864 
THE RURATi NEW-YORKER 
EGG-LAYING CONTEST 
The thirty-second week of the contest 
at Storrs gives an egg output of 4.163; 
this is one egg less than last week. Until 
this week 59 has been the highest num¬ 
ber laid by any pen. This week Dicto¬ 
graph Farm’s pen of White Leghorns 
breaks the record by laying 61 eggs, and 
takes first place in the week’s record. 
Windsweep Farm’s White Leghorns take 
second place with a score of 57. Three 
pens of White Leghorns and Chas. O. Pol' 
hemus’ pen of R. I. Reds tie for third 
place with scores of 56. They are N. W. 
Hendr.vx’s from Connecticut. James 11. 
Lord’s pen from Massachusetts, and Tom 
Barron’s pen from England. A. S. Son- 
dregger’s pen from Connecticut laid 55. 
Out of the 44 pons of Leghorns of all va¬ 
rieties. 23 pens laid 50 or over. Out of 
the 46 pens of all other breeds five pens 
laid 50 or over, 28 pens have now laid 
over 1.000 eggs each. Missouri continues 
to “Swat the rooster,” after batching is 
over. May 15 is the day set to get rid of 
all unnecessary males. One produce firm 
in a Missouri town shipped a “henless” 
carload of poultry to an Eastern market, 
which contained 3.500 “old boys,” on the 
way to the soup house. Probably not less 
than 150.000 male birds are sent to mar¬ 
ket. or got rid of at this season, in the 
State of Missouri alone. The economy in 
the cost of feed is large, but does not com¬ 
pare in the saving effected by the better 
condition of the infertile eggs when they 
reach the Eastern markets. The saving 
in food cost will purchase unrelated males 
for next season’s breeders. Breeding 
brothers and sisters together is a sure 
way to reduce the egg-laying in their pro¬ 
geny. This has been demonstrated in 
many experiments, and I have no doubt 
that it is the main reason why many peo¬ 
ple who keep poultry find their egg out¬ 
put decrease from year to year. 
The week’s record follows: 
Barred Rocks. Week Total 
Merritt M. Clark. Connecticut. 3(1 1.051 
Prank T.. Tuttle, Massachusetts . 30 083 
Francis T,. Lincoln. Connecticut. 43 010 
.Tales ,T. Krancais, New York. 27 750 
Storrs Agr. Station, Exp. pen. Conn. 31 000 
Storrs Agr. Station. Exp. pen, Conn. 47 1.007 
O. A. Foster, California. 20 828 
White Rocks. 
Albert T. Lenzen, Massachusetts. 51 804 
P. rnnford Farms, Connecticut. 30 823 
Branford Farms, Connecticut. 50 010 
Branford Farms, Connecticut. 47 814 
Branford Farms. Connecticut. 40 70S 
Buff Rocks. 
A. A. Unit, Connecticut . 32 840 
White Wyandottes. 
Tom Barron, England . 52 1,200 
Ed. Cam, England . 49 1,202 
Merrythought Farm, Connecticut. 51 000 
Neale Bros.. Rhode Island . 40 1.030 
Mrs. J. D. Beck. Connecticut. 31 900 
Storrs Agr. Station, Exp. pen. Conn. 37 840 
Storrs Agr. Station. Exp. pen. Conn. 44 1,002 
Ma'dedale Farm, Connecticut. 32 022 
.1. F. Byron. Connecticut. 30 899 
Buff Wyandottes. 
Pr. N. W. Sanborn, Massachusetts... 40 921 
Silver Wyandottes. 
Silver Wyandotte Star, New York... 46 714 
Columbian Wyandottes. 
Merrythought Farm, Connecticut.... 41 965 
Rhode Island Reds. 
Dr. .1. C. Dingman. New York. 20 725 
Hill view Poultry Farm, Vermont.... 43 1,240 
Homer P. Doming, Connecticut. 40 1,001 
Chas. O. Polhemus, New York. 50 1.022 
H. M. Bailey, Connecticut. 44 850 
John Backus, Vermont . 40 1.047 
W. H. Rumstead. Connecticut. 30 774 
Pineerest Orchards, Massachusetts... 38 1,085 
Harry B. Cook, Connecticut. 39 935 
Colonial Farm, New Hampshire. 30 1,081 
A. B. Brundage, Connecticut. 37 837 
Storrs Agr. Station, Exp. pen. Conn. 37 1.082 
Storrs Agr. Station, Exp. pen. Conn. 39 029 
Rural New-Yorker, New York City.. 28 889 
S. G. McLean, Connecticut. 38 811 
Springdale Farm. Connecticut. 24 1,027 
D. E. Warner, Rhode Island . 38 940 
H. W. Sanborn. Massachusetts. 44 928 
Albert R. Ford, Connecticut. 36 549 
Light Brahmas. 
Storrs Agr. Station, Exp. pen, Conn. 39 676 
Storrs Agr. Station. Exp. pen. Conn. 20 695 
American Dominiques. 
II. B. Hiller, Connecticut. 10 646 
White Leghorns. 
A. B. Hall. Connecticut. 22 745 
George Bowles. Connecticut . 53 987 
Ellis W. Bentley, New York. 37 841 
N. W. Ilendryx, Connecticut. 56 1.013 
Braeside Poultry Farm, Penn. 53 1,016 
Francis F. Lincoln, Connecticut. 40 784 
Cecil Guernsey, New York. 44 627 
Merritt M. Clark, Connecticut. 34 839 
Chas. N. St. John. New York. 32 928 
.Ta.v H. Ernisse, New York. 35 948 
Storrs Agr. Station. Exp. pen. Conn. 53 991 
Storrs Agr. Station, Exp. pen. Conn. 53 1,121 
Mrs. Rollin S. Woodruff. Connecticut. 51 784 
Windsweep Farm. Connecticut. 57 1,123 
James II. Lord. Massachusetts. 56 850 
P. G. Platt. Pennsylvania. 51 1,027 
Dictograph Farm, New York. 61 902 
F. M. Peasle.v, Connecticut. 54 1,163 
Chas. Heigl, Ohio . 53 744 
Tom Barron. England . 56 1.175 
Edward Cam, England . 50 857 
Geo. M. McMillan, Missouri. 47 085 
Win. II. Lyon, New York. 54 867 
Happieh & Banks, New York. 48 1.021 
A. P. Robinson. New York. 52 1.168 
Manor Poultry Farm, New York. 49 1,015 
Branford Farms, Connecticut. 45 877 
Branford Farms, Connecticut. 54 064 
Branford Farms, Connecticut. 50 1,020 
Branford Farms, Connecticut. 52 1,038 
Anna Dean Farm, Ohio . 43 608 
Rural New-Yorker, New York City.. 45 785 
A. S. SoiuTregger, Connecticut....... 55 975 
S. J. Rogers, New York. 50 953 
Stoneleigh Poultry Farm. Penn. 38 778 
Mrs. W. B. Whitlock, Connecticut... 28 716 
Toth Bros., Connecticut. 32 701 
James V. Thomas, New York. 54 1,081 
Sunny Acres Farm, Connecticut. 31 S37 
Rose Comb Brown Leghorns. 
The Gale Place, Connecticut. 36 576 
Buff Leghorns. 
Lakeside Poultry Farm, Michigan.... 42 727 
O. I.. Magre.v. Connecticut. 43 816 
Black Leghorns. 
J. Collinson, England . 53 1,060 
Silver Campines. 
Uncowa Poultry Yards. Connecticut.. 45 916 
Lewis E. Prickett, Connecticut. 46 771 
Light Sussex. 
Dr. E. K Conrad, New Jersey. S3 727 
Salmon Faverolles. 
Doughoregan Farm, Maryland . 29 632 
White Orpingtons. 
Henry S. Pennook. Florida . 15 412 
Obed S. Knight, Rhode Island. 20 755 
B. I\ Nase, Connecticut. 45 824 
Buttercups. 
Chanticleer Poultry Yards, Penn. 43 721 
Favorite Hens. 
Rural New-Yorker, New York City.. 42 809 
GEO. A. COSGROVE. 
Feeding Capons. 
Would you give me a ration for feed¬ 
ing capons from time of caponizing 
(about six weeks old) until time to mar¬ 
ket in Fobbruary? Will have green 
range until cold weather. Then have 
cabbage or beets for green feed; every¬ 
thing else to be bought. A. J. K. 
New York. 
Capons are fed as are other growing 
chicks up to within four to six weeks 
of marketing; at this time, more corn 
and other fattening food is given to fin¬ 
ish them off. Mixed whole grains, corn, 
wheat, oats, and buckwheat are used and 
the ordinary mashes of ground grains 
with meal or beef scrap are supplied. Ca¬ 
pons should be kept growing so that they 
will have a large frame upon which the 
fat may later be applied. During the 
growing period, capons do not need any 
special formulas for feeding; grains, 
green stuff, mashes, grit and range. 
M. B. D. 
Loss of Feathers. 
My hens have lost their feathers 
around the rear of body; they started 
last Summer and I thought when they 
molted they would grow in again, but 
upon failure to do so I applied a remedy, 
but with no success, and now a few of 
them are starting to lose them around 
the breast too. I feed them green stuff 
and meat scrap along with their regular 
food, and also plenty of ground oyster 
shell and grit, charcoal, etc. E. K. 
New Jersey. 
This loss of feathers is probably due to 
the work of the depluming mite and the 
latter may be killed by rubbing into the 
hare spots some form of grease. Vase¬ 
line. to which a little kerosene has been 
added, lard and sulphur, or, in mild 
cases, lard alone. Repeated applications 
at intervals of some days may be needed. 
This mite is ordinarily easily killed and 
seems to do little harm to the fowl other 
than to spoil its appearance. M. B. D. 
Purebred Chicks. 
I have tried my best to get pure Leg¬ 
horns, and each year the little chickens 
have a few black feathers on them. Not 
all have these black feathers but a few 
do have. Am I all right in selling such 
eggs as those chicks were hatched from 
as being purebred? l. w. m. 
Michigan. 
No purebred is so pure that it may not 
show occasional reversion to ancestral 
characteristics, such as the appearance of 
black feathers in white plumage. Too 
frequent and constant appearance of for¬ 
eign characters in any breed indicates 
pollution of blood at a comparatively re¬ 
cent date, but occasional and rare ap¬ 
pearances of this kind need disturb no 
one. Your fowls are probably purebred 
and can honestly be sold as such. Pure¬ 
bred fowls of any variety are so easily 
obtained nowadays that ’ there is little 
temptation to deceive in this regard. 
Maintaining purity of blood is about as 
much a matter of carefulness as honesty 
now. In such mobile animals as fowls, 
it is very easy to have an accidental 
cross. M. B. D. 
Difficulty With Ration. 
The following mash for my hens has 
produced a marked increase in egg pro¬ 
duction, but has also relaxed the bowels: 
Eight pounds bran, seven pounds mid¬ 
dlings. seven pounds corn and oats 
ground, four pounds beef scrap, five 
pounds _ clover, one-half pound oyster 
shells, 3% pounds linseed meal. What 
could I add or leave out or reduce in the 
above to help stop diarrhoea? It has 
made the hens lay well. I also feed 
wheat one part, cracked corn one part, 
oats one-half, buckwheat one-half part in 
Winter. Is this right? k. m. s. 
New York. 
The linseed meal is the laxative ele¬ 
ment in this ration and if left out the 
trouble would probably be corrected. It 
would then be advisable to increase the 
amount of beef scrap to one-sixth or more 
of the total weight of the mash. It is 
better to keep shell by itself in an open 
hopper, rather than to mix it in the 
mash. Your whole grain ration is all 
right. m. B. D. 
The Muscovy Duck. 
There is a story, for whose authen¬ 
ticity I cannot vouch, that the makers of 
a French dictionary, having described a 
crab as a “red fish which walks back¬ 
wards,” submitted the definition to Cu¬ 
vier, the great naturalist, for correction 
or suggestion. His reply is said to have 
been, “It is a most excellent definition, 
gentlemen. However; there are three 
slight erors in it. First, it is not a fish ; 
second, it is not red; third, it does not 
walk backwards. With those slight ex¬ 
ceptions it is a most excellent definition.” 
The Muscovy duck is a similar situation. 
The implication that it in any way per¬ 
tains to Moscow is entirely wrong, and 
the scientists tell us that it is not a duck. 
The classification of the animal kingdom 
is based upon characteristics that are not 
always the most prominent, and thereby 
occasionally disagrees with popular opin¬ 
ion. This is the case with the Muscovy 
duck. The origin of “Muscovy” was 
proably contemporary with the naming of 
the turkey and the guinea pig at a time 
when geography was in a state of con¬ 
fusion almost equal to that of present- 
day politics. For its place among a sub¬ 
family of geese it depends upon external 
and internal features, which place it 
with the Spur-winged goose and the 
Black-backed goose, the latter sometimes 
called the Comb duck. These spe¬ 
cies differ from the sub-family which 
contains the domestic goose by the great¬ 
er length of the hind toe, the length, 
breadth, and rounded ends of the tail 
feathers, glossy upper parts, the pres¬ 
ence of caruncles on its head, shape and 
size of beak and by internal character¬ 
istics. It differs from the sub-family 
which contains the domestic and other 
ducks by the absence of a lobe on the 
hind toe, the presence of caruncles, the 
great difference in size of the sexes and 
various anatomical characters. In spite 
of its true nature and classification it is 
doubtful if any effort could ever change 
its name of duck, although in scientific 
collections it bears the correct name of 
goose. 
The Muscovy is a native of America, 
and is found wild from Mexico to Argen¬ 
tina. Mr. Frank M. Chapman, in a 
recent number of the National Geographic 
Magazine, writes of seeing it near Tam¬ 
pico in Mexico; and ex-President Roose¬ 
velt mentions it in the account of his 
Brazilian exploration. In its wild state 
it nests in hollow trees when it can find 
a suitable place, and is apparently as 
much at home above as on the ground. 
The colored Muscovy most nearly resem¬ 
bles the wild bird. The white variety 
was doubtless developed by the interbreed¬ 
ing of individuals which varied from the 
original coloring under the new conditions 
of domestication. The Muscovy is dis¬ 
tinguished by a long body and tail, red 
caruncles on the sides of the head and, 
in the case of the drake, a crest on top 
of the head which it can raise or depress 
at will. There is a very noticeable dif- 
ference between the weights of the two 
sexes. The standard weight of an adult 
drake is 10 pounds, of an adult female 
seven. Birds exceeding those weights are 
occasionally seen. The colored Muscovy 
is black and white, with the black pre¬ 
dominating. A bird more than half white 
is disqualified in the show room under the 
rules of the poultry standard. The white 
Muscovy, as its name implies, is entirely 
white. The pink bill of the white va¬ 
riety and the pink bill shaded with horn 
of the colored bird are an element of 
beauty. The Muscovy is practically a 
voiceless duck. A broody duck has a 
plaintive little squeal. When suddenly 
frightened they emit a few quacks. When 
a group of them are talking together they 
have a queer rattle that is only sugges¬ 
tive of quacking. At other times the 
ducks and at all times the drakes have 
only a loud gutteral breathing with 
which to express their sentiments. A 
flock of Muscovies is an amusing sight 
when they are excited, as they lift their 
wings like swans, wag their tails and 
throw their heads backwards and for¬ 
wards, uttering the gutteral sound just 
mentioned. 
On account of their almost total lack 
of noise they commend themselves to 
those who like ducks but dislike their 
noise. The Muscovy duck has not lost 
the sitting instinct; in fact she is a per¬ 
sistent sitter, capable of being broken up 
however. They will nest on the ground 
if no other place is provided, but prefer 
a box a little above the ground. At night 
all except the older, heavier ones will 
roost if opportunity is provided. 
A Muscovy drake is somewhat of a 
nuisance if allowed with other breeds of 
waterfowl, as much by his manifestations 
of masculinity as by his truculence. As 
I write this I have just come from car- 
iug for a brood of young Muscovies that 
appeared yesterday on schedule time, just 
five weeks after I placed the eggs under 
the matronly Muscovy. As I put my 
hand under her to ascertain if all the eggs 
were hatched I wondered at the almost 
complete absence of shells. A shell that 
I happened to push out was immedidately 
seized and eaten. The absence of the 
others was explained. I found one egg 
crushed and the duckling unable to get 
out. I released it and placed it under 
the mother. Today it is as lively as the 
rest, and that is saying considerable. 
While young Muscovies do not develop 
as rapidly as those breeds which have 
been specialized as market birds, the 
ability to rustle for themselves and get 
a living from pond and field like geese re¬ 
duces the cost of feed. Muscovies are 
less timid than other ducks, and seldom 
if ever get panic-stricken. As a table 
fowl they are the equal of any domestic 
bird. Their flesh has a gamy flavor that 
commends it to many. While it is doubt¬ 
ful if they can compete with Pekins in 
the estimation of the specialist who 
raises ducks by the thousand and cares 
nothing for the noise, their many good 
qualities entitle them to a more favor¬ 
able consideration than they have so 
far had. w. H. H. 
June 26, 1915. 
Sanitary, cozy. portable, — 
Pourable Open-air front. removable, adjust¬ 
able floor Quickly converted into Breeding 
■Pen. Brooder, Colony or Layine House. Light 
land sunny. Cheaper and better than home-built 
\ Lasts a lifetime. Same materials as our famous 
i silos Cold, heat, rodent and licc-prool. Send 
k for illustrated literature and price list. 
“ Bo* C, UNAD1LLA SILO CO. 
Improved Parcel Post Egg Boxes 
SEND 15 CENTS FOR SAMPLE 
New Flats and Fillers- New Egg Cases 
SEND FOR FREE CATALOQUE DESCRIBING OUR 
Modern Poultry Equipment 
H. K. BRUNNER, 45 Harrison Street, N.Y. 
— A limited nnmberof 3-I5A Nl) 
ITALIAN QUEENS. Queens 
ure large, vigorous, and pro¬ 
lific, producing bees that are 
gentle, hardy and industrious. Untested, $1.00: 
tested after June 1, $1.50. Satisfaction guaranteed 
W. K ROCKWELL, - Illoomfield, Conn. 
5 .“Sff 4 l PARTRIDGESI, PHEASANTS 
Capercailzies, Black Game, Wild Turkeys, Quails, 
Rabbits, Deer, etc., f or stocking purposes. Fancy 
Pheasants, Peafowl, Cranes, Storks. Beautiful 
Swans, Ornamental Geese and Dncks, Foxes 
Squirrels, Ferrets, and all kinds of birds and 
animals. WM. J. MACKKNSliN, Natural¬ 
ist, Department III, Yardley, Fa. 
TOM BARRON’S 
WINNING WYANDOTTE PENS 
PA. CONTEST: WINNERS in t gg, an.l ,al„-: 
aver. 236. “Rarooeis V" laid 282 »git» ; others. 274. 
CONN. CONTEST: WINNERS i» value: aver" 
208?- : 2nd Prize ill epus. 
MISSOURI CONTEST: 2nd PRIZE, likely: 
aver. 210. Itarron I.oghams. 284 : Huff Hocks, 242 : 
1 lbert lleds, 25Prize lloiiens. Hip Toulouse fieese. 
MORRIS-FARM, R. 4, BRIDGEPORT. CONN. 
TOM BARRON WHITE WYANDOTTE 
chicks 10-daysold. I8c.; day obi chicks, 12c.; from the 
stock I bought direct from Tom Barron. England 
Eggs $1 per 15. E. E. LEWIS, Apalachin, N. V. 
Barron Leghorn and Wyandotte Cockerels 
early hatched high-pedigreed stock, $2 up. Trap, 
nested breeders liarron Farm, Connellsville, Pa 
Barron’s 248 260-egg stock. Imported direct. 2k months 
old. gt each; 30 for $25. E. CL* IDE JUNES, Hillsdale, N. V . 
IMPROVED SILVER CAMPINES Exclusively 
Eggs $1 per 15 or *5 per 100. SHORT S TRIPP, Cortland. N Y. 
The Farmer’s Rusinpss Hpn f° r e cs s a,K * meat. 
IIIC Tdl IIICI 3 DUoincoo nun white Orpington eggs 
and baby chicks. RELIABLE YARDS, Culver Road, Lyons, N Y 
Money-making Dominiques-H.^.R^^MH^p, 
HATCHING EGGS OF QUALITY 
"Perfection ” Barred Kooks bred from Thompson. 
Hawkins, Bradley, and Riley strains. Eggs from 
prize-winning pens, $3 per 15. Utility, $1 per 15; $5 
per 100. Dr. G. T. HAYMAN, Box D48, Doylestown, Penna. 
Wanted—500 Barred Rock Pullets^fL’a 
Good, strong stock. Make price, express paid, to 
Princeton, Mass. LAURELWOOD FARM, Princeton. Mass 
BARGAIN 
ROSE COMB BROWN LEGHORNS 
Fine one and two-year-old breeding hens 
at $1 each; also eoci.erels, $1. Circular. 
Ward W. IJasey, Box 55, Erankford, Del. 
Mattituck White Leghorn Farm 
6-8-weeks-old pullets . 8 60 per lOO 
3-months-old “ . lOO per lOO 
All stock delivered in satisfactory con¬ 
dition or your money returned. 
A. II. PENNY, - Mattituck, N. Y. 
The Rural New-Yorker, 
New York City. 
Gentlemen: 
I received some little time ago the 
spoons, ladle and bedspread which you so 
kindly sent for the new subscribers I 
sent you, and wish to thank you very 
kindly for same. Wishing you every suc¬ 
cess, and rest assured I will do all I can 
to increase the circulation, I remain 
Respectfully yours, 
WM. R. BAKER. 
You Will Be 
Well Pleased 
with any reward sent 
you for securing new 
or renewal subscrip¬ 
tions for us. All 
members of the fam¬ 
ily can help. No ex¬ 
perience necessary. 
No investment re¬ 
quired. Just send 
postal card for Re¬ 
ward List. 
Department “M” 
The Rural New-Yorker 
333 West 30th Street 
New York City 
