1030 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
August 22, 
Hope Farm Notes 
THE CONNECTICUT POULTRY MEETING. 
Part II. 
T HE CONTEST.—The picture on page 
1041 shows how the egg- laying con¬ 
test is laid out. The hens are kept 
in double houses, two pens of 10 each to 
the house. Each pen of birds has a 
small yard, and on pleasant days they 
come and go as they like. My “scrubs” 
are in the house with the Silver Cam- 
pines—the two pens have been having a 
close race. The hens help themselves at 
will to a dry mash and shells, water, 
charcoal and grit are before them. A 
self-feeder for grain makes them work 
for that part of their ration. They are 
all handled alike, except a few pens which 
are fed in various ways as an experi¬ 
ment. The houses are kept clean and 
the hens are carefully watched for injury 
or disease. At such a contest it is nec¬ 
essary to devise a plan which will be rea¬ 
sonably fair to all in feeding and care, 
and enable one man to care for a large 
number of pons. In each house are five 
trap-nests. When the hen goes on to lay 
the nest closes and shuts her in until the 
attendant comes and releases her. As 
each hen wears a metal band on her leg, 
carrying her number, the egg is marked 
and the record made at once on a printed 
slip tacked up in each house. Sometimes 
the nests are all occupied when a hen 
wants to lay, or the hen may be lazy. In 
that case the egg may be laid on the floor. 
It is credited to the pen, but of course 
the individual bird has no credit. 
Is It Fair? —I do not see why not. 
Some breeders complain that this system 
of feeding favors the Leghorn too much. 
The strange thing about it is that the 
same complaint has been made by Leg¬ 
horn men. who say this scheme favors 
the Wyandottes. It seems to me this plan 
is as fair as any one could well devise. 
The contest is located at the top of a 
high, windy hill, very cold in Winter and 
in all respects a Spartan test for Mrs. 
Egg Layer. A hen that can make a good 
record under the conditions at Storrs is 
a first-class practical hen, tested and tried 
not only for egg production but for en¬ 
durance. That, I take it, is what we 
want rather than some condition where 
hens are pampered and petted for enor¬ 
mous records. For example, some of the 
standard Wyandotte men seem to think 
the contests are not fair because then- 
birds must be fed and handled in a cer¬ 
tain peculiar way in oi-der to do their 
best Yet in all contests from a horse 
race to a leeal battle between lawyers, 
the contestant must take conditions as he 
finds them. When you sell a iuau a sit¬ 
ting of eggs you can hardly expect to 
send a man along with the eggs to ex¬ 
plain how to feed the chicks. In this 
world all things must take their chance 
without special favors if they are to con¬ 
tinue true and strong. Therefore I think 
this contest is the fairest place to test 
the true qualities of a laying hen. I think 
the time is coming when a performance 
at such a contest will be demanded by 
Shrewd buyers. I do not care so much 
what a hen does at home under petted 
conditions. Let her get out in compe¬ 
tition with other hens, and show her qual¬ 
ities without any “special privilege.” 
Carting Ottt Drones.— The picture 
shows a typical scene in the contest en¬ 
closure. Little groups of people formed 
in front of the houses and discussed the 
hens. Each one had the last week’s lay¬ 
ing record, and as the houses are all 
plainly marked it was easy to study any 
particular pen. Tom Barron had agreed 
to give exhibitions of his method of se¬ 
lecting layers. A great crowd followed 
him about—so great that it was impossi¬ 
ble for half of the people to watch Bar¬ 
ron at work. So he climbed upon the 
roof of the henhouse, and the hens were 
passed up to him. Immediately the roofs 
of nearby houses were crowded with hen 
men. who thus secured a reserved seat. 
When Tom Barron made his speech at 
the church he surely did not know what 
to do with his hands. Up on that hen¬ 
house roof, however, those hands were 
mighty eloquent. As one man put it. 
“Barron took a bird in his hands, gave 
her a twist or two, ran his fingers over 
her, held her up for a good look, and told 
nine times out of 30 where she stood in 
her pen record. He can make those 
hands of his hear and feel and see and 
talk. Mine can hardly feel —let alone 
the rest!” 
Mi-. Barron seemed to look at the toes 
and logs first, apparently to get an idea 
of their color. lie noted whether the legs 
were placed wide apart. Then lie studied 
the head, comb and eye. Then his hands 
ran nH over the hen. back, front and at 
the side, testing the lines at the back, the 
shape of the breast bone, the length and 
breadth of the back. Then he held her 
up for one last wise inspection, after 
which he told with surprising accuracy 
how the bird stood in her pen record. 
When he looked over my “scrubs” I no¬ 
tice that he got down to notice how the 
hens walked and how they stood natural¬ 
ly on their feet. This seemed to be an 
essential part of his plan, and he was at 
a disadvantage up on the roof where he 
could not see the liens walk. At any rate 
it was a remarkable performance, and 
proved most effective w-itli the company. 
For here was a man actually casting out 
drones—yet having had no chance to 
study them or know- of their pedigree. Tn 
half the contest pens the record had boon 
kept down by drones. About half the 
birds had laid well, but a few- lazy drones 
had ruined the chance for any show- for 
the prize. If these drones had been cast 
out by some master’s hand the pen record 
would have been increased by 25 per cent, 
in many cases. This fact came home 
forcibly to this crow-d of hen men. Profit 
lies not alone in breeding and feeding, but 
in casting out drones! 
Drone Birds. — I think one reason for 
the success of Mr. Barron’s birds in this 
contest is the fact that they have laid uni¬ 
formly with no individuals which can be 
called drones. My understanding is that 
the Wyandottes are sisters or half-sisters 
from pedigreed utility stock carefully se¬ 
lected by exterior tests. Evidently true 
sisters of the same brectlng may vary in 
thoir egg-laying ability—due to peculiar¬ 
ity of growth or development. Mr. .1. F. 
Franca is has a pen of Barred Bocks, 
which contains three or four remarkable 
layers. If all the birds in this pen were 
as good as the three best ones there would 
be no stopping them from taking the lead. 
There are a number of fine-looking birds 
in the contest which thus far have not 
laid an egg. while others have laid less 
than a dozen. I asked several ow-ners of 
leading pens how many of their birds 
they would select for next year’s breed¬ 
ing. The replies ran all the way from 
two to five. Not one that I talked with 
expected to use the entire pen. for the 
trap-nesting had developed several drones 
or near drones that show-ed no superior 
qualities to hand on to their daughters. 
This presence of drone birds in nearly 
every pen was the thing which caused 
most thought and comment at the meet¬ 
ing. For the first time, I think, at a 
gathering of this sort it became the dom¬ 
inant question. Mr. Barron evidently 
knows how to cast ont a drone. With 
him it is the same sort of instinct which 
enables a good banker to reject a poor 
risk, a good carpenter to select the right 
lumber, the shrewd lawyer to go right to 
the vital part of his case, or the good 
editor to know- quickly whether “copy” 
is suitable or not. No man can teach 
instinct to another. The most skillful 
anatomist in the world might name every 
bone, joint and muscle in Barron’s won¬ 
derful hands, hut he never could tell how- 
lie separate the drones from the layers. 
I found other men in the crowd who 
could do much the same w-ork—each hav¬ 
ing his peculiar system. I find that they 
did not agree as to me particular form 
of a superior layer, but they seemed to 
select the bird through some instinct or 
long-formed habit of observation. Evi¬ 
dently a man must know- how to do it if 
be expects to excel with hens. 
Breeding Up.—I am sure that Mr. 
Barron convinced everyone who heard 
him that he is giving an entirely straight 
game with his Wyandottes and Leghorns. 
Starting with American Wyandottes, he 
has simply been guided by what the trap- , 
nest told him, and w-hat his hands corro¬ 
borated. Unquestionably the English 
Wyandottes are of a different type from 
the American standard, but this is not 
due to bringing in new- blood, but simply 
to the development of the egg-laying qual¬ 
ity. It seemed to he the conviction of 
most people. I talked w-ith that it would 
he better to breed these English strains 
of Leghorns and Wyandottes by them¬ 
selves, and not mix them with the best 
American blood. The latter is a different 
type, and the two may not mix well. The 
meeting developed a new value for the 
egg contest aside from the pen or indi¬ 
vidual records. Men went from one pen 
to another comparing the egg records— 
one high, another low—and began to ask 
themselves: 
"Why this difference?" 
What is there about this pen or this 
hen which makes this evident difference 
in egg value per year? This thing was 
never brought home to some of these peo¬ 
ple so forcibly before. They cannot for- ! 
get it, and it will force them on to study , 
out the principles of breeding and select¬ 
ing. Another future that I see in those ! 
egg-laying contests is in making them the 
exchange for buying mid selling high- 
class utility stock. I expect to see the 
time when breeders of utility stock w-ill 
go to such a contest and bargain for pens 
or individuals on the strength of their 
egg records. This will be following the 
course of fairs and tests where cattle are 
sold on their record. These things are 
sure to come as soon as “men can he con- 
vineed” that “breeding up” a flock of 
poultry by using pedigreed stock is any¬ 
where near as sure a thing as the use of j 
pure blood in cattle breeding. 
The ScruhS-—N o, we have not forgot¬ 
ten them. They were right there, happy ; 
as larks and very much more productive. ; 
They laid seven eggs In honor of the day. I 
They had outlaid their house companions. I 
the Silver Campines, by 13 eggs at the 
end of July. Various people told me they 
are not “scrubs” at all. I have explain¬ 
ed several times where I got them, but 
these critics do not seem to agree as to 
what a “scrub” is. If they will only 
agree and tell me what they mean I will 
enter a pen which ought to satisfy them. 
h. w. C. 
Take l\lo Chances 
With Your Expensive 
Alfalfa and Clover Seed 
Don’t lose the cost of your seed and 
labor—get a catch and a profitable 
yield. Inoculate your soil with the 
bacteria, or germ, that helps the 
plant absorb free nitrogen from the air. 
Packed in 
one 
and 
five 
acre 
cans. 
Jle Improved German Sol loocnlator. Nobbe-H&ner Process 
Absolutely 
Guaranteed 
to retain 
strength and 
virulence six 
months from 
date of ship¬ 
ment. 
PURE CULTURE 
THE SIMPLEST SAFEST AND SUREST SYSTEM 
OF SOIL INOCULATION FOR ALL LEGUMES, 
The use of “NITRAGIN,” pure cul¬ 
ture, insures a good stand—promotes 
a healthy, vigorous growth—increases 
the yield, and adds to its feeding value. 
The use of pure culture for inoculat¬ 
ing legumes is endorsed by the United 
States Department of Agriculture 
Experiment Stations, and Agricultural 
Authorities. Prepared in the Laboratories 
of the Germ an-Ameri can “NITRAGIN” 
Company. Distributed by 
ARMOUR FERTILIZER WORKS 
Union Stock Yards Chicago, III. 
Write for Booklet and Full Particulars. 
SMALL INVESTMENT 
REASONABLE PRICE 
Thresh Grain 
When You 
Have Time 
Capacities from 
500 to 1200 
Bushels Daily 
SMALL THRESHER “T INDEPENDENT 
(7 Here’s the neatest little outfit for the farmer who raises a limited amount of grain. You^ 
aie dependent on no one. You can thresh when you choose. It’s a simple machine; 
takes up little room. Has cylinder 23 inches wide and will thresh 400 to 600 bushels of 
oats a day. Write us—let us tell you how reasonable you can buy one of our 
THRESHERS 
Gray Threshers 
Gray Horse Powers 
Gray Saw Machines 
Gray Ensilage Cutters 
Gray Gasoline Engines 
"nicy’re made in sizes to suit your farm and yonr pocket-book, 
light yet strong—have large capacity—durable—separate even¬ 
ly and rapidly. The repair expense is low. "It’s a hummer’* 
say's one man. Ihey’xe ideal for hilly districts. Require 
medium power. Don’t buy till we give you figures. Write 
for new 1914 Catalog It’s free. 
A. W. GRAY’S SONS 
14 South Street, Middletown Springs, Vt. 
Thcy’n 
CUT FEED COSTS 
y v . by the better and more eeonoin- 
Jj. ’ ical feeding of your stock. Beet 
3 ' pulp, lor instance, enters into several mod¬ 
ern balanced rations which have been very 
suceessf uL We can give you list of these t ut ions 
or you can write nearest Experiment Station. 
ROOT PULPER 
AND SL1CER 
^ Q PQCC Farm Agency sells farms, 
send for new bargain list. 
STATE 8 WARREN STS.. TRENTON, N. J. ESTABLISHED 1808 
F 
ERTILE FARMS-BEAUTIFUL PERKIOMEN VALLEY; fruit, 
truck, dairy. Catalog. W. M. STEVENS, Perkasie, Pa. 
J t/u tau Hfioc uearuBV 
IRONAGE 
PRINTING BARGAIN 
and envelope heads, 52. Semi usyourcopy and we will 
send proofs FREE. RYDER PRINT SHOP, Barnerviile. N. Y. 
will work up your roots right 
and quickly. Sir Knives, 
pulp with one edge, slice with Y.V; ’ 
the other. Roller Dealings. ,/,\ * 
Heavy hopper, shuix-d to Jf 
feed everything in it. _ 
Ask for circular HP. Q 
BATEMAN M’F’G CO. 
tot HI2, 
Crenloch, 
^fSOMAGL 
/ : 
WILL YOU TAKE-ORDERS? 
Many earn $80 to $60 every week demonstrating oar 
New 8toel Automatic llnnillTool. A combina¬ 
tion Jack, Fence Stretcher, Splicer and Mender, Port 
and Stump Puller, Tire Tightener, Cable Maker, Pres*, 
PVise, Hoist, Wrench,etc. Saves ooBt of 16 tools uaed 
every day by farmers and others. Lifts T Tons. Sold 
► on trial. life Gaarantee. Be first to oontrol this 
near business la your county. Spare time or permanent work. 
Siiin nlo loaned. Credit given. Write for factory agency offer. 
CMS. E. BENEF1EL CO., lac. 268 industrial Bldg., Indianapolis, lad. 
Seed Wheat 
RED WAVE, RUDY, 
POOLE. MEDITERRANEAN, 
BLUE STEM, GYPSY. 
Mammoth White Rye. Timothy, Alfalfa. Vetch, etc. 
1200 Acre Seed Farms. Samples and catalog free. 
W. N. SCARFF NEW CARLISLE, O. 
Direct from 2 H-P, $34.95 
Factory 4 H-P, 69.75 
to 6 H-P. 99.35 
User Ail 8 H-P. 139.65 
-—= » 12 h-P, 219.90 
16 H-P. 298.80 
22 H-P. 399.65 
Portable Knginc at 
Proportionally Low • 
WITTE Engines 
Kerosene, Gasoline and Gas 
Stationary. (skidded or on iron base) .and Mounted 
Styles. Long-wearing, separable, semi-steel cylin¬ 
ders and 4-ring pistons; automobile ignition: spark 
shift; vertical valves; variable speed; and other 
merits without which no engine is now high-grade. 
LIBERAL FIVE-YEAR GUARANTEE 
Casn or Easy Terms. Why pay double price fof 
any good engine.or take a poor one, 
for any price, when the WITTE c 
“tie; 
... ! coats 
so little and saves you all the risk? 
Mew Book Free. T .e”s you the “in- 
■ . .... . — side of engine *wi- 
ingas well usmaniifacturitig. Get the 
facts whether you buy from me or not. 
Ed. M. Witte, Witt* Iron Works Co. 
1898 Oakland Ava.. KanaaaCity, Mo. 
gfiPj 
