1912. 
THE RURAI> NEW-YORKER 
©89 
The Henyard. 
THE EGG-LAYING CONTEST. 
The forty-third week of the contest shows 
a drop in egg production of 80 eggs; 1,598 
eggs wore laid during the week. Many of 
the birds are moulting, and it is quite 
likely that there will be a still further de¬ 
crease in production. But the high scorers 
are holding up well, laying from 18 to 24 
eggs a week now ; after 10 months of al¬ 
most continuous laying. There was no very 
high score made last week, the highest be¬ 
ing 27 eggs by Robert J. Walden's Barred 
Rocks. The White Plymouth Rocks o,f 
Hans Robert and W. J. Tilley, and the 
White Wyandottes of W. B. Candee. and 
the Columbian Wyandottes of W. B. 
Cooper, each laid 2(3 eggs. Twelve pullets 
of different breeds laid every day in the 
week, but none of them were White Log- 
borns. F. G. Yost’s pen still leads all the 
rest with a total score of 930. Marwood 
Poultry Farm is second with a score of 
88(3. Toms Poultry Farm is third, with a 
record of 876, and the White Wyandottes 
of Beulah Farm are fourth with a score of 
873. White Rose Poultry Farm and 
Thomas Barron’s pen of English White 
Leghorns tie for fifth place, their score 
being 861 each. Of individual high scorers, 
O. Wilson’s Buff Orpington pullet No. 1 
still leads with 209 eggs to her credit, but 
she is likely to lose the first place soon, as 
Marwood Poultry Farm’s White Leghorn 
pullet No. 2 is only one egg behind, her 
total being 208. Some of the best indi¬ 
vidual scores in the different breeds are 
given below. 
Barred Plymouth Rocks: 
Rogue & Sandford, pullet No. 5. 175 
Alfred B. Wilson, pullet No. 1. 176 
Brooks Hennery, pullet No. .4. 188 
Henry D. Riley, pullet No. 2. 203 
White Plymouth Rocks: 
Hans Robert, pullet No. 1. 178 
W. J. Tilley, pullet No. 3. 188 
Columbian P. Rocks : 
F. G. Bean, pullet No. 1. 179 
White Wyandottes : 
W. B. Candee, pullet No. 1. 194 
W. B. Candee, pullet No. 2. 179 
McLeod Bros., pullet No. 3. 192 
McLeod Bros., pullet No. 5. 183 
T. J. McConnell, pullet No. 1. 189 
T. J. McConnell, pullet No. 5. 179 
S. C. Rhode Island Reds : 
H. P. Deming, pullet No. 2. 189 
Howard Steel, pullet No. 3. 175 
Bunker Ilill Farm, pullet No. 4. 179 
Mrs. Harris Lehman, pullet No. 4.... 200 
It. P. Rhode Island Reds : 
C. S. & S. A. Scoville, hen No. 1_ 182 
Brown leghorns: 
A. I’. Hlllhouse, pullet No. 1. 197 
S. C. White Leghorns: 
J. O. Trenhauser, pullet No. 5. 191 
Susie Abbott, pullet No. 1. 175 
Susie Abbott, pullet No. 5. 182 
Toms Poultry Farm, pullet No. 1.. . . 187 
Toms Poultry Farm, pullet No. 2.... 181 
Toms Poultry Farm, pullet No. 5.... 175 
H. E. Seaver, pullet No. 2. 179 
F. G. Yost, pullet No. 1. 202 
F. G. Yost, pullet No. 5. 190 
Frederick Beasley, pullet No. 1. 178 
Frederick Peasley. pullet No. 5. 195 
Cullencross Farm, pullet No. 3. 182 
White Rose Farm, pullet No. 1. 191 
White Rose Farm, pullet No. 5. 188 
Marwood Poultry Farm, pullet No. 1 . . 178 
Marwood Poultry Farm, pullet No. 2.. 208 
W. H. Petersen, pullet No. 1. 204 
Thomas Barron, pullet No. 1. 199 
Thomas Barron, pullet No. 2. 198 
Thomas Barron, pullet No. 4. 196 
S. C. Buff Leghorns: 
Geo. H. Schmidt, pullet No. 3. 182 
Buff Orpingtons : 
Mt. Orchard Poultry Farm, pullet No. 
1 . 176 
0. Wilson, pullet No 1. 209 
It will be noticed that several of these 
birds have already laid 200 eggs or more, 
and so many have scores of 180 or over 
that it is pretty certain there will be a 
large number in the 200-egg' class. This 
record shows that no one breed has a mo¬ 
nopoly of the high scorers; they are well 
distributed through all the breeds. As 
showing the interest in poultry culture, and 
the backwardness of some of our State 
agricultural institutions, I would like to 
quote part of an article bv Mr. Irving C. 
Lewis of Ulysses, Pa., in the Philadelphia 
North American. He writes, “But is it 
not a remarkable thing that we poultrymon 
of this great State must go to Connecticut, 
to New York, to Oregon, or even to Aus¬ 
tralia. for the A B C of poultry instruc¬ 
tion, while this State ranks second in con¬ 
sumption of poultry products, and fifth 
in production? It is a lamentable fact 
that our own agricultural station has noth¬ 
ing that resembles a poultry course, as 
compared with those of the other States, 
and I am told by Prof. Rice of Cornell that 
hundreds of applicants from Pennsylvania 
are turned away every year, because there 
are more applications from their own State 
than the poultry department at Cornell can 
accommodate; though they have a capacity 
for 400 students a year.” 
There is a constant demand for quali¬ 
fied men to act as instructors at these 
State institutions, and to manage poultry 
plants for wealthy owners. 
GEO. A. COSGROVE. 
Picking Out Non-layers. 
A writer in The R. N.-Y. says to cull 
out the non-laying hens. I should like to 
do that, but don’t know how to pick them 
out. Will some one tell me? h. m. w. 
Howell. Mich. 
I, too, would like to know how to pick 
out non-laying hens, as the knowledge 
would be worth many dollars to me. The 
trouble is that all bens are non-layers 
during some part of the season, and con¬ 
siderable judgment is required, when cull¬ 
ing, not to get hens that are profitable 
layers, even though not laying at just that 
time. A once widely advertised method of 
detecting non-layers consisted in noting 
the width of the pelvic arch, or space be¬ 
tween the pelvic bones, through which the 
egg passes during extrusion. If this space 
is sufficiently wide to oermit the laying 
of three fingers in it, the hen is consid¬ 
ered to be laying ; if only wide enough for 
two fingers, she is prouably laying; but 
if only wide enough for one finger, she is 
not laying. This test is probably of con¬ 
siderable value if used during the natural 
laying season. The color of the hen’s 
comb and her manner of acting and talk¬ 
ing in the pen are ..Iso guides to what 
she is doing, to one well acquainted with 
his flock. The trap-nest shows with cer¬ 
tainty, but it is not a practicable method 
for the most of us. Considerable effort is 
now being made by some of our experiment 
stations to discover an egg “type,” or 
physical conformation that will disclose the 
laying fowl, or at least the one capable 
of laying with profit. As the matter now 
stands, it is probably not possible to pick 
out with any degree of certainty the profit¬ 
able from the unprofitable layers in a flock, 
save in those exceptional cases where the 
general appearance of the fowl shows her 
to be ill developed or unthrifty. If any¬ 
one has a practicable method for doing 
this which he can demonstrate to be rea¬ 
sonably infallible, he has a fortune within 
his grasp. m. b. d. 
Thickened Water-glass. 
Will you advise me about preserving 
eggs by the water-glass method? I have 
been using the water-glass and find that the 
liquid on the eggs put down from five to 
eight weeks ago is turning white, and is 
getting thick and stiff like a jelly. Is that 
the way it should become or is something 
wrong? I have never used it before and 
know nothing about it. I am using wooden 
tubs and a 10 per cent Solution. 
New Jersey. e. c. w. 
A jelly-like substance will form in the 
solution of water-glass used in preserving 
eggs after it has stood for a time. This 
is harmless, however, and is pnssibly n re¬ 
sult of chemical action of the silicate of 
soda upon the lime in the egg shells. If 
desired, it may be strained out and the 
clear solution used again after it has been 
sterilized by boiling, and then allowed to 
cool before placing more eggs in it. 
M. B. D. 
Fruit Trees for Chicken Run. 
What different kinds of fruit trees are 
suitable to plant in gravelly soil, no 
shade, about one-half acre, used'for chicken 
run? v. w . 
I’lum trees are probably the favorites 
for planting in chicken runs, as the fowls 
seem to be a real help in keeping them 
free from the curculio and other pests, 
while they come into bearing earlv. and, 
if varieties suitable to the locality ‘are se¬ 
lected, they give abundant and profitable 
crops. There is no reason, however, why 
pear, apple, and other fruits, except peach, 
should not be planted in a chicken yard if 
desired. The most essential thing is to 
secure varieties that are suited to the soil 
and climatic conditions, and the best guide 
to this is the experience of neighboring 
fruit growers. No one at a distance can 
give you advice equal in value to that of 
your neighbors who have tried different 
varieties under the same conditions that 
you will meet. m. b. d. 
Oil Meal; Bumble-foot. 
1. I see in the papers that linseed meal 
is good for moulting hens. Will you tell 
me if it is harmful to growing pullets? 
2. My hens have an enlargement on the 
feet. The ball gets larger, then the lumps 
grow between the toes, sometimes one foot, 
sometimes on both. They have free range 
and dirt floors in houses, boards 14 inches 
from roost. k. m. h. 
Delaware. 
1. Linseed, or oil meal, is a valuable food 
for both growing chicks and old hens. It 
should be fed as part of the mash given, 
and where a variety of ground grains are 
used in the mash, it may be added in 
about the proportion of one-eighth of the 
whole, by weight. 2. Your hens are prob¬ 
ably suffering from “bumblefoot," or deep- 
seated inflammation of the tissues of the 
foot, caused by injury, or the constant ir¬ 
ritation from too small or narrow perches. 
If infection follows this inflammation, an 
abscess may form in the foot, and. break¬ 
ing, may leave an ugly sore. The remedy 
is to provide sufficiently wide perches and 
a soft place upon which they may alight 
when flying from them. m. b. d. 
Ration for Cow. 
Will you suggest a properly balanced 
ration for a cow. weighing about 950 
pounds, now giving 35 pounds of milk daily, 
fresh three months ago? I have no rough- 
age except Alfalfa hay, with occasionally 
thinnings from garden corn and cuttings 
from small patches each of sorghum, 
teosinte and pearl millet, and I have no 
pasture. I have to buy all grain feeds at 
following prices: Bran, $29 per ton; mid¬ 
dlings, $30; stock meal (corn), $34; lin¬ 
seed meal, $42; cotton-seed meal, $28; 
gluten feed, $28; beet pulp, $28. Other 
grain feeds than those mentioned might be 
obtained, though not listed by dealers in 
Richmond. e. 
Virginia. 
For a grain ration I should give 
about one pound of bran, tvvo pounds 
of middlings and three pounds of cot¬ 
ton-seed meal. Give what Alfalfa hay 
the cow will eat up clean, and the green 
stuff as you have it. When you have 
no succulent food for the cow, a pound 
of beet pulp twice a day, soaked in 
water and mixed with the other grain 
win be beneficial. The amount of 
grain as indicated above would seem 
about right, but by varying the amount 
you can probably tell whether more or 
less would be profitable. This is a Sum¬ 
mer ration; for cold weather one con¬ 
taining a greater percentage of carbo¬ 
hydrates would be desirable, c. l. m. 
EGGS EVERY DAY IN THE YEAR. 
I have an opportunity to develop a good 
market for eggs, with a shortcut from 
producer to consumer. To do it success¬ 
fully 1 need a continuous and reasonably 
uniform supply. When a boy I was fairly 
successful with Barred Rocks, but did not 
succeed in making my Winter layers do 
much business in the late Summer. I am 
now breeding White Wyandottes, and while 
they have done somewhat better in this 
respect, there is still quite a period, be¬ 
fore our late April pullets lay, when we 
got few eggs. I have had no experience 
with other breeds. Mr. Mapes apparently 
has solved this problem with his White 
Leghorns, a breed I have avoided because 
of their nervousness and flying ability. 
Our business is fruit, with the beginning 
of a small dairy. I could plant an acre of 
orchard, fence it high enough, perhaps, to 
keep Leghorns at home, and by using sod 
mulch after the trees had a good start, 
save both space and labor. If I could keep 
the Leghorns until they were three years 
old. with reasonably good results, it would 
save hatching such numbers of chicks as 
would be necessary with American breeds. 
Very likely by hatching a second brood 
rather late, and wintering the pullets 
without returns, I could get what 1 want 
with my Wyandottes, but it would make 
more work at a busy time. aDd looks like 
an expensive method. What' I should like 
is a better way. a. M. 
New York. 
Probably the greatest handicap in ob¬ 
taining a private trade for fancy eggs is 
the difficulty you mention of keeping up a 
uniform supply during the Fall and Win¬ 
ter. The only practicable method of doing 
this that I know of is to have a sufficient 
number of layers to furnish the requisite 
supply of eggs during the slack season, 
and then finding an outlet for the surplus 
at other times. Sometimes one is so situ¬ 
ated that he ca- combine with neighbors 
to get what he needs when the supply is 
short; if so, lie is fortunate. Your fear of 
the flying ability of White Leghorns is un¬ 
necessary, as they will give you no trouble 
when allowed an acre of orchard to run 
in. A five-foot fence will confine Leghorns 
successfully if they have a large run, and 
a 20-foot one will hardly hold them if 
they are kept in a small space. I have 
for several years kept about 200 hens in 
a half-acre orchard with a five-foot fence, 
and, though there are large trees overhang¬ 
ing the fence, they give me no trouble, 
save that in the Spring when they are 
first turned out I sometimes have to catch 
a half dozen of the overly ambitious ones 
and clip a wing. I doubt your being able 
to make it profitable to keep Leghorns be¬ 
yond the end of their second laying year, 
but your late March and early April 
hatched pullets should begin laying in 
early September, in fact, some of mine 
hatched this year on March 22 began lav¬ 
ing before the middle of August. 
__ M. B. D. 
American' and English Sparrows — 
On page 868 I read Mr. Wiard’s desire to 
have the English sparrow protected, as 
he thinks it a very useful bird. If he ob¬ 
serves closely he will notice that the bird 
in question is not the common English 
sparrow, but the American sparrow. There 
is very little difference, if any. in the 
plumage, but it isn’t so large ns the former 
and actually sings. It will go all over a 
cabbage plant in the effort to find worms 
and other insects. It also makes its nests 
in the fields, and I daresav it does not 
possess the antagonistic qualities In driv¬ 
ing away songsters, also the thievish dis¬ 
position of the English sparrow. D. k. s. 
Pennsylvania. 
Horse Disease in Kansas.— The mys¬ 
terious disease which is killing hundreds 
of horses in western Kansas now has the 
attention of six expert veterinarians from 
the Kansas Agricultural College. In an¬ 
swer to urgent calls from many western 
cfountles the vdterinary department has 
sent all its available physicians to study 
the disease and give all the immediate 
treatment possible. It seems to be a dis¬ 
ease which affects the nerves and muscles 
of the animals, finally paralyzing them. 
Dr. Burt believes that the trouble comes 
either from the feed or the water the 
horses get. He was in consultation with 
J. II. Mercer, State Sanitary Live Stock 
Commissioner at Topeka. It was decided 
to ask veterinarians in eastern counties 
to give assistance in the western section 
where veterinarians are scarce. It also 
was agreed that the transient veterinarians 
who are taking advantage of the situation 
by collecting large fees for alleged “cures” 
should be prosecuted. 
1000 S. C, WHITE LEGHORNS 
Young and Lakewood Strains direct. Prompt 
on future delivery. Special prices on large lots 
. FLEI- 
SUNNY HILL FARM 
ISMINGTON, N. 
PRIZE WINNING STRAINS 'a^S'" 
Light and Dark Brahmas, White Wyandottes?Rods, 
Barred Rooks, White and Brown Leghorns. Year¬ 
lings und April hatched from $1.50 and upwards. 
1\ M. PICK SCOTT, - KIVKKDALK, N. J. 
S. C. W. LEGHORNS 
Annual Sale of Selected Yearling Breeders. 
HIONS AND COCKS, $1 EACH. 
Mt. Pleasant Poultry Farm, Havre de Grace, Md. 
1000 YTT LEGHORN T, s $1.00 EACH 
to make room for young stock. Grand 
Laying Strain. First come first served. 
BONNIE BRAE POULTRY FARM.NEW ROCHELLE, N. Y. 
Pullets for Sale 
Mid-April hatched, purebred, 8. C. White Leghorn 
Pullets, splendidly developed upon free range, and 
from heavy-laying strain. $1.25 each. A few March 
hatched, and now beginning to lay. $1.50 each. 100 
yearling hens, 75c. each. Oean Poultry Farm, Candor, N.Y 
FOR SAI F _600 PIGEONS; fine breeders, 
» WOni/L at 50c, apiece. We have Car- 
nean and Homers. CH. P. HATCH, Plum 
Beach Farm, Port Washington, L. I. 
MARA-SHtLL^,, tonj 
earth. Increases pro-J 
duct ion. The original sii-l 
k t ica grit. Avoid substi f 
tutes. Ask your local' 
dealer or send $ 1.00 
for two 100-ib. bags f.o.b. cars. Agents wanted. 
EDGE HILL SILICA ROCK CO. 
® ox J Now Brunswick, N. J. 
GRIT 
MAKE HENS LAY”! 
more eggs; larger, more vigorous chicks, 
heavier fowls, by feeding cut bone. 
MAM&I’C latest model 
ITlHnn O BONE CUTTER 
i cuts fast, easy, finej never clogs. 
|10 Days* Free Trial. No money in advance. Book free. 
uF. W. MANN CO., Box 16, MILFORD, MASS 
BREEDING HLNS 
FOR SALE CHOICE 
S. C. WHITE LEGHORN 
The hardy, heavy-laying kind, at prices you can 
stand. Maple Grove Farm, Smithville, N. Y. 
UALITY 8. Cl. White Leghorn Hens for 
sale. J. BESWIOK, Madrid Springs, N. Y. 
Q 
PUREBRED jfl; 
700 S. C. W. LEMMHS-toK'.yiM 
yearlmgs - and two-year olds, 75c. to $1.00 per head, 
r .B. DILT8, Maple Spring Farm, Flemington, N. J. 
FAR Sfll F— S. C. W. Leghorn yearling liens. 
• uii unhi. White and Uice strain. Price. 75c. 
and $1.01). Two year old, 50c. All on free range. 
Sycamore Poult ry Yards, Shelter Island, N. Y. 
WANTFfl singlecombwhite | FBHRRN Pill I FJS 
Must bo thoroughbred, early and healthy. Give full 
particulars. HARRY Y. JOHNSON, R. 2, Flemington, N. J. 
EARLY PULLEIS*™ HENS 
Leghorns, Wyandottes, Rocks and P. Cochins 
MAPLE COVE POULTRY FARM - R. 0 24 - ATHENS, PA. 
RARRED ROCK COCKERELS AND PULLETS $1.00 EACH. 
u Write for circular. J. WILSON 0AIL, Cambridge, Md. 
P 0 U LTR YM EN^tnil.gVescrii’ for Illn8t,ated 
LAST DONEGAL POULTRY YARDS 
')ing 35 varieties. 
MARIETTA, PA. 
COLUMBIAN WYAND0TTES-W'f o ^.*: 
approval. F. F. RIGGS. Elmira, N. Y. 
R. I. Reds, Houdans, Indian Runner Ducks 
High-class stock for UTILITY, SHOW or EX- 
.Fggs for hatching. Mating list on request. 
SINCLAIR SMITH, Southold, Suffolk Co., N. Y. 
U/HITE INDIAN RUNNERS-Fine Fishel strain. Write 
M Marsh Creek Poultry Farm, R. No. 4, Gettysburg, Pa. 
INDIAN RUNNER DUCKS — Breeding trio; unrelated 
■ drake. $5. GEORGE E. CROSBY, JR., Windsor, Conn. 
APRIL HATCHED PEKIN DUCKS, $4 per pair Goese. 
f? Emden and Toulouse Cross, $10 a trio. 300 year¬ 
ling S. C. W. Leghorn breeding Hens, $1.0(1 each. 
Cockerels, $1. Tri-States Poultry Farm, Port Jervis, N. Y. 
THE FARMER’S FOWL— Rose Comb Beds, best winter 
I layers on earth. Eggs, $1.00 per 15. Catalogue 
free. THUS. WILDER, Route I, Richland, N. Y. 
BOOKS WORTH BUYING 
Bush Fruits, Card. 1.50 
Principles of Fruit Growing, Bailey.. 1.50 
Successful Fruit Culture, Maynard_ 1.00 
Plums and Plum Culture, Waugh.... 1.50 
Nursery Book, Bailey. 1.50 
Spraying of Plants, Lodeman. 1.25 
Plant Breeding, Bailey. 1.25 
Evolution of Our Native Fruits, Bailey 2.00 
Survival of The Unlike, Bailey. 2.00 
Horticulturists’ Rule Book, Bailey.... 2.00 
The Soil, King.. 1.50 
Soils, Hilgard . 4.00 
Fertility of the Land,- Roberts. 1.50 
Irrigation and Drainage, King. 1.50 
Fertilizers, Voorhees . 1.25 
Agriculture and Chemistry, Storcr, 3 
vols.5.00 
Principles of Agriculture, Bailey. 1.25 
Gardeu Making, Bailey. 1.50 
Vegetable Gardening, Bailey. 1.50 
Forcing Book, Bailey. 1.25 
How Crops Grow, Johnson. 1.50 
How Crops Feed, Johnson. 1.50 
Cereals in America, Hunt. 1.75 
American Fruit Culturist, Thomas_$2.50 
Dwarf Fruit Trees, Waugh.50 
Pruning Book, Bailey. 1.50 
Forage Crops, Voorhees. 1.50 
Book of Alfalfa. Coburn. 2.00 
Diseases of Animals, Mayo. 1.50 
Feeding Farm Animals, Shaw. 2.00 
Fr -ge and Fiber Crops iu America, 
Hunt . 1.75 
Farm Grasses in United States, Spill¬ 
man . 1.00 
Clovers aud How to Grow Them, Shaw 1.00 
The Potato, Fraser.75 
Tomato Culture, Tracy.50 
Celery Culture, Beattie.50 
Chrysanthemum Culture, Herrington.. .50 
Plant Culture, Oliver. 1.50 
The Rose, Kingsley. 2.00 
Landscape Gardening, Waugh.50 
Farmer’s Veterinary Adviser, Law.... 3.00 
The Horse, Roberts. 1.25 
Hens for Profit. Valentine. 1.50 
Swine in America, Coburn. 2.50 
Sheep Farming, Wing. 1.00 
How to Plan the Home Grounds, Par¬ 
sons . 1.00 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
409 Pearl Street New York 
A NEGRO woman was arguing with her husband. Ho said, 
’Dinah, yo’ talk don’ affect me no mo’ than a flea bite.” “Well, 
niggah.” she answered, “i’se gwana keep yo’ scratehin’.” 
DARLINGTON S. C'. White Leghorns are like the old man. 
DARLINGTON EGG FARM, Alfred 1*. Edge, Box O, DARLINGTON, M D. 
