126 
THIS RURAL NEVV-VOKKER 
January 24, 
THE HEN BUSINESS IN CALIFORNIA. 
I reside in California. Our Winters 
are of course mild; no snow and little 
cold weather, in fact ice seldom forms 
and days following our cool nights are 
usually warmer than those following 
damp nights. To offset the lack of cold 
we have very rainy weather all Winter 
long as a rule; say three to four rainy 
days per week, and on level surfaces the 
water naturally accumulates in puddles 
until after two or three dry days in suc¬ 
cession, when the ground which is a 
sandy loam in this section, again becomes 
reasonably dry. Mens running out in 
yards get damp feet and encounter f^gg.v 
atmosphere until say 10 a. m. In*my 
opinion this damp condition has a lower¬ 
ing effect upon the egg yield, and per¬ 
haps the system of continuous housing, 
which I have read much about during 
late years, might prove beneficial. What 
do you think of continuous housing sys¬ 
tem applied in California? I have never 
known of it being used here on any large 
scale. 1 refer to the Corning system of 
Bound Brook, N. J. How should coops 
be constructed in following out this idea? 
I favor this system if it has really proven 
satisfactory, but am inclined to divide up 
the flock in say 150 to the pen rather 
than say 1,500 together. E. w. 
I do not favor the Corning system or 
any other large housing system for Cali¬ 
fornia, because, first, it is too expensive 
for houses; second, in California such a 
system is not necessary. In the mild 
climate of the Santa Rosa section, and 
in fact for all of central California, the- 
most successful poultrymen handle their 
flocks in units of about 100 fowls in in¬ 
expensive houses, tight on three sides 
and open to the front, giving as large a 
yard as the grounds will permit. One 
of our most successful poultrymen, a 
man who has made a success of the busi¬ 
ness for 15 years, handles his 1,500 
White Leghorns in 100 flock units, with 
an acre of ground to the flock; one-half 
of the acre is planted to peach trees; 
the other half is in Alfalfa; his inex¬ 
pensive houses have no floors, all the 
droppings fall to the ground. Ilis houses 
are built on runners, 6x0 scantling, and 
at intervals he hitches a horse or team 
to the house and moves it a short dis¬ 
tance, and harrows the droppings into 
the soil, which is a sandy loam. In this 
way he gets banner crops of peaches and 
Alfalfa, while at the same time the trees 
furnish shade, and the Alfalfa green food 
to the fowls. In this manner he has 
made a great success, so much so that 
he rides in an auto, owns a brick busi¬ 
ness block in town, and 40 acres of a 
well-equipped poultry ranch, so it is rea¬ 
sonable to say this system is and has 
been a success. All the above paid for 
by the poultry. Ilis house is an open 
front, gable roof, built very cheaply, and 
serves simply and inexpensively its pur¬ 
pose. The ideal poultry house for Cali¬ 
fornia is one 14x24, divided into two sec¬ 
tions, a roosting pen and a' scratching 
pen both open front for rainy days, with 
dirt floor raised high enough to avoid 
dampness, and with yard large enough to 
have something green growing in all the 
year around. The inquirer need not fear 
all the rain he gots at Santa Rosa; he 
should be grateful for the rain that will 
mature the next season’s crops and his 
poultry will not suffer at all. Perhaps 
a modified house like the Tolman would 
suit Santa Rosa conditions; this is a 
house 14x24, open front and from a Cal¬ 
ifornia viewpoint is altogether desirable. 
w. n. PEARSON. 
Ducks that Over-lay. 
Can you tell me what I can do to stop 
my Pekin ducks from laying double-yolk 
and soft-shell eggs? They get plenty of 
shell and' grit. I wish to use as many 
eggs as I can for hatching this Spring, 
but at this rate I shall only be able to 
use about half of them as one-third of 
them are double-yolk large eggs, about 
five ounces each, and then a few soft- 
shelled ones. h. g. 
Parksville, B. C. 
If you will change their feeding ration 
I am sure the ducks will go back to nor¬ 
mal laying. I suspect you are either 
using some patented egg food which acts 
as a stimulant on the reproductive or¬ 
gans, or else feeding a large amount of 
too concentrated a food. If you are to 
use these ducks for breeding purposes in 
the Spring, I would recommend the fol¬ 
lowing ration to be fed from now until 
two weeks before the hatching season: 
Two parts wheat middlings, one part 
cornmeal, one part ground oats, one-half 
part meat meal, fish scrap or meat scrap. 
Mix to a crumbly consistency, and about 
10 per cent by weight each of grit and 
oyster shell added in the mash. Two 
weeks before the eggs are needed for 
hatching, change the former mash as 
follows: Two parts wheat middlings, one 
part ground oats, one part cornmeal, one 
part beef scrap, 10 per cent by Aveight 
of grit and oyster shell, and all the green 
food that they will consume. This green 
food may be steamed cut Alfalfa or clo¬ 
ver hay, soaked beet pulp, finely chopped 
cabbages or beets. If the ducks are lay¬ 
ing heavily uoav, it may be well tp feed 
the first mentioned mash once a day, 
and equal parts of corn and wheat once 
a day, giving them only what they will 
clean up in about 10 minutes, but have 
the feed trough long enough so that all 
the birds can have access to the feed at 
the same time. For the present feed the 
second mash tAvice a day with green food 
once a day, giving the birds plenty of 
fresh water to drink at all times. If the 
food is not stimulating at the present 
time as I have suggested, then put the 
birds on a starvation ration, in other 
words, from one-half to one-third of what 
they are getting uoav, then bring them 
back gradually to laying, but be careful 
not to give them too much. 
A. L. CLARK. 
AILING ANIMALS. 
Ringworm. 
My calf, 10 weeks old, has a whitish 
eruption resembling a wart, beneath and 
very near one eye. A veterinarian pro¬ 
nounced it eczema, and ordered it treated 
Avith tincture of iodine. This has no ef¬ 
fect and the spot is spreading. Will you 
recommend a remedy? g. a. m. 
The disease is ringworm which is very 
common in calves at this time of the 
year. Scrub and scrape the spot perfect¬ 
ly free from scales and scabs and then 
rub in some iodine ointment. Repeat, the 
application each other day and the trou¬ 
ble Avill soon subside. Isolate the calf 
as the disease is contagious. Clean up, 
disinfect, whitewash, perfectly ventilate 
and sun light the stable, as ringAvorm is 
due to a vegetable parasite (tricophyton 
tonsurans) Avhich lives on damp Avails 
and AvoodAvork in unsanitary stables, as 
well as on animals. a. s. a. 
Bog Spavin. 
I have a horse with a bog spavin. Can 
you tell Avhat will cure it? A. R. F. 
New York. 
A bog spavin is practically incurable, 
and if lameness is absent it Avould be 
better to let the part alone. In a colt 
under tAvo years of age such synovial dis¬ 
tensions of the hock joint tend to disap¬ 
pear without treatment, unless due to 
infection of the navel at birth, and to 
hasten disappearance avc have found it 
Avell to daub the hock with pine tar uoav 
and then, and to alloAv the colt to run 
out-doors ns much as possible. If tar is 
applied too often it Avill blister and re¬ 
move the hair. This should be avoided. 
If lameness is present remove the hair 
and either blister repeatedly with cerate 
of cantharides or have the joint line-fired 
and blistered by a qualified veterinarian. 
Then give a six Aveek-’s rest . A. s. A. 
Staggers. 
I have a very valuable horse that 
I bought six months ago; he had blind 
staggers lately and ran away. What can 
be done for it? p. r. 
Ncav York. 
Never let the horse stand for a single 
day idle in the stable. If there is no 
Avork for him to do turn him out in the 
yard or paddock and stop feeding grain. 
In the stable let him occupy a roomy box 
stall and have the stable perfectly ventil¬ 
ated. Groom the horse once daily. Give 
the drinking Avater before feeding and 
alloAv free access to rock salt. Feed 
whole oats, Avheat bran and mixed hay. 
In cold weather add a few ears of corn 
at noon. See that the collar fits properly. 
If the fits continue drive horse in a breast 
collar. A physic of one pint of raw lin¬ 
seed oil .should be given each time the 
horse has an attack, but medicine other 
than this will not be likely to help. 
A. s. A. 
Stiff Joint. 
What causes the hip joints of one of 
my coavs to squeak? Sounds as if they 
were lacking oil. This cow is getting 
rather old uoav, but I also had a calf 
Avith the same thing which -finally got 
so stiff it had to be killed. J. K. 
Rheumatism is apt to stiffen a joint 
and make it give out a cracking or snap¬ 
ping sound during motion. This is most 
seen in horses and may also come from 
lack of exercise. In cattle tuberculosis 
of the bones and joints always is to be 
suspected in such a case as you describe, 
and we would therefore advise you to 
apply the' tuberculin test. If tubercu¬ 
losis is not present make the Cow take 
lots of exercise everyday and allow her 
a roomy box stall in the stable. Feed 
roots or silage to keep the bowels active. 
Rub the affected joint Avith chloroform 
liniment tAvice daily. a. s. a. 
In use for 4/2 years 
— and still going 
E7ORTY-TWO years ago Mr. Balch of Coshocton, Ohio, 
bought a Studebaker farm wagon. He used this wagon for 
twenty-two years and then turned it over to his son, L. J. Balch. 
In a letter to Studebaker, ordering another wagon, Mr. Balch writes: 
father used it for 22 years and I have used it for twenty years 
and can Say that there has never been a spoke moved in any of the 
wheels and it has the same boxing and spindles that were put in it 
when made. Tire3 have been changed from narrow to broad, but 
axles, bolsters and singletrees are those originally furnished with 
wagon. Last summer I hauled 6,800 pounds of weighed material 
in it at one load.” 
NOT UNUSUAL FOR A STUDEBAKER WAGON 
You can buy a Studebaker wagon today 
that will repeat the performar.ee of the wagon 
OAvned by Mr. Balch. We are building 
wagons today with the same care and of just 
as good material as we did when Mr. Balch 
bought his wagon. In fact, Studebakerwagons, 
because of improved methods of making, are 
even better today. 
When you buy a wagon don’t judge it by 
its looks alone. Stop and think what isunder- 
neath the paint. 
You may be offered a wagon that looks as 
good as a Studebaker and the price may be 
less—but when you stop and figure that the 
cheaper wagon will probably last you five or 
ten years whereas a Studebaker will last a 
life time there is only one answer — You 
want a Studebaker. 
Whether it is a Farm Wagon, Buggy or Har¬ 
ness, Studebaker’s policy is “build not the 
cheapest but the best.” 
Invest your money where you get the largest 
returns—buy a Studebaker. 
STUDEBAKER 
See our dealer or write us 
NEW YORK 
MINNEAPOLIS 
South Bend, Ind. 
DALLAS KANSAS CITY DFNVFP 
SALT LAKE CITY SAN FRANCISCO PORTLAND^ORK 
_ Adv 2001 
last a lifetime 
WAGONS BUGGIES HARNESS 
Quaker City 
Mills 
Free trial of ten days will 
convince you that Quaker 
City Mills grind fine and 
rapidly any grain, separate 
or mixed,ear or shelled corn, 
coarse or h ne meal, also husks 
as well as cobs and corn. For 
47 years we have built mills for 
REAL work. 
23 Styles—Hand Power to 
20 h. p.—All Guaranteed 
AVrite for catalog of mills 
— their uses and prices; 
also booklet on farm ma¬ 
chinery at bargain prices. 
and Tree Puller 
clears a two-acre circle with one sitting—pulls stumps, 
green trees and hedges quick and easy. You can 
pull trees faster than you can cut them down, 
leaving the land clear for cultivation. 
All Steel Combination Stump Puller 
Unbreakable—handy—rapid—powerful. The only ma¬ 
chine on the market that can be set either stump- 
anchored or self-anchored. Double, Triple and Quad¬ 
ruple Attachments. Also Rotary Power Attachment 
for sawing, grinding, etc. Write for free catalogue. 
MILNE MFC. CO., 860 Ninth St., Monmouth, III. 
Grinds More FeecT 
Per Gallon Gas 
Save 25 per cent of yoor paso- 
line bill by using the fast grind¬ 
ing Letz. Grinds all kinds of 
grain, hay, seeds, screenings or 
snap com, wet,dry or oily. Can't 
clog—force feed throughout. 
Cl 
Letz Self Sharpening Silent Buhr 
Try it for ten days — if it don’t Vaa/I Mill 
grind finer, faster, cheaper than I vvU i H-fir 
other mills send it back at our expense. Write to¬ 
day for details, stating H I’, of your engine. 
L.tz Mlg. Co. i 213 East Road, Crown Point, Ind.. 
SAWYOURWOOD 
With A FOLDING SAWING MAGI! INK. 9 CORDS by ONE MAN In 
10 hours. Send for Free catalog No. EG8 showing low price and 
LATEST niPROVKSIF.NTS. First order secures agency. 
Folding Sawing Mach. Co., 161 W. Harrison St., Chicago, HL 
WISHER'S ICE TOOLS 
BEST VERY 1 
PROMPT 
““ ^%s«> PMENTS 
WISNER MFG. CO. 
230 Greenwich St. New York City 
_"Everything for Dairymen Always in Sfnrk" 
RUN ON KEROSENE 
6c for lO Hours 
Ellis Engines develop more power on cheap lamp 
oil than other engines do on high-priced gasoline. 
AVill also operate successfully on distillate, petrol, 
alcohol or gasoline. Only three working parts. 
NG 
WiS 
havo patent throttle giving three en¬ 
gines in one; force-feed oiler; auto¬ 
mobile type muffler; ball-bearing 
governor adjustable while run¬ 
ning and other exclusive features. 
MAKE U8 PROVE IT— 
Every engine sent on 30days’ ap¬ 
proval. 10-year Guarantee. Special 
factory prices on ull sires. Thou¬ 
sands of satisfied users. Write for 
big new 1014 catalog and special 
discount prices. 
ELLIS ENGINE C0.. 6 Mullett St.. Detroit,Mich. 
AVc Pay Freight. 
A Farmer’s Garden 
*111111 imimmiiiiii mini iiiimii mini immmmmmmimiimi| 
Helps his wife to plan her table in busy times. Saves work 
and worry, saves buying so much meat, gives better satis¬ 
faction to the help. A good garden will be almost impossi¬ 
ble in your busy life without proper tools. They cost little 
and save much hard work. 
WHEEL HOES 
AND DRILLS 
IRON AGE 
will sow, cultivate, ridge, furrow, etc., better than you can 
with old-fashioned tools and ten times quicker. A woman, 
boy or girl can do it. Can plant closer and work these hand 
tools while the horses rest. 38 combinations 
from which to choose at $2.50 to $12. One 
^ combined tool will do all of the work. 
rj°ni your ,c l ca l cr to s h° w , them and 
1 write us for booklet, "Gardening 
wk 1 With Modern Tools’* and "Iron 
jj neeI >rT^v Age Farm and Garden News” 
both free. 
BATEMAN 
M’F'G CO. 
Box 1022 
Gronloch, N. J* 
iiiimiiiimiiiiiiiiiii 
