Jasper Republican, Volume 1, Number 32, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 April 1875 — Poultry on the Fane. [ARTICLE]

Poultry on the Fane.

Mb. Mechi, an eminent English agriculturist, speaks as follows with regard to poultry on the farm: No one item on a farm pays so well as a good stock of poultry properly managed. With them everything is turned to account. Not a kernel, wild seed or insect escapes their scrutinizing eyes. Their industrious claws are ever at work, uncovering, ready for appropriation, every hidden but consumable substance. Fowls must have access to chalk or lime for the shells of their eggs, and grit or gravel to grind the food in their gizzards . They luxuriate on grass or clover, which is a necessity for them. In winter they like mangolds or Swedes. They must have access to plenty of pure water. The quality of eggs depends upon the quality of the food. They, like ourselves, like shade in summer and warm, sheltered corners in winter. They must have some access to shelter in wet weather. Fowls will not be long healthy on the same ground or yards—the eartti gets tainted. Therefore, to prevent disease, lime and salt your yards and their usual pasture once a year, say in autumn, when the rains will wash it well in and sweeten the surface. Broods of chickens never do better with us than on the grassy brows or patches abutting upon the growing crops, either of corn or pulse, into which they run either for insects or for shelter. The roof of the coop should be water- tight and the coop should often be removed, having only the natural ground for the floor. The ground soon gets tainted unless you remove the coop. You can hardly make some people good managers of poultry if they lack observation and judgment. These are especially necessary in the breeding of poultry. Your male birds should be often changed, say at least once in two years, and they should be young and vigorous. Breeding in-and-in will not do, any more than it will with animals. I consider winged game, poultry and birds the farmers’ friends. My poultry have access at all times to my fields. Fowls are very useful in cleaning oft flies. I have often been amused at seeing the neat and quick manner of their taking flies from reposing bullocks and sheep, much to their comfort. —The Boston school fathers have decided in favor of having sewing taught - to the girls of the lower classes in the grammar ichools.