Democratic Sentinel, Volume 15, Number 28, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 31 July 1891 — THE POULTRY YARD. [ARTICLE]

THE POULTRY YARD.

Toultry In France. In France the fattening of geese for market is the business of men, who do nothing else. They contract with the dealers to get their stock in marketable condition at a certain time for a price agreed upon. France is considered the largest poultry market In the world, the keeping of Doultry being done In a manner that makes it pay. It is not uncommon to sec the French peasant driving into market a flock of several hundred geese, selling them as we would so many sheep or hogs. There are also many w'ho go among the farmers, pluck the geese feathers, and market them on percentage; this gives employment and a living to many poor people.— American Agriculturist Crmi-llrcil Fowls, There arc many who agree with the Germantown leleumith In its statement that cross-bred fowls arc far better and more hardy from the shell than the purebred. Following are some of the beuofits

named by this authority: “We can combine good traits. The brown Leghorn lays the smallest egg, the black Spanish the largest. Where merely a commercial egg trade is to be reached, this cross has its marked effects. We may not equal the Spanish eggs as ah averago, but we make up & sort of middle sizejust the size to sell well in market We can combine early maturity with plump growth. The Asiatic fowl grows slowly, but It counts In weight It would take too long to got it to a broiler if left all alone; but If we cross a quick grower, the Leghorn, for instance, on these Asiatic hens, we get the quick growth and the body, too. This is indeed a decided advantage. Farmers, as a rule, havo a collection of all kinds of fowls. », Funders call them dunghills. Showmen class thorn as mongrels. But be they what they will, if the males wore killed off and pure-bred fowls substituted, there would bo more eggs, more spring chickens, and better health.”

Bonos and Bone Meal. For laying hens, bones that havo been coarsely ground are excellent, as they are digested and used as food. They provide the nccossary phosphates and also liine for the shells to a certain extent; they also contain a proportion of nitrogen. Bones, when sharp, also serve as grit, for masticating the food in the gizzard, thus rendering a service as well as providing the materials for tho production of eggs. For very smull chicks, bone meal Is better, and the liner tho bone meal the easier it Is digested by the chicks. Some persons buy tho ground bone, sift ft, use the coarse part for hens and tho finer parts for chicks. Fresh bones are much bettor than bones that are dry, as they contain a certain amount of meat and gelatine. Bones <aro very cheap, considering their value, as tho hens will not eat a very large quantity at one time, but if frosh bones are broken or pounded to sizes that can easily bo swallowed, tho hens will consider them quite a treat and eonsumo a largo quantity. They can bo broken much more roadily when heated In an oven.— Farm and Fireside.