48 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
July  n,  1895. 
HOME  FARM  POULTRY. 
Ik  no  brancli  of  farm  management  is  attention  to  details 
more  important  than  the  poultry;  in  none  is  there  greater 
or  more  general  carelessness  The  truth  of  this  has  been 
forcibly  impressed  on  us  since  writing  the  article  on  table 
poultry  by  a  failure  in  Turkey  reai'ing,  about  which  we  were 
consulted.  Of  fifty  eggs  placed  under  hens  not  one  proved 
fertile.  What  could  be  the  reason  ?  The  eggs  were  laid  by 
the  farm  Turkeys,  the  hens  had  set  well,  and  it  was  suggested 
to  us  that  something  mysterious — something  peculiar  to  this 
season — was  the  cause.  A  little  inquiry  convinced  us  there 
was  no  mystery,  and  that  the  favourite  but  effete  old  Turkey 
cock  ought  long  ago  to  have  gone  to  the  stock  pot  We  give 
all  possible  prominence  to  this  case  because  of  its  importance. 
To  run  an  old  male  bird  of  any  kind  of  poultry  with  its 
own  progeny  is  to  court  failure.  There  may  not  be — in 
point  of  fact,  there  seldom  is— such  a  want  of  fertility,  but 
there  always  is  deterioration  in  the  offspring.  As  a  general 
rule  we  would  have  a  change  of  male  birds  every  year,  and 
of  hens  after  the  second  year.  It  is  a  fact  well  known  to 
scientific  or,  rather,  observant  poultry  keepers,  that  close  inter¬ 
breeding  renders  chicks  stunted  and  so  tuberculous  that  they 
are  absolutely  unwholesome  to  eat.  Another  equally  important 
reason  for  a  change  of  hens  is  that  after  the  second  year  the 
number  of  eggs  falls  off,  and  they  consequently  become  less 
profitable,  and,  what  is  even  more  important  to  the  home 
farmer,  less  reliable. 
With  closer  general  attention  to  detail,  and  as  an  outcome 
of  a  growing  knowledge  of  cause  and  effect,  we  hope  to  see 
a  much  more  systematic  management  of  poultry.  At  the 
home  farm  certainly  there  should  be  separate  yards  and 
runs.  The  “allround”  fowl  should  find  no  place  there.  It 
sounds  very  well  in  theory  to  have  a  cross-breed  affording 
excellent  table  birds  and  plenty  of  eggs.  Within  certain 
limits  this  is  possible  in  degree,  as,  for  example,  by  crossing 
such  free  layers  as  Minorcas,  Leghorns,  Spanish,  Andalusians 
with  an  Indian  Game  cock.  But  while  the  table  chickens 
from  this  cross  are  passable  they  are  not  of  the  best,  and 
the  tendency  of  the  hens  to  become  frequently  ‘  broody  ”  renders 
them  much  less  useful  for  egg  production  than  pure  bred 
hens  of  any  of  the  Mediterranean  fowls. 
For  the  home  farm  we  would  have  separate  yards  of  Dorking 
hens  with  Indian  Game  cocks  for  table  poultiy;  of  cockerels 
and  pullets  intended  for  the  table  ;  of  Minorcas  for  the  regular 
supply  of  eggs.  By  the  separation  of  sexes  in  table  chickens 
much  finer  birds  can  be  had,  and  they  can  be  kept  much  longer 
in  high  condition,  the  cockerels  becoming  really  magnificent 
birds  of  superior  quality. 
Under  this  system  it  is  obvious  that  selections  for  breeding 
and  for  table  must  be  made  early,  so  too  must  those  of  pullets 
for  autumn  and  winter  eggs  But  where  egg  producers  and 
table  fowls  ai’e  so  managed  there  is  no  risk  of  the  best  laying 
pullets  being  taken  for  cooking.  All  the  best  Minorca  pullets 
of  March,  April,  and  May  broods  are  saved  as  a  matter  of 
course.  The  only  risk  is  that  enough  of  the  early  Game- 
Dorking  pullets  will  not  be  saved  to  afford  sittings  of  eggs  for 
the  earliest  spring  chicks  next  season.  This  is  a  matter  to  keep 
well  in  mind,  as  it  is  one  in  which  so  many  fail,  and  these  hints 
are  given  now  in  view  of  a  special  improvement  next  season. 
Let  it  not  be  overlooked  that  home  farm  poultry  must  be  of  the 
best.  In  table  poultry  mere  size  ought  not  to  be  regarded  as 
meritorious.  We  have  that  in  Brahmas,  but  they  are  coarse 
birds  with  poor  breasts.  We  have  it  too  in  the  cross-bred 
Orpingtons,  W^yandottes,  and  Plymouth  Rocks  ;  but  it  is  size 
of  legs,  and  not  plump  breasts.  It  is  a  deep-fleshed  full  breast 
and  small  legs  that  we  breed  f  r  in  crossing  Dorkings  with 
Indian  Game.  In  doing  this,  refinement  in  colour  of  flesh  and 
in  form  must  have  more  attention. 
At  the  competition  of  table  poultry  at  the  recent  show  of  the 
Royal  Agricultural  Society  at  Darlington  some  of  the  prize¬ 
winning  dead  birds  had  dark-coloured  flesh  and  coarse  skins. 
This  points  to  a  want  of  careful  selection,  especially  of  the  hens 
for  breeding.  The  excellence  of  Lady  liVilson  s  pair  of  Silver 
Grey  Dorkings  in  flesh,  colour,  and  form  points  the  way  to  the 
desired  improvement.  Proof  of  this  was  afforded  in  the  excel¬ 
lence  of  several  pair  of  cross-bred  birds  by  the  same  exhibitor. 
But  not  all  Silver-Greys  will  answer  ;  there  must  be  selection  of 
the  best  birds  for  breeding,  and  a  close  weeding  out  of  every 
doubtful  bird  Why  not  ?  It  is  by  selection  that  the  fancier 
develops  the  points  of  his  fancy  in  any  breed,  and  while  we 
avuid  his  birds  as  unsuitable  for  our  purpose,  we  may  profit¬ 
ably  adopt  this  point  of  his  practice. 
WORK  ON  THE  HOME  FARM. 
In  small  dairies,  more  especially  just  now,  there  are  difficulties  from 
milk  and  cream  turning  sour  so  quickly,  owing  to  the  hot  weather,  lu 
the  midsummer  number  of  the  Royal  Agricultural  Society  s  Journal.^ 
Lieut.-Col.  J.  F.  Curtis -Hay  ward  gave  one  or  two  useful  recipes  of 
preservatives,  which  we  quote.  To  keep  cream  or  milk  sweet  for  four 
or  five  days  dissolve  in  a  quart  of  hot  water  1  oz,  of  boracic  acid,  or 
\  oz.  of  borax  and  f  oz.  of  boracic  acid.  This  will  suffice  for  20  gallons 
of  milk,  or  a  tablespoonful  of  the  solution  to  a  quart  (1  to  3200  parts). 
He  pointed  out  how  frequently  much  stronger  solutions  are  used 
wastefully,  and  at  the  r  sk  of  giving  the  cream  a  bitter  taste.  A  form 
of  jelly,  which  he  describes,  should  also  prove  useful  just  now.  It 
consists  of  2i  ozs.  of  gelatine  steeped  in  3  czs.  of  water,  and  dissolved 
in  a  solution  of  1  oz.  of  mixed  borax  and  boracic  acid  in  a  pint  of  hot 
water.  This,  when  cool,  forms  a  jelly  which  will  keep  any  length  of 
time.  A  tablespoooful  of  it  dissolved  will  preserve  a  pint  of  cieam. 
from  seven  to  nine  days.  .  ,  .  ,  •  j  v. 
That  was  a  sensible  farmer,  who,  seeing  his  cows  much  worried  by 
gad  flies,  drove  them  by  day  during  very  hot  weather  into  an  enclosure 
well  shaded  by  overhanging  branches  of  trees,  keeping  them  well 
supplied  there  with  plenty  of  green  vetches  and  water,  and  only  turning 
them  out  to  grass  at  sunset.  Anything  that  can  be  done  now  in  this 
direction  is  entirely  worth  while,  both  to  protect  cows  and  cattle,  and 
in  the  farmers’  interests  to  prevent  that  tailing  off  in  condition,  and  in 
the  milk  yield,  which  is  so  common  at  this  season  of  the  year. 
It  is  not  every  farmer  that  has  a  covered  yard  or  commodious  cow 
hovel  to  turn  his  cattle  into,  or  they  are  decidedly  preferable.  All  jards 
and  buildings  should  have  been  cleared  of  manure  long  ago,  yet  we  have 
actually  seen  the  winter  manure  still  in  the  yards  in  August.  I  arm 
affairs  must  be  in  a  bad  condition  when  work  is  so  much  in  arrears. 
Depend  upon  it  a  thorough  cleansing  of  winter  quarters  for  live  stock 
is  an  important  factor  in  keeping  them  healthy  and  thriving  when, 
they  go  into  them  in  autumn. 
METEOROLOGICAL  OBSERVATIONS, 
Oamdbn  Squarb.  London. 
Lat.51°  32' 40"  N. :  Long.  0'^  8'  0"  W.;  Altitude  111  feet. 
Date. 
9  A.M. 
In  the  Day. 
Raiu. 
1895. 
June  and  July. 
Barometer 
at  32°, and 
Sea  Level. 
Hygrometer. 
Direc¬ 
tion  of 
Wind. 
Temp, 
of  soil 
at 
1  foot. 
Shade  Tem¬ 
perature. 
Radiation 
Temperature 
Dry. 
Wet. 
Max. 
Min. 
In 
Sun. 
On 
Grass. 
Inchs. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
dee. 
deg. 
Inchs. 
Sunday  . . 
30 
29-760 
65-2 
58-0 
W. 
63-0 
72-9 
56-2 
116-9 
52-0 
— 
Monday  . . 
1 
29-699 
64-8 
59-2 
S. 
63-0 
75-0 
56  9 
125-1 
51-4 
0-302- 
Tuesday  . . 
2 
2 
59-2 
55-2 
s.w. 
62  2 
71-7 
54-0 
117-7 
50-1 
0-021 
Wednesday 
3 
30-(,29 
60-2 
54-1 
w. 
61-2 
68-8 
53-3 
115-4 
48*7 
Thursday . . 
4 
30-211 
63  2 
54-3 
N.W. 
61-1 
70-1 
51-2 
118-4 
46*4 
0-048- 
Friday 
5 
30-260 
62-8 
66-0 
N. 
61-0 
69-8 
52-4 
110-9 
49*0 
Saturday  .. 
6 
30  265 
66-1 
54-9 
N. 
61-0 
75-8 
48-1 
123-0 
43*1 
~ 
29-969 
63-1 
55-8 
61-8 
72-0 
53-2 
118-2 
48  7 
0-371 
REMARKS. 
SOtli.— Sunny  at  times,  but  the  greater  part  of  the  day  overcast. 
Ist. — Overcast  morning,  with  occasional  sun  ;  rain  from  noon  to  1.30  P.M.,  ana  frequent 
sunsh  ne  later.  Lightning,  rhunder,  and  heavy  shower  at  9.30  P.JI. ;  ram  m  night. 
2nd. — Alternate  sunshine,  cloud  and  sharp  showers  in  morning  ;  much  bright  sun  m 
afternoon. 
3rd.— Overcast  morning ;  generally  sunny  from  about  2  P.xi.  c  •  . 
4th. — Bright  sun  at  times  in  morning ;  overcast  afternoon,  with  spots  of  ram  about 
2  P.M.,  and  a  shower  at  4.15  P.M.  .  ,  .  v,  *,  • 
5th.— Bright  early ;  generally  overcast  during  day,  but  interva.s  of  sun  both  m 
morning  and  afternoon. 
6th. — Bright,  sunny,  and  pleasant,  but  at  times  cloudy.  n  t  a 
An  average  week,  but  rain  rather  short  and  nights  rather  warm. — G.  J.  SYMONS. 
