Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 46, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 March 1918 — Page 3

A Bird in the Hand

(Special Information Service, United States Department of Agriculture.) PUT ON THE SITTERS—PREPARE BROOD COOPS.

Model C[?]rters for Hens and Chicks— Confining the Mother Hen Is Better Than Allowing Her to Range With Young.

Plan of the Model Coop, Built of Tongue and Groove Material. Entire Top Can Be Lifted Off Bottom.

ARRANGING NEST FOR BROODY HEN

Try Out All Fowls Before Giving Them Eggs Selected for Incubation DUST WITH INSECT POWDER At Hatching Time Biddy Should Not Be Disturbed Until All Chicks Are Out—Plan of Model Coop Given Herewith. Thia is the way to set a hen. As the time approaches for the hen to become broody or sit, and care is taken tp look into the nest, it will be seen that there are a few soft, downy feathers being left there by the hen; also the hen stays longer on the nest when laying at this time and on being approached will quite likely remain on the ..nest making a clucking noise, ruffling her feathers and pecking at the Intruder. When it is noted that, a hen sits on a nest for two or three nights in succession and that most of the feathers are gone from her breast, ■which should feel hot to the hand, she Is ready to be transferred to a nest which has been prepared for her beforehand. The normal temperature of the hen is from 106 degrees to 107 degrees F., which varies slightly during Incubation. Dust the hen thoroughly with Insect powder, holding her by the feet with the head down and working the powder well into the feathers. The powder should also be sprinkled in the nest. The nest should be in some quiet, out-of-the-way place where the hen will not be disturbed. Move her from the regular laying nest at night and handle her carefully In doing so. Put a china egg in the nest where she Is to sit, and place a board over the opening so that she cannot get off. Toward evening of the second day go In quietly where she Is sitting, leave some feed and water, remove the board from the front or top of the nest and let the hen come off when she is ready. Should she return to the nest after feeding, remove the china egg or eggs and put under those that are to be incpbated. If the nests are slightly darkened the hens are less likely to become restless. At hatching time they should be confined and not be disturbed until the hatching Is completed unless they become restless, when it may be best to remove the chicks that are hatched first. In cool weather It is best not to put more than ten eggs under the hen. Later in the spring one can put 12 to 15, according to the size of the hen.

How to Ship Hatching Eggs.

Eggs for batching can be shipped extensively over long distances successfully, but in many Cases the shipment appears to affect the hatch. Setting eggs are packed for shipment in several different ways. One of the best methods is to use a common market basket well dined on the bottom and'sides with excelsior. Aftdr wrapping the eggs In a thin layer of paper and enough excelsior to make a ball of about three, inches in sdlameter, pack them tightly In the basket, then put on a,covering of excelsior, and over all sew a piece of strong cotton cloth; or the cloth can be pushed up under the outside rim of the basket with a case knife. The latter method of fastening the cloth is much quicker than the former and just as effective.' Eggs are also shipped safely almost any distance by packing them in a stiff pasteboard carton or box made for this purpose, the... space

around the egg being filled with either chaff or bran. This package is then placed In a basket, the bottom and sides of which are lined with excelsior, and the spaces at either end of the box are packed with the same material. On top of this package is placed more excelsior and all is covered with t cloth, as previously mentioned. Extra stiff cardboard cartons made to hold from one to several settings are used in which to ship eggs. These cartons or egg boxes are fitted with a handle for carrying, similar to that on a market basket f Bushel baskets are commonly used to ship orders of from 10 to 12 sittings of eggs, the manner of packing and covering being the same as mentioned in the first method.

Coop for Hen and Chicks.

Have the brood coops ready for the hens and chicks when they come off the nests. Coops may be made of waste lumber or of boxes. Quarters similar to the one shown In the Illustration above have given excellent satisfaction. The coop should be made so that- it can be closed at night to keep out cats, rats and other animals, and enough ventilation should be allowed so that the hens and chicks will have plenty of fresh air. The coop shown Is built on a wooden floor, but Is not nailed to this floor. This allows It to be lifted completely off the floor, which greatly facilitates cleaning. The sides fit over the edge of the floor to make It tight and dry. The door, covered with one-half-inch *wire netting, slides in back of the slat front to close the coop, and is pushed

NESTS FOR SITTING HENS.

Where only a few hens are set special quarters are not necessary, but if many are used a separate room should be provided. If portable nests have been -provided for the laying hens, the sitters can-be moved in them to new quarters. Of the various styles of nests used for sitting hens this one has given good sat-, isfaotlon: A box 15 Inches square, 15 inches high with a board six Inches high in front to prevent nesting material from falling out. The nests may be arranged in tiers with a hinge front which makes a platform for each tier when open. When using a blink of nests as the onejust described, it would be well to place three or four inches of damp earth in each nest. The nesting material is next put in and may consist of hay, chaff, or straw. Pack this material down, firmly and shape a circular nest out of it, which should be slightly deeper at the center than at the edges, as a nest so shaped will prevent the eggs from rolling out from under the hen and becoming chilled.

back of the closed part of the front when the coop Is open. Holes in both ends of the' coop covered with wire give additional ventilation. The middle slat is removable, sliding into a square wire staple at the top and dropping into a half joint at the bottom. The slats are made of strips one inch square. The long, narrow door in the front of the coop is kept open for ventilation except in cool weather or on cold nights. Dimensions and building details of the coop are shown in the drawing.

Dry Mash Rations.

Here’s a suggestion for a good dry mash; 3 parts by weight of cornmeal and 1 part beef scrap. Still another ration may be made up of 1 pound of wheat bran, 1 pound of wheat middlings, 6% pounds of beef scraps and 16% pounds of cornmeaL

THE EVENING REPUBLICAN. RENSSELAER. IND.

FILM SPREAD OVER WATER

Thin Sheet on Surface Has Properties That Are Very Like Those of India Rubber.

It seems not to be generally understood that the surface of all water Is Covered by a film of the water Itself, which in its action is not unlike that of a thin sheet of India rubber, says Edward Bigelow, naturalist, in Boys’, Life. To comprehend this one must imagine the rubber to be so thin as to be transparent. The surface of the water itself is elastic and under tension, so that a needle, though heavier than the water, may be floated on the surface. Several Interesting experiments may be made with the elasticity of this film. One of the best is to place two slender splinters of wood side by side on the water. Now drop a little alcohol between the splinters. This alcohol will immediately break the surface film between the splinters, and the pulling force of the remaining film, since there is nothing between them to hold them, will cause the splinters instantly to fly apart. Another interesting experiment is to whittle a thin, Biq£der splinter, pointed at one end somewhat like a boat. Place a tiny bit of gum camphor on the rear of this splinter and the gum will destroy the surface film so that there* will bd no pull in the rear. As there is a pull in the front not balanced by one in the rear, the tiny boat will run forward as rapidly as the camphor can dissolve the film in the rear. Some interesting little “magic” tricks might be developed from these experiments which would surprise and instruct your friends.

ODIUM ATTACHED TO CARD

Numerous Explanations as to Why the - Nine of Diamonds Is Called the Curse of Scotland. While the nine spot of spades is looked upon as a fatal and vindictive card in the trying of fortunes, it is the nine of diamonds that bears the odium of being called the curse of Scotland. All writers agree on the card, but as to the cause of the stigma attached to it there is a diversity of opinion and it is difficult to decide which of the many theories is correct. One theory is that after the Culloden struggle the duke of Cumberland picked up a nine of diamonds from the floor and wrote on it an order for the death of the insurgents. To clinch this argument, it is declared that the identical card is preserved at Slalns castle, Aberdeenshire. Another explanation was that a Scotch member of parliament, a part of whose family arms was the nine of diamonds, once voted for a malt tax for his country. Still another view is that diamonds’represent royalty and every ninth king of Scotland having been a tyrant and a curse furnishes the key to the mystery; One writer explains it by stating that the last queen of Scotland taxed her subjects heavily to pay for nine jewels for her own adornment. The “last queen of Scotland” in her own right was poor, pretty Marie Stuart, against whose memory has been tossed the mud of countless accusations by her bitter critics, and she might as well bear the nine o’ diamonds slander along with the others.

“Flapdoodle” Universal.

Roosters have used it simply and ingenuously, but by mankind it has been raised almost to the level of an art and it has been extensively used from long before the days of Solomon for purposes of evasion, -promotion, argument and self-advancement. There is scarcely a department of human activity that is free from it. It is a rhetorical device that is liberally and shamelessly used by the lover, the* business man, the professional man, the society woman, the critic and the craftsman, and even the clergyman has been knpwn to descend to its employment upon occasion. -The routine evidences of flapdoodle in ordinary intercourse are monotonous, but in its most highly cultivated forms it is found in art, literature, criticism, politics and statecraft, ft is the most common commodity in the world, and about the most serious.

Not All Love Silence.

Dr. A. A. Brill of New York tells of a musical genius who complained of insomnia, which he maintained to be due to street noises in the city and cricket and night calls in the country. Many persons who become hypersensitive to noises blame their troubles on the sounds. This very patient could listen with rflpture to music and yet believe that noises kept him awake I Some of. the greatest apostles of silence have shown themselves in need of noise. For example, John Stuart Mill, who was an enemy of all noise, hired a boy, according to Doctor Brill, to beat a drum next to the room in which he worked in order to stimulate his thoughts.

Spiders Ride on Back of Flies.

There is an aspect of spider and fly relations which fabulists and naturalists alike have overlooked. A correspondent who has brought the microscope to bear on many houseflies finds that the parasite upon that hateful insect is often an immature spider. Too weak yet to spin its web it makes the fly its winged palfrey, and courses from place to place at the will of its captive; either until Pegasus perishes naturally, or presumably until the rider is able to make a meal of his charger. This, if confirmed, seems to carry us a step further in the study of parasitism and commensalism.—Londor Chronicle.

ONE-SIDED EFFECT

Promises to Be ’the Next Logical Spring Experiment Fiber Silk, Similar to That Used for Sweaters, Will Be Popular for Sport Suits and Dreases. The use of jersey weaves or knitted fabrics in both silk and wool continues to be a dominant feature of garment and style development For wear during the coming spring season fiber silk, much on the order of that used for sweaters, will be used in both sport suits and dresses. Several textile houses have brought this fabric out, giving it fanciful trade names, but it is nothing more nor less than fiber silk, which every one knows IS not silk at all, but which serves as an excellent imitation and substitute for silk at a much cheaper price. The smart little spring frock shown in the sketch may be developed effectively either in wool jersey or fiber silk, or it could be made of serge or gaberdine. The real feature of this frock is its side fastening arrangement, and it is interesting to note that the fancy for one-sided effects is evident in all lines of outer apparel for women. Some of the smartest frocks have draperies or tunics that fall low at one side and are scarcely visible at the other side, and the same rule applies to the separate skirt. Inasmuch as the hip drapery giving a bouffant silhouette has had its day, and the back flare, or bustle, is also passing after a brief lease of life, the one-sided effect is logically the next experiment So far many satisfactory results have been achieved. The dress shown may be trimmed with braiding in self or contrasting color or merely In stitching with heavy floss. Or if some more elaborate trim-

Spring Frock Featuring One-Sided Fastening.

ming touch is required, wool embroidery may be recommended, especially if wool jersey cloth is selected for the gown. This is a good model for an early spring street or utility frock, and is not one that would present serious difficulties even to the average home dressmaker. The gown is a close reefed affair, and quite narrow. , Faille silk or silk poplin could be used for a frock of this type if something more dressy than one of the knitted weaves is desired, with heavy embroidery serving as the trimming.

Timely Economics.

Coming, as the reform does, at the hour when spring and summer fashions are being conceived, the necessity for being careful with worsted material brings less hardship than if the reform had been launched last July. It is true that the great mass of people who do not live in the South and Southwest buy a vast quantity of lightweight worsted clothes for February, March and April; but they are .quite willing to have the worsted enlivened by chiffon, satin, silk or georgette crepe. If the women of this country understand what is.behind the new fashions they will enter into the spirit of conservation with as eagerness and zealous desire to do right as they have in the saving of meat, wheat, sugar and cereals.

Waistcoat and Collar.

The waistcoats and the collar are novel features this season of street costume, too. These waistcoats of silk or of cloth are often the one elaborate touch lending charm to the*simple tailored frock. Waistcoats of Louis XIV style and the little short waistcoat of the peasant type, or those inspired by men’s waistcoats of the present day; -the cotton waistcoat, imitation of the old style of our grandfathers in cretonne —there is such infinite variety that one can be sure of giving to an open jacket an entirely new and interesting aspect

POPULARITY OF FOULARD

Foulard Is a popular material, but It Is going to be more popular during the coming spring and summer months. This frock Is made most simply, In line with war styles, but it has appeal and attraction for the buds. The apron or panel effect in front Is unique. The dress Is in red and white, while the front panel of white georgette has bead embroidery.

WITH A NOSEGAY ON COLLAR

Embroidered Flowers In Natural Coloring Affords Pleasing Sprlnglikq Touch to the New Girlish Suits. Two advance models for misses have a novel embroidered touch which lends them a distinct springtime atmosphere. Silk floss flowers in natural coloring embellish the right side of youthful narrow shawl collars, looking as though fresh nosegays had been tucked in. A small pink carnation with foliage is very chic on an Eton suit of navy tricotine, which may also be worn as a -dress. Black satin folds are used to define the tailored shapeliness of collar and cuffs whose curves match, as well as a horizontal barllke pdnel which offsets the double-breasted closing. Two flying panels, one piece above shoulder blades, give an unusual back to the Eton, for the ends of each are finished with cord fringe. There is a one-sided tunic on the narrow skirt which completes this model. The othei-, a nobby suit of navy Polret twill, has a bluet embroidered on it, tracings of silver thread simply marking the shadows cast by the blending shades of floss. Oblong inset panels on the narrow belt and others’of larger dimensions arranged half way between skirt section and bodice at center back and one at either side front on the skirt section help to serve as pockets, are other features that are “different”

HIRSUTE ADORNMENT FOR ALL

Transformation Proves Decidedly Helpful to Woman Who Have No Maid. The baldest woman becomes beautiful, or, if her features don’t permit it, at least attractive, under the magic influence of a well-made transformation, notes a fashion writer In the New York Herald. The transformations of a decade ago and today are vastly different, for modern hairdressers have so perfected this hirsute adornment that only an expert is able to detect that it is not the real thing. In other days when a woman took to a transformation to cover up a scarcity of locks she deceived no one but herself, for her artificial afti to nature was wholly apparent to curious eyes. The transformations were not,well made, and no one ever mistook them for anything except just what they were. Today all this is changed. The modern transformation is a thing of beauty and a joy forever, a comfort and a convenience without which many a woman could not make an attractive toilette. Some folk prefer a side parting, others one i* the center; others, again, object to a parting at all. The modern transformation is made to suit all tastes. The v&ry fact that the transformation can be taken off and “dressed” before wearing completely does away with so many of the difficulties against which the “maidless” woman has to contend.

Richness of Black Velvet

Black velvet Is a good deal worn by matrons for evening gowns this year. In no other fabric, perhaps, does mere man think lovely woman so attractive as in black velvet There is, without a doubt a look of richness and elegance about black velvet that no other fabric gives, and if black is becoming, why then blactf velvet to [doubly so.

ONLY HUMAN BEINGS CRUEL

Proud Man the Bole Living Creator* Capable of Deliberately Inflicting Suffering on Others. A cruel person is one who exults in the pain, mental or bodily, suffered by another. Cruelty has its basis in anger (and thus is related to the combative instinct), though there is a cold-blood-ed form of cruelty which may be enjoyed without any obtrusive feeling of anger, Henry Campbell writes in the Lancet, London. Cruelty, implying as It does selfconsciousness—the ability to realize the feelings of others —is essentially a human attribute. Children who impale frogs and eviscerate flies cannot be said to be cruel, for they know not what they do. Nor arte the lower animals cruel, seeing that they are wholly unconscious of the sufferings of others. Thus the charge of cruelty against the carnivora is unjust. These animals generally destroy their victims outright and In the rare cases (e. g., cat and mouse) where they prolong the suffering they have no knowledge of the pain they are causing. When, therefore, we stigmatize the conduct of the cruel man as "brutal” we wrong the brutes. ~ -'LL L I £ < The animal which attacks another, and in so doing causes pain, merely responds to a blind, unthinking instinct ; but man, proud man*, who looks before and after. Is able to realize and take pleasure in the pain he deliberately, and by subtle means maybe, seta out to cause. It is clearly absurd to speak of his conduct as “brutaL” Rather should we call it devilish, the devil usually being credited with a goodly share of intelligence. We must cease to libel the brutes by designating the basest acts of man as brutaL As a matter of fact, they cannot be charged with nonmoral conduct, seeing that they are devoid of self-con-sciousness.

CURE FOR LITTLE AILMENTS

Real Trouble Can Usually Be Depended On to Make One Forgot the Smaller Ones. Man and animals alike, .It’s wonderful what a shock will do to heal our errors and our weaknesses. The only thing that ever stopped Uncle Bill in an argument was a dishpan, or some heavy, blunt Instrument clouted over his brow, and in his younger days he was some argufier, as his scars attest. . Here is the case of the blind man in San Rafael, Cal., who fell 40 feet off the roof of his house, and found his eyesight restored; Aunt Ellen, who was bedridden for years, was the first person to reach safety when the house caught fire, and her bad hip has been practically all right ever since; you remember that crippled negro who beat even the dogs home when the bear charged out of the brush. A lot of us have troubles that are only in our minds; when we are fed a little real trouble we forget the smaller ones. There is, perhaps, an opening for a sanitarium that will take a cripple or an invalid and throw him off a cliff, or crack him over the head with a brick or a crowbar —anything to wake him up, make him forget his small worries, and heal his diseased mind.

“Because—"

Jelly has been busy with riddles. “Now!” she cried, and held up for public inspection the legend, “Why did the orange ice cream?” printed in large letters. “Because it saw the sausage roll under the table.” said Elfrida. “My own is much better,” announced Jelly, evidently bursting to declare it. She was cordially urged to do so. “Because it saw the lemon sponge on tbe dumb waiter,” she proclaimed triumphantly. “Quite nice and cool,” said Janet approvingly. “The vista of possibilities you open up!” murmured Peter. “For instance, it might have seen the banana trifle with the maids of honor. Or the gooseberry fool with the nuts from Brazil. All very painful to an orange of really nice feeling. But I like your dumb waiter.” —“All the Joneses,” by Beatrice Kelston.

Make Pets of Hornbills.

The yellow hornbill, one of the most interesting of the species, is a comparatively fearless bird and Is easily killed.* The male is fond of perching on the tiptop of tropical trees and making a noise like a young puppy. The natives in Africa find young hombills easily tamed. They dig the birds out of the tree nests when quite young and raise them on milk and berries in their huts. When grown the hornbill remains attached to its foster parents and will eat out of thej same dishes. Left free, the hornbill comes and goes, much as does a pet crow and-remains about the hut until the first" jnjitirig season, when it goes away with onejof its kind, rarely to return.

Oriental Statecraft

The part which gesture plays in Ori- > ental drama is set forth in a recent Hindu volume, which says that there is a fitting gesture to represent every emotion. The gesture, in fact, is described as deaf-and-dumb alphabet of the soul. There are nine movements of the head, corresponding to nine emotions. mentioned by one authority, 24 by another; 28 movements of the single hands, and 24 or 26 of the double hands, etc.; also “hands” denoting animals, trees, oceans, and other things. For example, a certain position of the hands denotes a certain emperor, caste, or planet The translator says rather naively that only a cultivated audience can appreciate Indian “actor’s art.”