 
w 
COL. G. W. CRAWFORD’S 
SHARON VALLEY STOCK FARM 
of nearly 1500 acres, and barns holding 300 horses, 
has now on hands over 200 stallions of fine 
BELGIANS, PERCHERONS and GERMAN COACH. 
Running in age from 1 year old to 5 years. Color—bays, blacks ami 
grays; weigh from 1600 to 2200 lbs. These stallions are all for sale on 
reasonable terms. Cash or bankable notes running 1,2 and three years. 
Also there is a lot of fine Belgian and Percheron mares for sale. 
Newark is situated 33 miles east of Columbus, and 157 miles west of 
Pittsburgh, on B. & O. and Pan Handle R. R. Trains every hour. 
Customers are invited to visit the farm and see the nice stock. 
Send for Catalogues. 
SHARON VALLEY STOCK FARM, Newark. Ohio. 
Citizens Phone 266, Bell Phone 651 W. 
THE LAFAYETTE STOCK FARM, 
LAFAYETTE, INDIANA. 
The Largest Importers and Breeders of German Coach, 
Percheron and Belgian Stallions in America. Have imported 
in the last eighteen weeks over 500 head of stallions and a 
large number of mares of the three breeds. Every horse fully 
guaranteed. Won more prizes in 1907 at the leading state 
fairs and stock shows than all othor importers combined. 
Our horses are all from three to five years of age and we 
deliver all horses that we sell to the buyer. Write us for full 
particulars and mention The Rubai. New-Yorker. 
J. CROUCH & SON, La Fayette, Indiana, U. S. A. 
figSORBINE 
Cures Strained Puffy Ankles, 
Lymphangitis, Bruises and 
Swellings, Lam eness and 
Allays Pain Quickly without 
Blistering, removing the hair, or 
laying the horse up. Pleasant to use. 
@2.00 per bottle, delivered with full 
directions. Book 5-C, free. 
ABSORBINE, ,TR., for man¬ 
kind, @1.00 Bottle. Cures Strains, , 
Gout, Varicose Veins, Varicocele, j 
Hydrocele, Prostatitis, kills pain. * 
W. F.YOUNG, P.D.F. 88 Monmouth St, Springfield,Mass. 
WILDERS 
A $100 HORSE 
may quickly become worthless by developing a 
•b, spavin, splint or going lame. 
Don’t sacri- 
of the four on the left? Why not save 
her hours of cleaning every week 
by getting a Sharpies Dairy Tubular 
Cream Separator with a simple, 
light, Tubular bowl, easily cleaned in 
3 minutes, like that on the right? 
1 ft holds the world’s record for clean 
skimming. 
Sharpies Tubular Cream Separa¬ 
tors are different-very different— 
from all others. Every difference is 
i to your advantage. Write for catalog 
M— 15a and valuable free book “Bus- 
' mess Dairying.” 
THE SHARPLES SEPARATOR CO. 
West Chester, P?. 
Toronto, Can. Chicago, III. 
flee him. Cure him with 
Quinn’s Ointment 
It cures permanently and absolutely all common I 
horse ailments. The unfailing remedy of years | 
which tins the confidence of horse owners. SI. a 
bottle. A11 druggists or by mail. Testimonials free. 
W. B. Eddy & Co. Whitehall. N. Y. 
“SAVE-THE-HORSE”, SPAVIN CURE 
Trade Marie cures these 
Permanently Cures Splint, Wind- 
puff. Show Itoil, injured Tendons * 
and all Lameness. No scar or loss 
of hair. Horse works as usual, 
p a bottle, with written binding 
V 1 guarantee or contract. Send _ 
J for copy, booklet and letters Spav.H. RiKGB 0 «t,Cu» 8 . Thoooww* 
from business men and trainers - - - ■ — ■ 
On every kind of case. All Dealers or Express paid. 
Troy Chemical Co., Binghamton, N. Y. 
SALT ANIMALS 
THE HUMANE 
SENSIBLE WAY 
Let their taste guide you by supplying Compressed 
Pure-Salt Bricks in holders, convenient, economical, 
animals never neglected, never take too much. 
Refined dairy salt guaranteed. Address 
I5HLMONT STABLE .SUPPLY CO.. 
Station C. Brooklyn. New York. 
MINERAL 
HEAVE 
REMEDY 
7 Self-Adjusting 
Steel Latch 
STANCHION—a firm, safe, 
simple stanchion; fastens 
easily and holds stock se¬ 
curely. Gives cattle the 
greatest possible comfort 
and freedom standing or 
lying down. Can be open¬ 
ed and closed without re¬ 
moving gloves or mittens. 
It’s made of hard wood, 
has no cold iron to chill 
animals in frosty weather. 
A stanchion that combines 
comfort, cleanliness and 
utility with durability, 
strength and economy. 
Strong enough for dehorn¬ 
ing cattle. A most satis¬ 
factory equipment for any 
stable. Send for our free 
catalogue and prices. 
Wilder-Strong Implement Co. 
Box 33, Monroe, Mich, 
STANCHION 
MONEY SAVED 
BY USING THE BEST 
Swing Cattle Stanchion 
made. Thousands in use. Made to fit any stable. 
Durable, convenient and cheap. Brice and circular 
on application. Write us to-day. Manufactured by 
ROY BROTHERS, East Barnet, Vt. 
THE ONLY 
ALL STEEL 
STANCHION 
Write for Prices. 
ROCHESTER FARM SUPPLY CO.- 
3 to 9 Frank St., Rochester, N. Y. 
Onstad’s IUMPY-JAW 
— LURfc, k CAPSULES. 
Permanently, quickly and scientifi¬ 
cally. Only one application required, 
cures 99 out of 100 cases. No danger. 
No scar. Humane. Saves the animal 
and makes her marketable. Tested 
20 years. Your money back if it fails. 
County agents wanted- 
Write for particulars. 
THE ONSTAD CHEMICAL CO., 
1T1 Key St., Indianapolis, Indiana. 
Summer’s Worm Powders 
For 
Sheep, Horses & Hogs 
Fed to millions of animuls 
every year. Powders never 
fail to remove worms and 
prevent further ai tacks. 
In popular use 25 years. 
Price 81b. Pck. ISO cents. » lb. Bek. if l.OO. ’ 
Send for FREE catalogue of Stockmen’s Supplies. 
Cyril Pruncklyu, 78 Beaver St., New York City 
BEST DEH0RNERS 
ON EARTH 
15 years on the market Invention 
j of a veterinarian. Ask hardware deal¬ 
ers for them. If they do not supply 
; write for catalog and prices of 3 styles 
LEAVITT MFC. CO., URBANA, JLL. 
LEADING MANUFACTURERS OF DfeHORNERS 
We Prove it Makes 
More Milk—at 
Our Risk—Not Yours 
We don’t ask you to try Badger Dairy 
Feed at your risk. We know for a posi¬ 
tive fact, from actual use, that it will 
make your cows give more milk, make 
them improve in “ condition ”—make 
you more money, consequently we are 
glad to take all risk in getting you to 
give it a trial. 
It is a feed so much superior to any¬ 
thing of its kind that you’ll be surprised 
at the results it produces. You see it is 
first a quality feed. Every ingredient 
f&adpei- Au/tf fiED 
is of the Simon Pure Brand. It is not a mixture of “ offals ’’—not a 
condiment of stimulants, but a pure, wholesome ration. Second, it is 
properly balanced; that is, its nutritive ratio of protein, fat, carbo¬ 
hydrates and sugar are absolutely correct. That’s why it makes the 
most milk and builds up and maintains the cow’s physical condition 
better than any feed made. That’s why it is the most economical feed. 
All we ask is a trial, and we take all risk. Send for our Free Trial Offer, 
and be sure to mention your dealer’s name. If you want to get more milk 
from your cows—want tomake more money outof them—writea postal for our 
Free Trial Offer today. You’ll find it pays. Sold by progressive dealers. 
Ghas. A. Krause Milling Go., Box 100, Milwaukee, Wis. 
