,,making ,,home ,,profitable ,illustration3 ,a ,,border ,,of ,,hardy ,,perennials ,,making ,,home ,,profitable ,,by ,,kate ,v4 ,,saint-,,maur ,,author ,,of 8,,the ,,earth',s ,,bounty10 ,,etc4 ,,illustrated ,new ,york ,,sturgis ,,walton ,,company #aiab ,copyright #aijh1 #aiji1 #aiaj1 #aiaa ,by ,,the ,,crowell ,,publishing ,,co4 ,copyright #aiab ,by ,,sturgis ,,walton ,,co4 ,set up and electrotyped4 ,published ,april1 #aiab ,,contents ,,page ,a ,,profitable ,,home #c ,,poultry #ac ,,the ,,sitting ,,hen ,,and ,,the ,,incubator #bi ,,raising ,,early ,,broilers #ci ,,the ,,poultry ,,yard ,,in ,,mid-,,season #dg ,,july ,,in ,,the ,,poultry ,,yard #ec ,a ,,flock ,,of ,,turkeys #fc ,,ducks ,,and ,,geese #ga ,,pigeons ,,and ,,squabs #gi ,,poultry ,,ailments #hg ,,the ,,vegetable ,,garden #ie ,,the ,,hotbed #aje ,,how ,,to ,,grow ,,asparagus #aaa ,,how ,,to ,,grow ,,mushrooms #aba ,,six ,,good ,,vegetables ,,to ,,grow #abi ,,how ,,to ,,plant ,,and ,,cultivate ,,strawberries #ace ,,how ,,to ,,grow ,,small ,,fruits #adc ,,how ,,to ,,raise ,,perennial ,,plants #aea ,,june ,,roses #aeg ,,lavender ,,and ,,herbs #afe ,,growing ,,watercress #agc ,,my ,,experience ,,with ,,bees #agi ,,storing ,,fruit ,,and ,,vegetables #ahg ,,forcing ,,rhubarb ,,and ,,asparagus #aic ,,raising ,,pigs #aii ,,caring ,,for ,,house ,,pets #bjg ,,raising ,,canaries ,,for ,,market #bag ,,the ,,business ,,side #bbc ,,illustrations ,a ,border of ,hardy ,perennials ,frontispiece ,,facing ,,page ,the ,poultry ,yard #dh ,a ,flock of ,turkeys #fd ,ducks and ,geese #gb ,a ,corner of the ,vegetable ,garden #if ,mushrooms #abb ,june ,roses #aef ,a ,cellar ,store-,room #ahf ,,making ,,home ,,profitable ,,making ,,home ,,profitable ,a ,,profitable ,,home ,it is just sixteen years since misfortune brought about our emancipation4 ,a disastrous business venture made it necessary to curtail expenses4 ,rent being an especially heavy item1 the hunt for a cheaper habitation commenced4 ,toiling up and down innumerable stuffy staircases in tow of slatternly janitors revealed the fact that cheap flats were either over-crowded barracks redolent of dirty soapsuds and stale cooking1 or overdecorated cubbyholes where children were tabooed4 ,evening after evening for two weeks ,i returned home weary and discouraged4 ,then chance1 in the shape of a poultry show1 came to my relief4 ,instead of a cheap flat and semi-dark rooms1 why not a house and garden1 where we could have chickens1 eggs and vegetables of our own8 ,friends scoffed2 and even my husband1 who had always joined me in planning the ideal home of our old age1 as a place far from the noise and rush of the city1 where we could indulge our love of flowers and animals1 demurred at first1 though he eventually became imbued with my enthusiasm1 and told me to go ahead if ,i felt equal to shouldering the responsibilities which city duties would obviously prevent his sharing4 ,he stipulated also that transportation to and from his business in the city1 and all other expenses1 should come within the newly necessary curtailment of expenses1 which limited rent to twenty-five dollars a month and the housekeeping allowance to twelve dollars a week2 that none of our very limited capital should be risked1 excepting one hundred dollars to cover expense of moving1 etc41 and that even this sum should be considered as a loan4 ,to satisfy the dear man's cautious1 masculine ideas of fairness1 ,i took twenty-four hours to consider the conditions1 and then1 with solemn1 businesslike gravity1 accepted4 ,a painstaking advertisement in a ,sunday paper1 stating plainly that we wanted a small farm near the city and a railway station1 the rent not to exceed fifteen dollars a month1 brought dozens of letters offering all sorts of places at all sorts of distances and prices1 but only six real answers4 ,with the writers of these six letters ,i corresponded2 studied innumerable railway guides2 took several fruitless journeys2 hesitated about two or three places1 then just stumbled upon the right place4 ,it is like choosing a new hat or garment4 ,you like that one1 but this one is more becoming4 ,you suddenly see something else quite different--hesitancy is over2 the unconscious ideal is found4 ,the house was long and low and white1 standing at the end of the road1 facing a somewhat neglected1 old-fashioned flower garden1 which verged into five acres of orchard bounded by a river4 ,the man who was driving me didn't know to whom the place belonged4 ,i got out1 looked in at the windows1 made out that there was a wide hall through the centre and two big old-fashioned fireplaces and a lot of odd cupboards4 ,outside there was a wood-shed1 summer kitchen1 small smoke-house1 barn1 cow shed1 corn-crib and chicken house4 ,my original destination was forgotten4 ,i was driven back to the station2 found out who the owner was1 and where he lived2 drove over there1 and ascertained that the house contained four large rooms and one small one1 kitchen1 pantry and two cellars downstairs1 and five rooms and an attic upstairs4 ,there are one hundred and eighty acres of land or more1 but the landlord would divide it to suit good tenants1 which he evidently thought we would be1 for subsequently we arranged to take the house1 buildings1 orchard1 twelve acres of farm land and four acres of woodland on a three years' lease1 at a rental of fifteen dollars a month1 with the privilege of taking the remainder of the land at any time during our tenancy for an extra five dollars a month1 and an option of purchase4 ,really1 it seemed too good to be true1 for it was within the prescribed distance from the city and depot1 the price of commutation being only six dollars a month4 ,the river1 the old-fashioned garden with its two great catalpa trees shading the house1 and the beauty of the surrounding scenery1 made it almost a realization of our ideal home4 ,thankful joy filled our hearts even before we had experienced the glorious invigoration of an industrious outdoor life on the farm1 where each day brings some new interest4 ,all our goods and chattels1 including two cats and a canary1 were packed in two vans1 which took them the entire twenty-eight miles for thirty dollars4 ,a kitchen stove cost thirty-five dollars2 three wash tubs1 four lamps and a few necessary tools absorbed another twenty-five dollars2 and the last ten of the hundred dollars was spent in straw matting1 which we divided between two bedrooms4 ,of course1 ,i had to start at the very bottom of the ladder1 buying only with the money that ,i could save from week to week from my housekeeping allowance4 ,a few hens1 a few ducks1 gradually through the poultry family1 then an incubator and brooder1 to the dignity of a horse and cow2 after whose acquisition1 the home became self-supporting1 the third year showing a surplus profit4 ,of course1 there were difficulties and troubles to be overcome1 but they were all the direct result of my own ignorance4 ,a friend well posted in country-home making1 from whom ,i could have acquired vicarious experience1 would have prevented most of them4 ,hence my desire to pass on to practical lessons1 learned during the last sixteen years1 for the benefit of other women4 ,our old-fashioned white house and shady garden might not appeal to every one1 but no matter what individual taste may demand in architecture and environment1 there are certain points which must be observed to insure the health and happiness which we all desire4 ,the house must be on high ground1 with good subdrainage4 ,how to be sure of the latter point puzzled me1 until an old real-estate man1 in answer to my praise of a place we were passing1 said3 8,handsome8 ,yes1 but it is a death trap4 ,dig a hole six feet deep anywhere around the house1 and in twelve hours there will be water at the bottom of it40 ,needless to say1 this place was not on his list1 but the hint was a good one and has been remembered4 ,wet meadows and spring ponds may give no anxiety1 but stagnant water is dangerous1 for it breeds mosquitoes and malaria4 ,fortunately1 it is generally easily abolished2 an able-bodied man with a shovel can usually dig a gutter to some near-by fall in the natural grade of the land that will drain it4 ,mosquitoes were one of our troubles for two years2 then three hours' work banished their breeding-ground4 ,as it is a permanent home1 and not a summer camp1 which is being selected1 shelter from cold winds is important4 ,the woodland on our place protected barns1 house and orchard4 ,if there is no natural wind-break1 and the place is satisfactory enough otherwise to make you contemplate buying it in future1 it will be wise to plant out quick-growing trees1 which usually can be bought for little or nothing in the country1 and transplanted when quite a good size4 ,inexpensive country houses do not have furnaces1 and like us1 you may not be able to afford one for a year or two4 ,we found that two large stoves1 with the pipes arranged to pass through the ceiling and into radiators in the rooms above1 and thence into the chimney1 would heat four rooms4 ,the pipe of the kitchen range can be utilized in the same way4 ,stoves with cracks and poor fire bricks waste fuel and warmth1 so don't try to economise on stoves4 ,we have always used an open hearth in the living-room1 because it looks so cheerily comfortable1 and a door at the opposite end of the room opens into the dining-room1 allowing the air from there to come in1 and so preventing the cold backs which are the usual drawback of a picturesque open fire4 ,one of the joys of depending on stoves is being able to regulate the heat in each room to meet all conditions4 ,our apartment in town was of the better class1 yet just as surely as an extra cold snap arrived1 so surely did the heating apparatus get out of order4 ,another horror was the 8kling-kling0 of the pipes in the dark1 uncanny hours of the morning1 when every well-regulated human being ought to be allowed to sleep in peace4 ,having plenty of wood1 we used what are called 8air-tight chunk stoves0 instead of coal1 excepting in the kitchen4 ,and truly we have never experienced any trouble in keeping the entire house hot in the bitterest weather4 ,but we took precautions1 such as keeping the putty around the window panes in good order4 ,we used sandbags on the ledges1 mats at the doors1 and red building paper 7which has no odor7 or several thicknesses of newspaper under the floor covering4 ,then we opened most of the windows for a few minutes every morning1 and let in fresh air4 ,people rave about the pleasures of the country in summer1 but ,i think city folks more thoroughly realise the joys of a country home in winter4 ,we found something delightfully restful about the crackling log fire on the open hearth1 around which the whole family could gather4 ,there is a 8hominess0 about it that can't be found by the side of a steam radiator4 ,and could any specialist prescribe a better panacea for a business man's overwrought nerves8 ,there1 ,i am letting my enthusiasm for country pleasure interfere with the practical help ,i set out to give4 ,and even now the joys of skating1 sleighing and tobogganing have not been cited4 ,making the home comfortable in hot weather is a very simple matter4 ,a house has four sides--one for each point of the compass--so open windows and doors1 and catch whatever breeze there is4 ,wire screens are cheap2 besides1 care in not allowing garbage and water to stand around the premises will mitigate flies and mosquitoes4 ,if fate or your fancy has settled you in a new place minus old trees to shade the lawn and porch1 wire netting and wild cucumber vines1 which grow very rapidly1 will furnish a substitute4 ,for keeping provisions ,i found a well-ventilated cellar better than the best refrigerator4 ,we take out the windows and replace them with two thicknesses of flannel1 which are thoroughly saturated with water4 ,at noon time on a hot day evaporation lowers the temperature several degrees1 yet the current of fresh air is not obstructed1 as it would be with closed windows4 ,well or spring water is usually refreshingly cool1 so an ice house is really not imperative1 though ,i recommend building a small one if the farm provides good ice1 for it is an inexpensive building to construct1 rough boards1 sawdust and the ordinary handy man's labor being the only requirements4 ,we did not have one for several years1 but then we had a spring-house with a stone floor and shelves1 and a wide gutter running all around1 through which the water from the spring was conducted1 keeping the place almost icy4 ,modern improvements are never to be found in inexpensive country houses1 so we found that a bathroom or some means of taking an all-over scrub would have to be constructed immediately4 ,we bought a full-sized tin bath tub with a wooden bottom for about seven dollars1 and placed it in the little room off the kitchen4 ,a piece of rubber hose was bound tightly to the escape pipe of the bath tub1 and carried through the wall out into a box drain1 thence to a barrel ten feet from the house1 which had no bottom1 and was sunk into the ground4 ,from there1 of course1 the water seeped into the subsoil and disappeared4 ,we thought it was very fine indeed at first1 but later1 when our ideas and finances broadened1 we replaced it with a porcelain enameled tub and wash bowl1 with properly soldered waste pipes into a tile-drain sink three feet deep1 to prevent freezing4 ,a pump over the kitchen sink had been the only water supply1 but as that was drawn from a splendid spring several feet above the level of the house1 we determined1 when investing in a new bathroom outfit1 to stretch the purse strings a little further1 and put in hot and cold water4 ,a waterback was attached to the kitchen stove1 and a sixty-three-gallon boiler attached4 ,it cost twenty-two dollars and seventy-five cents4 ,the bath and basin cost thirty-eight dollars4 ,fifty feet of one-and-one-half-inch pipe1 seven dollars and fifty cents4 ,one hundred feet of half-inch pipe1 six dollars4 ,waste pipe1 two dollars4 ,labor1 twenty-two dollars4 ,when a spring is not conveniently situated1 an automatic ram and a cistern will have to be used1 and ,i am told that they would cost about seventy dollars more4 ,even with the new arrangement of the bathroom1 we retain the earth closet1 which had been bought some time before1 at a cost of twenty-five dollars4 ,it stands with its back to the outer wall1 through which a trap-door was cut1 to permit the removal and replacing of pans and earth4 ,this is undoubtedly the most inexpensive and sanitary contrivance with which a country house can be furnished4 ,the next comfort was a telephone1 which cost only eighteen dollars a year1 including local calls1 long-distance calls1 of course1 being extra charges4 ,that1 with the rural delivery and daily paper1 brings us stay-at-homes in touch with the great doings of the world and the little interests of our friends4 ,we deserted the city in ,march1 but experience has taught me that the fall is the best time of the year in which to migrate4 ,there are not so many people looking for country places2 the days are bright and cool1 the roads in good condition1 and there is much that can be done in the garden and orchard to facilitate next spring's work4 ,by starting poultry in the fall1 one can have broilers ready to catch the early spring prices4 ,moreover1 it is the early chick that will make a good layer the following winter4 99 99 99 99 99 ,in the following chapter we will carry the housekeeping into the poultry yard1 for that is the best starting point for a self-supporting home4 ,,poultry ,as poultry was the stepping stone which enabled me to reach the haven of a self-supporting home1 ,i naturally consider it the best foundation on which a city woman can build her expectations of rural prosperity4 ,i suppose--and ,i certainly hope--that every woman won't have to begin with just two or three birds1 as ,i did2 but those who may have to1 should find my first six months' experience comforting4 ,twenty-one mongrel hens were bought in three detachments1 costing fifty to seventy-five cents each4 ,they were nearly all old ladies with strongly developed maternal instincts1 who delighted in sitting on eggs and brooding chickens1 so we managed to rear one hundred and forty-eight chickens4 ,we had from three to four eggs a day for the table1 because we desired to keep only ,white ,wyandotte hens in the future1 and eggs for hatching were bought from a near-by farm1 and cost altogether six dollars1 feed for six months cost four dollars1 making a total outlay of twenty dollars and fifty cents4 ,ninety chickens were sold as broilers1 realising twenty-two dollars1 so the actual cash profit was only two dollars4 ,but there was an increase in stock to fifty-eight pullets1 all worth at least one dollar and fifty cents by the end of the sixth month4 ,by ,november #bb;d they were all laying1 the average number of eggs being twenty-five a day1 when strictly new-laid eggs were bringing from thirty-five to fifty cents a dozen1 a record which ,i think truly justifies me in recommending ,biddy as the pioneer factor in economical home making4 ,even well-bred1 industrious hens must have good conditions and care to be profitable4 ,there are innumerable breeds and varieties of breeds1 the most popular at present being ,plymouth ,rocks1 ,barred1 ,buff1 and ,white ,wyandottes1 ,silver-,laced1 ,white1 ,buff1 ,golden1 ,partridge1 and ,black2 ,rhode ,island ,reds1 which have a plumage somewhat similar to the old-fashioned game bird1 and vary only in having both rose and single combs2 ,minorcas1 ,black and ,white2 ,andalusians1 about the shade of a ,maltese cat1 single combs2 ,leghorns1 ,black1 ,brown1 ,buff1 ,duck-,winged1 ,silver1 and ,white4 ,plymouth ,rocks and ,rhode ,island ,reds are very good birds and probably the latter would be my selection1 if anything could persuade me to desert ,white ,wyandottes4 ,the chicks of the three foregoing are all strong and easily reared1 but the ,wyandottes make plump broilers at a slightly earlier age1 maturing perhaps a week or two earlier than the others1 which are equally good roasters4 ,i do not know that there is any material difference in their egg-producing capacities4 ,leghorns1 ,minorcas and ,andalusians are much smaller birds and are considered to be the egg machines of the hen family2 but observation has convinced me that they fall far behind the three heavier breeds quoted during severely cold weather1 when eggs are most valuable4 ,hence ,i always recommend ,wyandottes1 ,rhode ,island ,reds or ,plymouth ,rocks for general utility in the vicinity of ,new ,york or further north1 and the ,leghorns1 ,minorcas and ,andalusians for the ,southern states1 especially when eggs are the only consideration1 and the birds can have free range4 ,one of the great drawbacks to the latter birds is their ability to fly or climb over fences of almost any height1 while the ',dottes1 ,rocks and ,reds are easily controlled in yards that are not over four feet in height4 ,whichever individual fancy or environment decide you in keeping1 be advised by one who has bought her experience3 ,don't attempt more than one breed at a time1 and shun a mixed flock of nondescripts1 for it would tax the perspicacity of a ,solomon to feed correctly a tribe of mongrels4 ,of course1 by pure-bred birds ,i don't necessarily mean expensive prize winners4 ,that would be foolish extravagance4 ,but all large poultry plants have what are termed 8market stock0 for sale in the fall--the progeny of aristocrats1 but lacking some necessary point for show-room honours4 ,such birds can be bought for about a dollar and a quarter each1 and will answer every practical purpose4 ,male birds need not be bought until about three weeks before the eggs are wanted for incubation4 ,then1 if your choice should have been ,wyandottes1 ,plymouth ,rocks or ,rhode ,island ,reds1 each flock of seven hens should be headed by a cockerel4 ,leghorns1 ,minorcas and ,andalusians can run fifteen hens to a flock4 ,the male bird should be as good as you can afford1 for by such means you can gradually improve your stock1 until it reaches perfection4 ,it is safer to buy the cockerels from breeders far distant from the original home of the hens1 to avoid any danger of relationship4 ,whenever new birds are bought1 segregate them for a few days in some small house and yard1 to assure yourself that they are healthy and fit associates for your birds4 ,catch the birds1 one by one1 each night1 while in quarantine4 ,hold by the feet1 the head down1 and saturate the feathers with some good insect powder from an ordinary flour dredger4 ,the poultry house should be whitewashed about every six weeks in hot weather1 and as late and early in the fall and spring as the weather will permit4 ,scatter dry earth or sand on the platform2 clean and renew every day4 ,once a week paint the corners of nests1 roosts and any other fixtures or roughly spliced joints in the building with kerosene oil and crude carbolic acid1 mixed in the proportion of one pint of oil to half an ounce of carbolic4 ,leaves or whatever scratching material may be used on the floor should be raked out once a week in hot weather4 ,all cleanings should be put into a heap under shelter1 or into barrels1 for poultry droppings are invaluable fertilizer for the vegetable garden4 ,dry1 cold weather doesn't hurt the hens at all1 but after winter rains or heavy snow they should be confined to the house1 and unless the weather is exceptionally inclement1 all the windows thrown open between #i ,a4,m4 and #b3cj ,p4,m4 ,very stormy days we keep them open only while the hens are busy scratching for the noon supply of corn4 ,it is the industrious1 busy hen that produces the most eggs1 so the first consideration is to keep the flock busy4 ,we promote exercise by having the small yards at the back of the houses repeatedly dug up during the spring and summer4 ,in the autumn the dry1 falling leaves are collected1 and used on the floors of the houses during bad weather4 ,fresh1 cold water is kept constantly before them in stone vessels in summer1 and in a padded-box arrangement in winter4 ,boxes of clean1 dry soil are placed in sunny spots in the house1 to encourage the birds to take the dust baths in which they delight4 ,hens1 having no teeth with which to chew their food1 are dependent on grit to perform the office of mastication after the food has passed into the bird's gizzard1 where a sort of grinding process takes place1 which reduces hard corn to a digestible compound4 ,being near a stone crusher1 we buy the fine gravel by the load4 ,those not so fortunately situated will find a specially prepared mixture at any poultry-supply store1 or the small flock can be supplied by smashing broken crockery and glass into pieces about the size of hemp seed4 ,oyster shell is a very poor substitute for grit1 its value being the lime it supplies for the formation of shell4 ,fowls are better off kept in yards2 in fact1 they must be so restrained if the highest egg records are to be reached4 ,in way back times1 it was considered a great detriment to yard fowls1 but for some years past professional poultry-keepers have yarded their fowls1 because they found it was the only way to reach the top notch4 ,even now the general farmers still adhere to the free range idea1 and ,i am convinced that it is not purely because they think it necessary1 but it saves feed and other bother4 ,it has been estimated that a flock of common dunghill hens1 such as are seen in the average farm1 lay in a year less than a hundred eggs each4 ,the figures are eighty to ninety4 ,farmers who have become breeders1 and who thus give the hen decidedly more consideration1 and still adhere to the free range system1 have increased this yield to one hundred and fifty and better4 ,breeders who have followed the strictly up-to-date methods1 and have yarded their layers1 have obtained an average of one hundred and seventy-five eggs1 and some have even reached the two hundred mark4 ,please note that ,i say fowls or hens1 and ,i do not mean this to include growing chicks4 ,the line must be distinctly drawn between the two4 ,the range cannot be too extended for growing stock4 ,what we strive for in growing chicks is frame1 on which later we intend to put flesh4 ,this frame can only be built by food1 and plenty of it1 converted into bone and muscle by exercise4 ,after the chick has made the frame1 we can safely yard her and put on the flesh1 and thus convert her into a money-earning machine4 ,the advantages gained by yarding stock are manifold4 ,first of all1 by confining stock to a certain space1 we are sure they eat the food provided and in the quantity we mean them to have4 ,feeding layers to produce eggs is becoming every year a more delicate operation4 ,formula after formula is tried by different breeders1 as an experiment1 with the hope of increasing the egg yield4 ,if we can force each hen to lay ten a year more1 it means a considerable increase of the total of the flock1 and a better return in dollars and cents to the breeder4 ,yarding stock is a means toward this end4 ,the food fed is converted1 as we mean it to be1 into eggs1 and not into muscle4 ,it is decidedly more troublesome to care for stock in this way1 and necessitates additional labour and expense1 but we are looking for the increase all the time1 and are thus continually hoping to be compensated for the extra trouble4 ,fowls in yards must be supplied with everything they require1 which means1 all they would naturally seek if running at large4 ,this includes1 besides the grain we feed by formula1 green food1 meat1 a scratching place and dusting spot1 and grit and water4 ,of all these ,i consider green food the most necessary1 and the one thing to be impressed upon the mind1 because it is the one thing too often forgotten4 ,green food of any variety is acceptable4 ,the ideal yarding of fowls is what is known as double yarding--a house in the middle and a yard on each side4 ,these yards can be sown with rye or oats1 and alternated so that the fowls will have a constant green run as long as the rye or oats will grow1 which is until frost4 ,failing the double yard system1 green food may be supplied by lawn clippings1 whole cabbage1 clover hay or sprouted oats1 fed in a variety of ways4 ,turning up the ground of the yards with a cultivator or by shallow ploughing1 will bring the worms and bugs within reach1 or sheep heads cut open and fed raw can be thrown in1 and this is an ideal meat food4 ,ground beef scraps may be mixed in mash--and last1 and probably the best1 cut green bone4 ,yarded fowls need exercise4 ,it must not be understood that because they are confined they do not get exercise1 or as much as if let run at large4 ,the yards should be at least one hundred and fifty feet long1 if they are the width of the average coop1 which is ten to twelve feet4 ,some breeds are decidedly more active by nature than others2 for instance1 the ,leghorns as compared to the ,cochins or ,brahmas4 ,this does not affect the health of the fowls particularly4 ,a ,leghorn is no healthier because of her activity than a ,cochin is4 ,it is simply the difference in their natures1 but because of this excess of activity of one breed over another1 the one must have more room than the other4 ,the ,leghorn stands the confinement of a coop ten by twelve feet in winter1 provided she can be kept actively hunting for her food2 but the same bird would mope and become out of condition if confined too long in an exhibition coop in a show room4 ,on the other hand1 a ,cochin1 being of a lazier nature1 forages slowly1 and wanders quietly over her yard1 takes things easy in the winter coop1 and stands the confinement of the exhibition coop excellently4 ,the foraging nature of any breed can be killed by excessive feeding4 ,even birds with free range1 if overfed at special meal hours1 will take but limited exercise1 exactly as those treated the same way and yarded4 ,exercise is induced by short feeding4 ,in other words1 no laying strain should be fed all they can eat except at night4 ,hunger induces exercise1 whether a fowl be let run or yarded4 ,therefore1 fowls fed short and induced to hunt for more1 will lay eggs1 while those overfed1 in the morning especially1 will sit around moping in the sun1 and convert the food into flesh instead of eggs4 ,another advantage of yarded fowls is the certainty of finding all the eggs laid every day1 and then being able to guarantee them as strictly fresh4 ,this is a point of great importance1 and constitutes the difference between eggs produced by an up-to-date breeder with yarded fowls1 and those sold by the 8honest0 farmer who collects them wherever found1 and cannot swear that they were laid to-day1 not two weeks ago4 ,the wise poultry keeper will not delay getting things in order for the breeding season4 ,new blood is necessary to keep up the vigour of the flock4 ,buy the best male bird you can afford4 ,the rooster is more than half the flock4 ,a good bird will grade up young stock next spring4 ,remember even if you have pretty good birds of your own rearing1 there is danger in inbreeding for more than one season4 ,select only the largest1 brightest hens for the breeding pens4 ,reject any which have shown signs of illness at any time of their lives4 ,the eggs are the main point2 only the best layers should be selected4 ,from seven to twelve birds are enough for one flock4 ,if you haven't the coops1 or a long house divided into compartments with accompanying yards1 and can't divide your birds into small flocks1 adopt the alternating plan4 ,keep several male birds in a house and yard separated from the hens1 and let only one run with the hens at a time1 alternating them every day or every week1 according to the number of hens4 ,for example1 if ,i were compelled to keep fifty hens in one flock1 ,i would keep seven male birds1 and let each one in turn run one day with the flock1 rather than allow three or four birds to remain with the flock all the time4 ,now is the time to overhaul things4 ,there is no opportunity when spring comes1 for then there is always a rush1 and you will bring trouble on yourself by using coops which haven't been properly cleaned1 or which have no fastenings1 or have broken hinges or leaks in the roof4 ,the boys want something to amuse them during the winter evenings2 get them interested in showing off their mechanical skill by making feed-hoppers and drinking-fountains4 ,self-feeding hoppers save a great deal of food1 especially round brood coops4 ,they prevent the grain being spilled or trampled into the ground or spoiled by thunder showers4 ,the brand of tea which we use in the house comes in square pound tins1 and these we convert into self-feeders by cutting out two inches of the front an inch from the bottom1 and fitting a sloping false bottom inside4 ,any handy boy can look at the picture of a self-feeder in a catalogue1 and make one that will be just as serviceable4 ,pound baking powder cans can have a hole the size of a pea cut about an inch from the top1 and when filled with water and turned upside down in a two-inch tin pan make capital little drinking-fountains for brood coops1 and cost only five cents for the dish1 so there is no excuse for not having plenty of them1 and they save chicks getting drowned or the water getting defiled1 which is usually the case when open dishes are used4 ,having all the little things ready and in order counts for a lot in the spring1 when everyone has more work than he can comfortably do4 ,at least two-thirds of the letters ,i receive are about 8mysterious0 cases1 nearly all of which are due to the presence of vermin in the houses4 ,most of the women who write seem to be horrified when they find their hens infested by such pests1 but my experience has been that it is the nicely-kept1 presumably clean1 house and flock which is apt to be the worst4 ,why1 is a puzzle1 unless it is that women are apt to keep their fowls' home so tidily clean that one never thinks of hidden troubles1 and for that reason the house and flock are never drastically attacked1 as they should be1 with eradicators and preventives4 ,and1 naturally1 the hidden pests multiply undisturbed1 and infest the whole place before their presence is suspected4 ,few people know that there are any number and variety of pests which are difficult to discover because of other secretive habits4 ,for instance1 there is the depluming scab mite1 which is a very minute1 vicious pest1 that often causes hens to be accused of feather-pulling1 when in reality the poor things are only trying to rid themselves of intruders who cause them positive torture4 ,when a bird is noticed to have bare places on neck or back or body it is well to catch it and pull out one of its feathers near the bare spot4 ,ten to one you will find a scaly collection near a quill4 ,rub it off on to a sheet of paper1 and examine it under a magnifying glass1 and you will discover that every grain that looked like dandruff is a living mite4 ,another tiny atom1 which buries itself under the skin of fowls' legs1 causes itself to be known as 8scaly legs40 ,many of the mysterious deaths can be traced to another variety of the same family which attacks the air-passages of the bird's throat1 and occasionally reaches the lungs4 ,the affected bird gets drowsy1 mopes about for a few days1 and at last dies from suffocation1 and people wonder what has been the trouble4 ,then there are three varieties of fleas1 so dark in colour that they look almost black1 which live in the soil1 or in cracks and crevices of the poultry houses1 and sally forth when hungry to feed on the poor defenceless hen4 ,one species of these crawls1 instead of hopping like the ordinary flea1 so people frequently make the mistake of thinking that it is a plant insect which will not molest poultry4 ,it is all these unsuspected visitors which attack poultry at night1 rob them of their vitality1 and the poultryman of much of his profits4 ,long ago1 when ,i first started my poultry plant1 ,i found a recipe for liquid louse exterminator and a worm powder published in some magazine recommended by ,dr4 ,p4 ,t4 ,l4 ,woods1 the great poultry expert4 ,the liquid is easily made1 and very cheap4 ,dissolve crude naphtha flakes in kerosene oil4 ,mothaline and naphtha camphor are two preparations put up in packages1 which can be bought at any drug store1 and would do as well as the flakes1 if you have any difficulty in getting them4 ,a ,boston firm puts up a preparation with aromatic naphthalens and camphor1 in packages which cost twenty-five cents1 and is very good4 ,one package dissolved in two gallons of kerosene makes a good mixture to spray house1 nests and roosts4 ,for the birds themselves1 paint the inside of a box with the liquid1 and keep a bird in it for from fifteen to twenty minutes4 ,i had a box made with a compartment one foot square1 so that we could treat six birds at one time4 ,near the top of each compartment there is a hole large enough for the bird to put his head through1 and outside we put a trough which is slightly raised from the ground1 so that the birds can just reach the contents4 ,fill it with small grain1 and they keep busy most of the time1 which insures their not being smothered1 and their necks passing through the hole prevents the fume of the wash escaping too rapidly4 ,of course1 someone must remain and watch the birds all the time2 otherwise there is the danger of the bird pulling its head in and being suffocated4 ,to be sure that the bird is perfectly clean1 fumigation should be repeated three times1 with an interval of three days after each4 ,if houses are kept clean and all new birds are thoroughly fumigated before they are turned into the flock1 it will not be necessary to attack the whole flock more than once or twice a year4 ,nests for setting hens are always swabbed out with the mixture1 and brood coops get a dose once a week4 ,as soon as any hen shows signs of getting broody1 she is dredged with powder1 which is well rubbed down into the 8fluff0 of the feathers2 then on the tenth and nineteenth days she is again well powdered1 and from the time the chicks are a week old she receives a dose of powder once a week as long as she broods them4 ,the recipe for the insect powder is as follows3 ,to one peck of freshly slaked lime add half an ounce of carbolic acid4 ,mix very thoroughly1 and add same quantity1 in bulk1 of tobacco dust4 ,another powder recommended by ,dr4 ,woods in the same article1 and which ,i have used very frequently1 is made by mixing equal parts of finely-sifted coal ashes and tobacco dust1 then moisten the whole with the liquid louse exterminator4 ,allow it to dry and it is ready for use4 ,when purchasing carbolic acid1 ask for ninety per cent4 strength1 otherwise they are very likely to give you a much weaker preparation1 fit only for medical use4 ,,the ,,sitting ,,hen ,,and ,,the ,,incubator ,looking back over the memories of my farm initiation1 it seems as if ,i had not fully realised the possibilities of my new undertaking until the first incubator was inaugurated4 ,as ,i have already told you1 ,i did all the first year's hatch under hens1 and still set every hen that evinces any desire to assume the cares of motherhood1 because it seems ,nature's plan to keep the egg machine in good working order4 ,if a broody hen is not allowed to sit1 it takes several days of incarceration to break up her desire1 then several days more after she is freed before she commences to lay1 and invariably the sitting fever will attack her again within a few weeks4 ,now1 incubation takes only three weeks2 brooding of chicks1 another four or six weeks1 and ,mrs4 ,biddy has had a complete rest1 followed by vigorous exercise while scratching for her babies4 ,so when she is returned to the yard she is in perfect condition to produce eggs4 ,let ,biddy sit whenever she wants to1 but don't wait her pleasure in the early spring1 for you might have no young chickens to sell when they bring good prices4 ,,the ,,selection ,,of ,,the ,,incubator ,there are a great many incubators on the market1 some heated by hot air1 others by hot water4 ,if you select any one of the standard makes advertised you will get a good1 practical hatcher4 ,printed instructions for setting up and running are sent out with every machine1 but they don't emphasise all the important points quite strongly enough for amateurs4 ,lots of people can't drive a screw home accurately1 and fail to realise that if the head is slightly to the right or left it throws the fixture which is being attached to the machine out of plumb1 and a hair's breadth makes a difference when such delicate appliances as thermostatic rods 7the power which controls the heat71 are concerned4 ,a blunder supplies much knowledge4 ,i should never have realised the necessity for absolute exactness if one of the screws used in attaching the lamp support to our second incubator had not gone slightly awry4 ,it caused the chimney almost to touch one side of the socket into which it fits4 ,that1 in turn1 drew the flame to one side1 and caused it to smoke at night when turned up for extra heat4 ,it was a very little blunder1 apparently1 but it almost spoiled the incubator1 and quite spoiled the hatch4 ,to be sure that the incubator fixtures are plumb1 use a spirit level1 the only safe guide4 ,after starting the machine1 practise running it for a few days before putting in the eggs4 ,when the heat reaches one hundred and two and one-half degrees1 with the escape dial hanging the width of a match from the opening1 put in the trays1 which1 being cold1 will lower the heat1 and should close the dial until the trays become warm1 and the thermometer in the machine again registers one hundred and two and one-half1 when the dial should once more be dangling the match width above the opening4 ,should the closing and opening not take place as the heat varies1 the machine is not properly adjusted1 and you must practise until it will bear the test before putting in the eggs4 ,the thermometers are supposed to have been tested before they are shipped1 but it is well to buy an extra one and compare them2 or get your doctor1 who is sure to have an accurate thermometer1 to do it for you4 ,the egg tester comes with the incubator4 ,it is a tin1 funnel-like chimney that fits over the lamp1 and has a projecting opening1 bordered with black1 before which to hold the eggs4 ,the first test should be made on the seventh day2 the second on the fifteenth day4 ,hold the egg1 large end uppermost1 in front of the opening4 ,if it looks perfectly clear it is infertile and can be used to feed young chicks4 ,if it shows a dark-red spot with spidery legs it is fertile1 and must be returned to the incubator4 ,dead germs are rarely discernible at the first testing1 except to the expert eye4 ,by the fifteenth1 the veriest amateur will be able to detect them4 ,successful incubation depends principally on being able to maintain the amount of heat and moisture necessary at the different stages of development4 ,a thermometer is furnished with most incubators1 but as yet hygrometers are not1 so it is advisable to buy one4 ,for as they only cost #a4ej each1 it would be pennywise and pound-foolish to do without one4 ,having these two little instruments to tell exactly the amount of heat and moisture present in the machine1 simplifies the work wonderfully4 ,personally1 ,i like to have the thermometer register #ajb degrees1 and the hygrometer #ge1 when ,i first put the eggs in the incubator4 ,the second week1 the heat is increased to #ajb1 and the moisture lowered to #gj degrees4 ,the third week1 heat from #ajb to #ajc2 moisture not over #de until the nineteenth day1 when the moisture is again increased to #ee or #fj degrees4 ,the reason for such fluctuation in the moisture may need some explanation4 ,during the first stages of incubation it is necessary to prevent the escape of the water which is part of the egg1 as it is needed to keep the albumen in the right condition for the development of the germ4 ,after the tenth day1 when the embryo is formed1 the water should be gradually allowed to evaporate1 so that the amount of air inside the shell increases1 as it is needed to aid the circulation of the blood and permit the growth of the chick4 ,increasing the moisture again on the nineteenth day is simply done to soften the inside skin of the egg and make it easy for the chick to break through4 ,when extra moisture is to be supplied1 place a pan of wet sand or a damp sponge in the bottom of the incubator4 ,if the machine is standing in a very damp cellar1 the difficulty is often to keep down the moisture rather than to increase it4 ,in this case1 keep the trays out of the machine for a greater length of time when you turn the eggs each day1 and open the ventilators4 ,probably the safest and simplest way to learn how to gauge this important point of moisture1 is to set a hen at the same time that you start the incubator1 and then compare the development of the air-cell in the egg every few days4 ,if the development is too slow1 open the ventilators at the side of the incubator wider1 and air the eggs a little longer each day when you have the trays out to turn the eggs4 ,reverse affairs if the development is too quick4 ,it is better to run the machine a degree or two above the given temperature than below it1 especially during the last few days4 ,after the morning of the twentieth day don't open the incubator until the hatch is over1 or until late on the twenty-second day1 and don't get nervous if the temperature runs to one hundred and four or even to one hundred and five2 it is caused by the animal heat of the chicks1 and will do them no harm4 ,turning down the lamp slightly will of course reduce the heat2 but be very careful not to let it run below one hundred and three during the last twenty-four hours4 ,low temperature prolongs the hatch1 weakens the chickens and makes them susceptible to all sorts of ailments4 ,individual outdoor brooders ,i think are the best1 for in very cold weather they can stand in a light outhouse4 ,i used to monopolise the summer kitchen from ,february to ,april1 and then have them placed out in the orchard4 ,placing an outdoor brooder under cover is really only for the convenience of the attendant1 for they are storm proof4 ,if you commence with an incubator that holds one hundred and twenty to one hundred and sixty eggs you will require two brooders1 and if in a cold or ,northern locality1 some small house which can be warmed during very cold weather1 if you propose commencing to incubate in ,january4 ,a brooder supposed to hold one hundred chickens will accommodate that number comfortably for about nine days1 after which not more than fifty should be kept in it4 ,hence the necessity for two brooders4 ,when the chicks are six weeks old in cold weather1 and four weeks old in moderate weather1 they can be removed to the small house 7the temperature of which should be kept at sixty degrees during the night74 ,remember1 incubation takes only twenty-one days1 so you must allow at least three weeks to elapse before starting the incubator a second time4 ,give the brooder a good coat of whitewash inside before using it4 ,cover the drum which furnishes the heat under the hover with two or three thicknesses of flannel1 to make it soft for the little bodies to cuddle up against4 ,cover the floor of the hover compartment with a piece of old carpet or felt1 and the outside compartment with sweepings from the haymow4 ,have the heat running steadily at ninety-five degrees for several hours before the chicks are to be put into it1 and keep it at that heat the first seven or eight days4 ,then gradually let it fall to seventy-five degrees4 ,of course1 ,i mean the heat under the hover4 ,the rest of the brooder will be--and should be--several degrees lower4 ,,the ,,care ,,of ,,the ,,chicks ,,in ,,the ,,brooder ,keep fresh water in vessels into which the chicks can get only their bills in the outer compartment4 ,never neglect seeing that they are all safely cuddled up to the heat at dusk4 ,during the bright1 sunny hours in the middle of the day let the chicks have plenty of fresh air in the playroom2 at feeding time1 when they are all busy1 give the hover compartment a thorough airing4 ,when ,biddy is doing the brooding1 remember she is pretty sure to need dusting with some good insect powder4 ,the nest box she sat in should have been cleaned1 and a handful of camphor balls scattered under the hay of the nest4 ,moreover1 each hen should be dusted before setting1 twice during the twenty-one days1 three days after the hatch is out1 and each week so long as she broods the chicks4 ,fresh air1 warmth and good food prevent many troubles almost impossible to cure if once contracted2 so look to the little things4 ,thirty hours must be allowed for the proper digestion and assimilation of the yolk1 which is absorbed into the abdomen immediately before the chick breaks through the shell4 ,when ,biddy has done the hatching do not move her to the brood coop for twenty-four hours1 unless she is flighty and keeps getting off the nest1 in which case it is better to keep the chicks in a covered box by the kitchen stove until some more motherly hen can be persuaded to adopt them4 ,always try to set two or three hens at the same time4 ,good hens that are well fed and have not been bothered with vermin seldom give any trouble about the last twenty-four hours4 ,,how ,,to ,,diversify ,,the ,,daily ,,ration ,now about the all-important question of feeding3 ,for the first two or three days get ten pounds of rape and millet seed1 pin-head oatmeal and cracked corn1 charcoal1 and fine1 sharp grit4 ,mix all together4 ,if you cannot get pin-head oatmeal1 buy hulled oats and break them up fine4 ,the grain must also be cracked quite fine2 in fact1 it is safer to put the mixture through a sieve which will allow nothing larger than millet to go through4 ,then there is no danger of chicks being choked4 ,feed the mixture by scattering among the sweepings1 to encourage the chicks to scratch and take exercise4 ,morning and evening make a mash by chopping a hard-boiled egg1 shell and all1 green onion tops or sprouts4 ,mix with stale bread crumbs1 and feed on a flat pie plate or strip of wood4 ,after the chicks are two weeks old the oats and corn need not be quite so fine--more the size of hemp seed1 which can be added to the mixture2 so can cracked wheat or barley1 and the mash can be made of ground corn and oats1 with onions and scalded liver1 chopped1 three times a week 7about a small cupful to a quart of mash74 ,what ,i mean by scalded liver is liver dropped into a kettle of boiling water and let boil up once4 ,leave to cool in the water4 ,quite raw it is too strong for little chicks4 ,for a change ,i mix the grain with scalding milk two or three times a week4 ,never make more at a time than will be fed within the next few hours1 as it sours4 ,pot cheese is a favourite dish with all poultry1 and very wholesome4 ,if there is any tendency to bowel trouble1 give them rice water in place of the drinking water4 ,keep brooders and brood coops clean and dry4 ,the grass around the coops should be kept cut loose1 so that the chicks can run about easily4 ,see that every coop is closed at night1 and do not let the chicks out while the grass is dewy4 ,don't give the hens too many chicks to brood in winter1 for if she cannot keep them close to her they will die of chill4 ,,raising ,,early ,,broilers ,a distinct branch of the poultry business1 and one that is extremely profitable for those who can run it successfully1 is raising young chicks in the winter for early broilers4 ,to commence on a large scale requires as large capital1 but there are hundreds of men and women who have accommodations on their premises that would enable them to start in a small way1 and by investing the profits from the first year they could obtain a really good equipment for the business4 ,of course1 the real starting-point should be a good flock of healthy hens1 all of one breed1 preferably ,wyandottes or ,rocks1 for really the hen who lays the egg has as much to do with the success in broiler-making as the care one may bestow on the business4 ,next in importance is a well-constructed new incubator4 ,don't be tempted to buy a second-hand machine1 which has usually been allowed to stand in a damp cellar or in some outside shed while not in use1 for it will in all probability warp or go to pieces when put in commission again4 ,brooders come third on the list1 but are quite as important as the two foregoing1 for there is no use hatching a chick unless it can be reared1 and the heat and ventilation of the artificial mother is more than half the battle4 ,the up-to-date broiler plant consists of an incubator-cellar1 a nursery1 or brooder-house1 as it is usually called1 and a broiler-house4 ,both the latter are divided into small pens1 about two feet wide and five feet long4 ,in the nursery-house1 the top ends of the pens are inclosed like boxes to the depth of about a foot and a half1 and have hot-water pipes running through them to furnish heat for the chicks to brood under4 ,a flannel curtain cut into strips falls from the top of the inclosed part to divide it from the rest of the pen1 which runs down to the outer wall of the house1 where a large window lets in light and sun4 ,the pens should have board floors slightly elevated above the main floor1 to avoid dampness1 and the divisions are made with a foot board about nine inches high1 and one inch netting two feet high above that4 ,the brooder-house is divided in the same way1 but the hot-water pipes only run around the walls of the house1 as the birds don't need the immediate heat to brood under1 after they leave the nursery1 when they are five or six weeks old4 ,but1 until you can afford the proper equipment1 one or two incubators can be run in the cellar of the house or an unused room where there is no other heat4 ,individual brooders can be used in place of the nursery and brooder-house1 if you have any light outbuilding to stand them in4 ,in fact1 ,i like the individual brooders better for the nursery period than the pipe-house system1 because it is only necessary to heat as many as are needed1 and with the pipe system the entire house has to be heated1 even if you are only going to use one section4 ,most of the different makes of brooders on the market are made with two compartments3 ,a chamber with a round hover1 which is heated with a lamp1 and an outer compartment for exercise and feeding4 ,the average price is nine dollars1 and the machines are supposed to hold one hundred chickens1 but seventy-five are quite enough2 and even that number should be decreased to fifty the second week1 and twenty-five the fourth week--that is1 if the chicks are to be confined entirely to the brooder4 ,but if it stands in a warm room1 where a small outer inclosure can be made on the floor of the house for a playroom1 fifty chicks can be carried through to the squab-broiler age in one brooder4 ,chicks hatched specially for the broiler trade have to be steadily pushed along2 plump1 juicy meat being the main object4 ,the first requisite is warmth4 ,have the compartment in which the hover is situated heated up to ninety-eight degrees before the chicks are put in and keep it so for the first three days and nights4 ,keep the door in the outer compartment shut for the same length of time4 ,on the fourth day it can be opened and the chicks allowed to run into it1 but the room in which the brooder stands should be warm1 and the little ones should be watched toward bedtime1 for they are apt to remain in the outer compartment and become chilled4 ,being chilled even for a short time is fatal to young chicks1 for if it does not kill outright1 it causes bowel trouble and gives them a bad setback which will surely delay the day of marketing1 if nothing worse4 ,after they are three weeks old1 the door in the outer compartment can be opened1 so that they can run out on to the floor of the room4 ,let them have plenty of scratching material4 ,if the weather is fine and mild1 it will do them good to let them have an outside run for an hour or two in the middle of the day1 but don't be in a hurry to harden them before they are five weeks old1 for it is a risky experiment4 ,wyandotte chickens when hatched will weigh two ounces4 ,if all goes well they should gain two ounces during the first ten days2 four ounces for the third week2 another two ounces in the fourth week1 and at the end of the eighth week they should weigh two pounds4 ,the entire life of a chicken intended for a broiler is so artificial that few if any of the rules for raising ordinary chicks can be applied to them4 ,the great aim is to develop them as quickly as possible1 for1 to get the best price1 a broiler must grow quickly and be plump4 ,like all newly-hatched birds1 they must have nothing to eat for the first thirty-six hours4 ,after that commercial chick-feed 7which is a mixture of all sorts of small seeds and cracked grains7 should be their sole diet for ten days4 ,when there are only small quantities of chicks to feed1 and cash is of more value than time1 it will be cheaper to mix the feed at home4 ,take one quart each of finely-cracked corn1 bran and hulled oats2 mix with the same quantity of golden millet1 rape1 ,kafir-corn and very sharp1 fine gravel1 crushed charcoal and finely-chopped clover-hay4 ,mix thoroughly1 then pass through a fine sieve1 to insure there being no large pieces of the corn or oats for the babies to choke themselves with4 ,for the three days they are confined to the hover department1 put a small pan filled with the mixture in each corner and1 instead of water1 fill a small drinking-fountain with milk which has been scalded and allowed to cool4 ,leave it with them for ten or fifteen minutes1 at morning1 noon and again at about #c3jj ,p4 ,m4 ,it must not be allowed to remain all the time1 because the heat from the hover will turn it sour4 ,after they are allowed access to the outer compartment1 mixed grain should be scattered on the cut hay 7or whatever is used to cover the floor7 so that the chicks will have to scratch which compels them to take enough exercise for healthy growth4 ,the plan is to feed little and often4 ,the milk can be allowed to stand in the outer compartment1 but the fountain must be thoroughly cleansed and scalded every day4 ,after the tenth day1 the door of the outer compartment can be opened and the chicks given further liberty1 if there is a stove in the building to warm the atmosphere2 but if there is not1 don't let them out of the brooder until they are four weeks old4 ,in either case their diet must be slightly changed after the tenth day4 ,steam some of the chopped clover-hay--about a quart--and add one pint of coarse corn-meal1 one pint of ground oats and half a small cupful of chopped liver which has been boiled for five minutes 7raw liver is too strong for such young birds1 but it should not be boiled more than the five minutes74 ,feed once a day at noon4 ,put the mash into two or three dishes1 so they can all get a chance to eat at once4 ,remove any that is left at the end of ten minutes4 ,if it is not possible to get fresh liver1 use one teaspoonful of beef-meal or any of the commercial meat preparations which are ground fine4 ,continue to scatter the dry grains three times a day4 ,when they are four weeks old1 give mash twice a day about #i3jj ,a4 ,m4 and #b3jj ,p4 ,m41 increasing the allowance of meat slightly2 and if you have plenty of skim-milk1 make cottage cheese and give it to them as an extra once or twice a week4 ,from the fourth week keep a pan containing grit and charcoal always before them4 ,after they are six weeks old increase the quantity of corn-meal in the mash1 and correspondingly decrease the ground oats1 until all corn-meal and no oats are being used4 ,also1 stop steaming the clover and mix it dry with the other ingredients2 then moisten the mash in scalded milk in which suet has been boiled 7one pound of chopped suet to four quarts of milk74 ,boil for fifteen minutes4 ,feed it three times a day--#i3jj ,a4 ,m41 #ab3jj ,m4 and #c3jj ,p4 ,m4 ,the last two weeks before killing1 omit all the dry grain2 feed nothing but mash1 made as before1 only as soft as possible without being sloppy4 ,feed four times a day all they will eat in ten minutes1 but on no account leave food before them longer than that1 or they will become satiated4 ,birds pushed along should be in fine condition for market when from ten to twelve weeks old4 ,our broilers are never given water to drink1 but always scalded milk4 ,scalded milk invariably checks any tendency toward bowel trouble and is also a strong factor in making the flesh tender and juicy4 ,,the ,,poultry-,,yard ,,in ,,mid-,,season ,baby chicks are so pretty1 and appeal so strongly to the sentimental feeling most people have for infant things1 that they are invariably well cared for until they are deposed by new arrivals1 or reach the half-fledged1 long-legged period of gawky ugliness4 ,then they are almost surely neglected1 especially by the amateur1 who does not realise that the intermediate stages are of paramount importance4 ,it is a waste of time and money to hatch chicks and feed hens heavily in the winter1 if they are allowed to reach a standstill period during growth4 ,when chicks are eight weeks old1 they should be separated from their mothers1 and the families divided2 the young pullets being relegated to colony coops1 in an orchard or partly shaded meadow1 where they will have extensive free range2 the cockerels being placed in the semi-confinement of yards1 as their ultimate fate is the frying-pan1 which necessitates plump bodies1 while free range would only develop frame and muscle4 ,our colony houses are six feet long1 three feet wide1 thirty-six inches high in front1 and twenty-four inches at the back4 ,they are made of light scantling2 the ends1 back and roof being covered with roofing-paper1 and the front1 to within eight inches of the ground1 with unbleached muslin1 which insures perfect ventilation and prevents rain beating in upon the birds when they are on the roosts1 which are fixed a foot from the bottom and nine inches from the back of the coop4 ,two holes are made1 nine inches apart1 in the middle of each end of the coop1 and a heavy rope knotted through them1 to form handles4 ,the coops having no flooring1 and the whole construction being light1 they are easily moved to fresh ground each week1 and so kept clean with little trouble1 an important item when there is a large quantity being used4 ,having a large orchard1 we placed the coops in rows thirty feet apart1 as two sides of the orchard adjoin woodland1 through which a never-failing spring-stream runs1 so the birds have a splendid range4 ,twenty birds are placed in each coop4 ,the first week a portable yard1 five feet long1 is placed in front of each coop so that the young chicks cannot wander off and get lost1 as they surely would in strange quarters4 ,during that time a self-feeding hopper and a drinking-fountain are placed inside of the coop4 ,when the yard is removed1 the individual vessels are dispensed with1 large drinking-tubs and feed-hoppers being stationed midway between every four coops1 to reduce time and labour in caring for the birds4 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,poultry ,,yard ,the large hoppers are nothing more than boxes1 five feet long1 two feet wide and six inches deep1 over which is placed an ,a-shaped cover1 made of slats1 one inch apart1 to prevent the birds getting into the box and scratching the grain onto the ground1 where it will be wasted4 ,for water1 five-gallon kegs are used1 with an automatic escape1 which keeps a small pan continually full4 ,both feed and water are placed under a rough shelter1 to protect them from sun and rain4 ,using such large receptacles1 it is only necessary to fill them every other day4 ,feed consists of a dry mash1 composed of ten pounds of wheat bran1 ten pounds of ground oats1 one pound of white middlings1 one pound of old-process oil-meal and ten pounds of beef scraps1 all well mixed4 ,in addition to that1 they receive at night a feed of wheat and cracked corn--two parts of the former to one of the latter4 ,about half a pint is scattered in front of each coop1 at about four ,p4 ,m4 ,grit is supplied in large quantities4 ,being near a stone-crusher1 we buy the screenings by the cart-load and dump it in heaps on the outskirts of the orchard1 where it does not show1 but is quite accessible to the chicks4 ,on these rations1 without any variation1 the pullets are kept until ,september1 when they are transferred to their winter quarters--houses twelve feet wide1 ten feet high in front1 sloping to eight feet at the back4 ,each house is divided by wire netting into twelve-foot compartments1 in each of which forty birds are kept4 ,winter feeding commences as soon as the birds are settled in their houses1 and consists of the same mash as when on range1 except that ten pounds of corn-meal is added1 and1 instead of the ten pounds of commercial beef scraps1 sixteen pounds of freshly cracked green bone is used1 and1 in place of being before them all the time1 it is fed once a day1 just what they will eat up clean in fifteen minutes4 ,until three years ago1 we used to moisten the mash and feed at eight o'clock in the morning4 ,now we feed it dry1 at #b ,p4 ,m42 at night1 wheat1 cracked and whole corn1 scattered over cut straw1 which covers the floor of the house4 ,the proportions are three pounds of whole corn1 one pound of wheat and two pounds of cracked corn4 ,the birds are always eager for the whole corn1 and1 as they run about to pick it up1 the cracked corn and wheat get shaken down into the litter1 so they rarely get any but the whole corn at night1 which fills up their crops and keeps them warm until morning1 when the fine grain induces them to scratch--vigorous exercise1 which sets their blood circulating and keeps them busy until #h ,a4 ,m41 when the drinking-fountains are filled up with hot water4 ,for green food we use ,swiss chard1 cabbage and rape until frost destroys the supply1 after which we resort to clover hay1 chopped and steamed4 ,it is fed at about #aa ,a4 ,m41 a large panful to each compartment1 and at the same time a pint of wheat and cracked oats is scattered on the floor4 ,sharp grit and oyster-shells are always before them1 and in very cold weather the drinking-fountains are filled up again with hot water at eleven and three o'clock4 ,if you have no orchard1 or other partly shady place for coops1 it will be necessary to erect some sort of shelters for the birds to rest under during the heat of the day4 ,any sort of material or shape will do1 so long as protection from the sun is afforded4 ,if free range is quite impossible 7as it often is for suburban poultry-keepers71 the birds must be given as large yards as possible and supplied with lots of scratching material1 over which small grain must be scattered two or three times a day4 ,fresh green bone will be better than the beef scraps4 ,vegetable food is most imperative under such circumstances4 ,sow a large patch of ,swiss chard2 it is a true cut-and-come-again crop4 ,oats and rape are also useful crops for poultry-keepers who can give their birds free range through the summer4 ,a word of warning3 ,if you are reduced to cutting grass1 or use lawn-clippings1 be careful to have them cut into short lengths of not more than an inch1 otherwise the birds may become crop-bound4 ,the cockerels which go into the market-pen are fattened and sold as quickly as possible1 except the few we keep for stock1 and these are given large yards and fed in the same manner as pullets on range4 ,for fattening birds1 use ground corn and oats in equal parts1 add half a part of charcoal and moisten with skim-milk4 ,give plenty of green food and sharp grit4 ,feed little and often4 ,all expedition must be used in the matter of marketing1 for every day's delay after they reach the desired weight is a dead loss4 ,constant culling and marketing is one of the great secrets of success4 ,culling must be observed just as rigidly when selecting winter stock4 ,discard any faulty birds4 ,there are always some in every flock1 even if the parent birds have been blue-ribbon specimens3 ,crooked tails or feet1 ear-lobes which are red instead of white1 or white instead of red1 according to the variety you may be keeping4 ,wyandottes1 ,orpingtons1 ,plymouth ,rocks1 ,brahmas or ,cochins should all have bright-red ear-lobes4 ,leghorns1 ,minorcas and ,andalusians should be pure white4 ,it is a bright1 energetic-looking pullet which makes the best layer1 and it is not profitable to keep any but the best layers1 so put them into small pens and fatten4 ,the young roosters bring good prices in the fall1 and their absence from the farm reduces feed-bills and prevents crowding in the house1 which is always disastrous4 ,do not delay1 after ,september first1 in getting the pullets into their winter quarters1 for it is most important that they become accustomed to their new surroundings and reconciled to the change from free range to semi-inactivity4 ,it often takes five or six weeks for them to become accustomed to the new conditions1 and1 unless they have time to adjust themselves1 they won't start laying until cold weather sets in1 which means that the egg-crop is likely to be unprofitably delayed4 ,,july ,,in ,,the ,,poultry-,,yard ,it is strange that few people except the real poultry-farmers realise that ,july is one of the most important months in the year4 ,the desire to have eggs in zero weather invariably compels good attention to the hens during the winter4 ,baby chicks arouse interest in the spring1 but as the weather gets warmer1 eggs are plentiful1 and the pretty1 fluffy babies developed into long1 lanky creatures1 who seem nothing but a nuisance specially ordained to destroy the garden1 so the poor things are shut up in small quarters and woefully neglected4 ,during the fall and winter ,i am repeatedly asked how to make pullets and hens lay1 but ,i can rarely suggest a remedy1 because nine times out of ten it is the result of blunders made during the preceding summer4 ,i don't believe in sacrificing the garden to the chickens1 but ,i do think they should be properly controlled4 ,a roll of two-inch-mesh wire netting five feet high costs only about four dollars4 ,at the price of eggs nowadays a few dozen will pay for it4 ,posts can be cut in the wood-lot on most farms1 so a yard for a good-sized flock can easily be made for less than five dollars4 ,the best plan is to run a division fence down the centre1 so the birds can be confined in one half alternately1 for by such means a supply of green food can be kept growing until frost4 ,the ground should be ploughed1 and seeded to rye or oats1 before the wire is put up4 ,if poultry is to be profitable1 the old and young stock must be kept apart1 because it is impossible to feed correctly when they are all together4 ,young birds need plenty of nutritious food to push them along quickly1 and laying hens must be put on special rations to bring about early molting1 which is the foundation of a good winter supply of eggs4 ,about ,july #eth commence to cut down the feed gradually1 until at the end of two weeks forty hens are having only a pint of oats and a pint of wheat mixed1 night and morning4 ,scatter it amongst cut straw or some litter1 so they will have to scratch for every grain4 ,the first of ,august commence to increase the rations1 and keep it up for a week1 so that by the fifteenth they are getting two quarts of mash in the morning1 a quart of meat scraps and a pint of cracked corn at noon and wheat and oats or barley at night4 ,give them just about all they will eat up clean in fifteen minutes4 ,the morning mash should be composed of two parts ground feed 7corn and oats71 one part white middlings and one part oil-meal1 mixed with scalding milk or water4 ,the semi-starvation followed by the heavy feed forces the moulting season and allows plenty of time to feather out and get into condition before ,october1 when their rations should be made up of the essentials for egg-production1 which are clover hay1 bran1 wheat1 corn and animal food4 ,you see1 it takes about three months for hens to get rid of their old feathers and put on a new coat1 and if the process is not forced in some way1 they will not commence before ,august1 which would make it ,october before they finished4 ,of course that would be time enough if it happened to be a warm1 late fall1 but if cold winter weather sets in1 as it often does in ,november1 hens would not lay before spring1 as moulting leaves them in a more or less debilitated condition4 ,lots of people make the mistake of selling off hens as soon as they cease laying at this season1 which means that they are usually parting with the birds that would make the real winter layers4 ,hens that lay through the summer1 and do not cease until the fall1 will be idle and unprofitable in the winter4 ,it is the general disregard of the moulting period which causes so many failures in the winter supply of eggs4 ,the rule should be to sell off all the hens that have been laying steadily through the summer and commenced to shed feathers in ,september4 ,growing feathers is a trying ordeal1 and the consequence is that when the hen begins to moult she ceases to lay1 for she cannot produce eggs and feathers at the same time4 ,feathers are composed largely of nitrogen and mineral matter4 ,that is why the food at moulting time has to be so very nutritious4 ,to feed nothing but corn at such a time is simply waste1 as the hen cannot produce new feathers from such a diet4 ,if she is on free range she would have a better chance of gathering the necessary material1 but even then1 if the feathering process is delayed too long1 the hen becomes exhausted1 and is susceptible to cold and all sorts of diseases4 ,this is the real reason why roup and swelled head are so prevalent in the fall4 ,young birds hatched out in ,april or thereabouts usually commence to lay in ,november1 because they have not been subject to the drain upon the constitution caused by moulting4 ,but chickens that have been hatched in ,february or early ,march are very liable to moult late in the fall1 just when they should be commencing to lay4 ,for this reason it is as well to market all the first-hatched chickens1 and hold over those hatched late in ,march or through ,april1 to increase the laying flock4 ,cull all young stock down closely4 ,don't keep a lot of young cockerels to eat up the profits during the winter4 ,even pullets which are at all backward should be marketed1 for they won't develop after cold weather sets in1 and it does not pay to keep them through for summer layers4 ,most of the failures made in the poultry business are due to people not having the courage to clean out non-productive birds4 ,just calculate how many quarts of feed ten growing birds will eat in seven months1 and ,i think you will be convinced that it is unfair to expect the flock to support them and still show a profit4 ,the trouble is that people don't realise that young stock stand still as soon as cold weather starts1 remaining almost stationary until spring4 ,another evil of keeping undeveloped stock is that they occupy house-room and crowd the older birds4 ,now is the time to wage war on vermin1 while the bright days last2 turn the hens out and have a good housecleaning4 ,use plenty of hot limewash to which kerosene and crude carbolic acid have been added4 ,if you have two houses1 crowd all the birds into one for a few days1 and when the empty house has been thoroughly cleaned1 commence to catch the birds at night1 and powder thoroughly4 ,use ,dalmatian or the home made powder in an ordinary tin flour-dredger1 and after shaking a good supply into the feathers1 use your hands to rub it well into the fluffy parts near the skin4 ,it is well to repeat the dose about three days after4 ,in thus doing house and birds at the same time1 you may be reasonably sure of having exterminated the pests for a few months1 at least4 ,remember to rake up all the falling leaves1 to be used for scratching material4 ,a bagful scattered on the floor of the chicken-house once or twice a week will increase the egg-yield and keep the birds healthy during enforced confinement4 ,before ,i forget it1 let me remind you not to feed new corn to the fowls4 ,every year1 about this season1 ,i get quantities of letters telling of good1 fat hens1 the picture of health1 which have been found dead4 ,acute indigestion1 brought on by eating unseasoned corn1 is the cause4 ,so be careful4 ,if your last year's supply has run out1 it is better to buy a few bags than lose hens on whom you depend for winter eggs4 ,store all the cabbage or other green vegetables you can before it is too late4 ,look the house over and stop up all cracks and crevices4 ,a draft from a small hole may give one bird a cold which may develop into roup and infect the whole flock1 though an open-front house with only muslin screens may be healthy4 ,about open-front houses1 ,i don't believe in them for laying stock4 ,if ,i were going to carry a lot of young birds or hens which will not lay until ,april1 ,i might adopt the open-front house as a matter of economy1 but not otherwise4 ,i can't see what is gained by them--that is1 in cold latitudes4 ,in the ,south they are probably all right4 ,we all know that the great percentage of food supplied during cold weather goes to keep up bodily warmth1 and that if we expect eggs in zero weather we must supply the hens with sufficient provisions to nourish the body1 generate heat and allow a surplus to be converted into eggs4 ,by providing tight1 warm sleeping-quarters1 we save some of the food which would be used for warmth in a cold house4 ,plenty of fresh air ,i do believe in1 but everything likes to be warm during the still1 dark hours4 ,i have often seen the argument used that wild birds1 which have no houses at all1 are always healthy4 ,but how often do we hear about numbers of birds being found dead after a severe storm4 ,what is more1 wild birds only lay during the spring of the year4 ,when man upsets ,nature's laws to supply human wants1 he should stop quoting ,nature's ways4 ,our present-day hen1 which lays1 or is expected to lay1 one hundred and eighty to two hundred eggs a year1 is a very different creature from the wild hen1 and she must be provided with better food1 housing and care4 ,as of course you know1 different food materials contain different qualities4 ,some give us the fat necessary for warmth2 others1 nitrogenous qualities1 which form flesh2 still others1 minerals1 such as lime1 soda1 etc41 etc41 needed for bone and muscle4 ,all kinds of animals1 birds1 and even human beings1 require some quantity of these ingredients1 otherwise one part of the body or nervous system will be starved1 while another will be overfed4 ,with the hen it is of great importance that she have all these different ingredients well blended in her food1 as she requires them not only to sustain her in health1 but also for the formation of eggs4 ,we will start with the foods that give the greatest quantity of lime1 because it is needed for shell1 and some fractional part in the white and yolk1 most essential1 for it is turned during incubation into bone1 the very foundation of the chicken4 ,clover hay1 linseed-meal and wheat bran contain about six pounds of lime in every hundred1 and turnip-tops1 carrots and all grasses have a goodly percentage4 ,flesh comes from nitrogenous or albumenal foods1 first of which are beef1 linseed-meal1 middlings1 bran1 clover hay1 wheat and skimmed milk4 ,fat and heat we get from carbonaceous provenders1 among which corn and buckwheat lead1 closely followed by oats1 wheat1 rye1 clover hay1 linseed-meal and unskimmed milk4 ,mineral matter--lime1 soda1 potash1 magnesia and sulphur--is principally formed by the action of digestion reducing the matter containing these ingredients to ash4 ,the usual troubles assailing poultry on most farms come from the feeding of only one of these elements4 ,poor ,biddy has all flesh and no warmth1 or all fat and no flesh4 ,kill a bird that has been fed on corn only1 and it will be heavy with layers of internal fat1 but showing a very poor depth of breast-meat4 ,balancing rations1 trying to equalise flesh1 fat 7warmth7 and mineral1 is not a very hard proposition when the values of even a few grains and plants are realised4 ,having read so far1 you will now realise that clover hay1 linseed-meal1 bran1 wheat1 oats1 beef scraps and unskimmed milk contain practically all the equivalents of summer foods2 the addition1 therefore1 of corn1 buckwheat or rye in cold weather is safe and simple if given only as warmth-makers4 ,never allow the proportion to exceed what is needed for that purpose1 or fat will be made and stored1 neutralising all your care4 ,in other words1 the hen fed on corn only1 in order to accumulate the ten parts of flesh and twenty parts of fat needed for the egg1 will be compelled to acquire fifty parts more fat than she requires4 ,green bone and water now alone remain for consideration4 ,the former is beyond doubt the best of egg foods1 qualifying as it does in nearly all the needed elements4 ,many farmers scoff at the idea of having to pay for a mill to cut up bone for chickens1 yet the same men will not grudge a hay-cutter for the horse and cow4 ,green bone means fresh bone from the butcher1 which can be bought for about two cents a pound4 ,the mill to grind it ranges from eight to fifteen dollars4 ,green bone contains the natural meat1 juices1 blood1 gristle1 oil and mineral matter in soluble condition1 which renders it easy of digestion1 especially for birds--almost all the components for eggs 7white1 yolk and shell71 in the most concentrated form possible4 ,so1 if eggs are to become profitable1 the bone-mill must be kept going4 ,when it is impossible to obtain the green or fresh bone1 the ground bone sold especially for poultry can be used1 though it is not half so satisfactory1 because the drying process it has to submit to before grinding leaves little but the phosphate of lime and earthy matter1 which clover and bran furnish in better form4 ,at least half the egg is composed of water1 surely a sufficient reason for impressing the importance of a generous supply accessible at all times1 in clean dishes1 of a proper temperature1 cool in summer and the chill off in winter4 ,a ,,flock ,,of ,,turkeys ,there are six varieties of turkeys3 ,bronze1 ,white ,holland1 ,bourbon ,reds1 black1 buff1 slate and ,narragansett4 ,but the three first are the ones most worth raising specially for market1 as they are large birds and the most popular varieties4 ,so it is easy to get good stock1 to start with1 which is of paramount importance4 ,a trio of any one of the three varieties will cost from fifteen to twenty dollars1 and if only twenty birds are reared the first year for market1 they will bring at least sixty dollars4 ,that is placing the average weight at twelve pounds and price twenty-five cents a pound4 ,this is1 however1 absurd1 when you consider that young toms weigh twenty pounds and pullets fifteen1 feed could not possibly cost more than ten dollars1 which would leave thirty dollars' profit the first year4 ,a successful turkey-raiser told me he had kept his birds in yards for twelve years1 so ,i felt safe in adopting the plan4 ,i suppose ,i ought to have said inclosures1 for they covered about half an acre each4 ,the land was shaly1 with a rocky background1 but there were plenty of clumps of scrub brush and ferns1 from the rocks to the top of the two acres they used4 ,the ground sloped to the south2 a spot of no earthly good for any other purpose1 but perfectly ideal for turkeys4 ,however1 as our farm had no such place1 ,i utilised a strip of poor brush land which had good natural drainage and made three inclosures1 each one hundred feet wide and three hundred feet long4 ,an open-front shed twelve feet long and ten feet wide was built in each4 ,they were just rough shelters built out of slabs and the only fittings were perches made out of sassafras poles1 none of them less than nine inches in circumference4 ,this is one of the important items in fixing a place for turkeys4 ,being heavy1 large-footed birds1 they are uncomfortable and positively suffer if condemned to balance themselves on slight perches such as chickens use4 ,it took four loads of slabs to make the three sheds1 and they cost seventy-five cents a load at the sawmill4 ,wire netting cost forty-eight dollars1 perches and posts were cut in our own woods1 and the home help did the work4 ,i got ten female birds from the ,massachusetts farm for fifty dollars and two toms from ,long ,island for twenty dollars4 ,we sent for the birds early in ,december so that they should have time to get thoroughly at home in their new quarters before the laying season4 ,before they arrived1 the front of the sheds was covered with wire netting1 so that we could keep them shut up at first1 but after two or three weeks it was removed and they were allowed the range of the yards4 ,the wire around the inclosure was only four feet high and one wing of each bird was cut to prevent them flying over it4 ,illustration3 ,a ,,flock ,,of ,,turkeys ,early in ,march a half-barrel was secreted among the brush1 in both the occupied yards1 so that the hens would be accustomed to their appearance and1 we hoped1 consider safe hiding-places for their eggs4 ,the plan answered splendidly4 ,about the middle of the month we commenced to keep a lookout for eggs in the half-barrel and for stolen nests4 ,when an egg was found1 it was purloined1 and a china one put in its place2 ditto when the second egg was taken1 but after that1 no more china eggs were dropped1 for two always seemed to satisfy ,mrs4 ,turkey4 ,unlike common hens1 turkeys are not attracted to a nest by an egg4 ,in fact1 they retain so much of the wild bird that they will not adopt a nest that has been used by any other bird1 so never distribute nest-eggs as decoys1 but only as substitutes for those abstracted4 ,the matter of feeding the old birds is of great importance and is the rock most farmers founder on4 ,too often the birds are left to forage for themselves or1 at the best1 are given uncertain quantities of corn1 which means that they are miserably thin and dilapidated or outrageously fat4 ,in either case they lack the components which the egg for hatching should possess4 ,result1 weak youngsters which are doomed to die1 no matter how much care is lavished on them4 ,i once heard an old poultryman say that the care of the chick must commence when its mother is hatched4 ,this may seem ambiguous to the amateur1 but it is literally a fact and one which my ,massachusetts friend had made me understand was most potent when applied to turkeys4 ,so our turkeys are fed with special reference to supplying the ingredients to be converted into bone and vigour in the birds to be4 ,breakfast3 ,chopped clover-hay1 steamed overnight1 two quarts2 corn and oats ground together1 one quart2 beef-scraps1 half a pint4 ,at noon1 one quart of oats1 ,kafir-corn or barley scattered broadcast in the yards4 ,at night1 whole corn when the weather is very cold1 but as it moderates in the spring the amount is decreased and wheat is used in its place4 ,these are their regular rations from ,december to ,april1 when the beef-scraps and corn are entirely omitted4 ,water and grit is before them all the time4 ,we buy screenings from the stone-crusher and1 as it is cheap1 dump a lot into each yard twice a year4 ,i generally steal the first ten eggs from each nest and set them under the hens4 ,however many a turkey lays after that1 she is allowed to keep and hatch them4 ,it takes them twenty-nine days to hatch1 and large1 motherly old hens should be chosen from the chicken-house to do the incubating4 ,it is not safe to put more than five such eggs under an ordinary hen4 ,when the hatch is over1 put the hen into a brood-coop and1 in front of it1 put a box about nine inches deep and large enough to form a yard for the babies to exercise in4 ,it is1 of course1 necessary to remove part or the whole of the end of the box which joins the front of the coop1 so that the little ones can run in and out4 ,cover the bottom of the box with coarse sand and put a small drinking-fountain in one corner4 ,thus the babies will have a safe place to play in the first few days of infancy1 when they must be kept dry4 ,after that the box can be removed and the coop moved a few feet every day for the sake of cleanliness4 ,when ,mrs4 ,turkey's brood hatches1 we treat them in the same way1 only the brood-coop is specially made and is much larger than the ordinary hen-coop4 ,the first feed the babies have is stale home-made bread soaked in scalded milk1 which is squeezed out of it before it is fed4 ,like little chicks1 they must have nothing for twenty-four hours1 then little and often must be the rule4 ,never leave food in front of little turkeys1 for they are very apt to overeat4 ,after two weeks they need only be fed four times a day2 after the fourth week three times a day4 ,after the first two days add a little hard-boiled egg which has been chopped fine1 without removing the shell1 and a few days later1 pin-head oatmeal and ground charcoal2 about a teaspoonful of the latter to a cupful of bread and oatmeal4 ,by the end of two weeks gradually reduce the bread and increase the oatmeal1 which should be cooked about half an hour and allowed to dry out1 so it is easily crumbled when cool4 ,after the fourth week1 ordinary ground oats1 just moistened with scalding milk1 may be used4 ,half-boiled liver1 chopped fine1 is the best animal food to give4 ,when that is not practicable1 use the best brand of commercial ground beef1 one teaspoonful to a quart of meal1 because it is very strong and liable to produce diarrhea1 a disease which attacks young turkeys almost sooner than any other young bird4 ,watch carefully and at the first evidence of any looseness of the bowels give boiled rice to eat and rice-water or cold tea to drink4 ,watch newly-hatched babies for a few days at feed-time1 for there is often one or more that needs to be taught how to eat4 ,this is especially so when they are with common hens4 ,but a little patience in crumbling close in front of them and coaxing them to pick it up will overcome the difficulty4 ,after they are eight weeks old we take them from the hens and put them into the third yard1 which is kept exclusively for young stock4 ,at night they are driven into the shed1 the front of which is always kept covered with wire netting1 so that they can be closed in until they get accustomed to roosting4 ,of course1 the perches in this shed are put nearer the ground and are much smaller than those intended for grown birds4 ,about ,october #ast they are allowed the free range of the farm and are fed on corn at night and given all the milk they will drink1 to get them into good killing condition before ,thanksgiving1 when they are all sold off1 except perhaps a few extra good ones1 which we may keep for stock4 ,the old birds are also allowed free range from ,october until ,february1 but they are fed in the yards at night and are shut in so that they don't form any bad wandering habits4 ,in buying stock1 be generous and get the very best1 from some well-known turkey-raiser4 ,ordinary farm stock is so apt to be inbred that1 although the birds may look all right1 it is not safe to buy them for breeding purposes1 as a want of stamina will surely show in the youngsters4 ,for the same reason it is best to get the hen-birds from one place and the toms from another4 ,if you are going to keep ,bourbon ,reds or bronze1 it is advisable to buy half-wild toms4 ,these are the result of crossing wild gobblers with domestic hens1 which is done by large breeders to infuse new blood and keep up the vigour of their stock4 ,personally1 ,i like the ,white ,holland turkey best1 as they are domesticated and bear confinement well4 ,if you are only going to keep a few birds1 say a trio or five hens and a gobbler1 large yards are not necessary1 but a shed over which netting can be put1 should always be set apart for their use1 so that they can be fed and shut up at night4 ,never1 under any circumstances1 keep any of the pullets you raise1 unless you change your gobbler4 ,don't let two gobblers run with the flock at the same time4 ,if you want to increase your number of birds1 you must either put up inclosures or alternate the gobblers every two days4 ,,ducks ,,and ,,geese ,ducks are so profitable that ,i cannot understand why so few keep them1 unless it is the mistaken idea that they must have a stream or pond in which to swim4 ,it is true that the old-fashioned puddle duck did seem a miserable creature out of water1 but the improved strains are almost as much land birds as chickens are4 ,my stock started with two ducks and a drake which had cost me seven dollars4 ,the first season ,i raised fifty-eight1 sold forty-six1 and kept twelve to stock4 ,they were ready for market when eleven weeks old1 and the lowest price was eighteen cents a pound4 ,ducks must have dry1 comfortable quarters1 but a splendid house for twenty ducks can be made on any farm for a dollar1 or even less4 ,one man who keeps large flocks makes duck houses with hurdles of green boughs for walls and roof1 the outside padded with leaves1 straw1 corn stalks or cedar boughs4 ,each house is six feet by four feet and two and one half feet high1 and accommodates seven ducks and a drake4 ,dry-goods boxes1 costing ten cents at any village store1 can be made comfortable for a small flock4 ,the main point is to keep them dry1 which depends almost more on the care given to the covering of the floor than the wall of the house4 ,good1 dry bedding1 changed at least twice a week1 will keep them warm and happy through the coldest weather4 ,ducks' eggs bring good prices during ,february and ,march4 ,you can easily get them to laying by then1 as it depends principally on feeding4 ,ducks1 like geese or cattle1 must have a good percentage of bulk material and green stuff1 as well as concentrated grain feed4 ,clover hay1 or even mixed hay1 chopped and steamed1 about half a pailful with a pint of coarsely ground corn-meal and the same of bran mixed through it1 is about right4 ,if hay is short1 chop corn stalks small1 and steam4 ,chopped vegetables of all kinds are good1 but pumpkins1 potatoes and beets are fattening2 so1 unless the weather is very cold1 omit the corn when they are fed1 using more bran or screenings in its place4 ,in the summer have the children gather plantain1 dock1 groundsel or any other non-poisonous weeds4 ,have sugar barrels ready1 and pack in the weeds while fresh4 ,get a heavy1 solid board rounded off to fit inside the barrel1 put on top of the green stuff1 and weight down with heavy stones4 ,pad up tight with paper1 sawdust1 straw or any loose material1 and replace the head of the barrel4 ,when snow covers the ground1 such food will increase the eggs from both ducks and chickens4 ,oak leaves1 acorns and pig hickories do not take long to gather in the fall1 and will tone up the appetites of pigs1 chickens and ducks late in ,january1 when they are getting tired of grain feed4 ,illustration ,illustration3 ,,ducks ,,and ,,geese ,imperial ,pekin1 ,rouen and ,indian ,runners have been the best market breeds of ducks for some years past1 and are still splendid fellows1 both for eggs and table1 and their new rivals1 the ,buff ,orpington ducks1 quite equal them as utility birds4 ,ducks make such bad mothers that it is better to hatch their eggs under hens or in incubators4 ,the first few eggs a duck lays each season are seldom fertile4 ,eleven are a full sitting1 and it requires twenty-eight days for their hatching4 ,examine the nest every two or three days after setting the hen1 for bad eggs4 ,a weak germ that dies causes the egg to decompose1 and the odour once smelled can never be forgotten4 ,examine the nest when the hen comes off to feed1 and take away the eggs that are dark and mottled4 ,if you fancy an egg looks wrong1 pick it up and smell it2 that and its sticky touch assure you1 for the egg is porous4 ,if you have been using an incubator to hatch chicks you can test with a proper tester1 and this must be done all the time from the fourth to the fifteenth day4 ,when the hatch is over at the end of the twenty-eighth day1 have ready a box about a foot deep and three feet long1 the top out and one end taken off4 ,place the open end against the coop door1 so making a little run1 with a board floor covered with an inch of dry sand or earth4 ,baby ducks need even more protection from damp than chicks2 therefore1 if the weather is bad1 keep the coop and run under cover1 and if fine1 the shade of a tree is necessary1 for the little fellows can't stand the full sun4 ,after a week the hen can be removed1 but keep them within bounds on short grass1 not letting them out until the dew is gone4 ,for twenty-four hours feed nothing4 ,first week3 ,half a pint of rolled oats1 some cracker or stale bread crumbs1 two hard-boiled eggs chopped fine1 half a cupful of coarse sand just moistened with milk4 ,feed four times a day just what they will eat in ten minutes4 ,second and third weeks3 ,half a pound of ground oats1 the same of wheat bran1 one-fourth of a pint of corn-meal1 the same of coarse sand1 two tablespoonfuls of beef meal1 a pint of finely cut green clover1 rye or cabbage moistened with scalded milk4 ,they must be fed four times a day4 ,fourth to sixth week3 ,boil a quart of hulled oats for an hour1 add a pint of corn-meal1 wheat bran1 half a pint of fine grit1 the same of beef scraps and a quart of clover or any kind of green food4 ,feed four times a day4 ,sixth to tenth week3 ,one quart of corn-meal1 a pint of wheat bran1 a pint of boiled oats1 a pint of beef scraps1 half a pint of grit1 a tablespoonful of charcoal and a pint of clover4 ,feed three times a day4 ,they should be ready to kill the eleventh week4 ,do not let the ducks1 young or old1 get frightened if you can possibly help it4 ,they are nervous things4 ,no matter what you feed1 if they are frightened or made to run daily1 they will not fatten4 ,if you go about them gently they are the easiest things to drive any distance1 for where one goes1 all follow2 hurry them and they will scatter1 and it is good-bye to them for hours4 ,the feed for those to be kept for stock is the same up to three weeks old1 but from that on one quart of ground feed1 one quart of bran1 half a pint of grit and half a pint of beef scraps4 ,mix moist with milk1 water1 sour milk or buttermilk1 and feed night and morning4 ,if on a free range this is all they want4 ,if not1 you must add clover or vegetables1 and feed three times a day4 ,remember always to have fresh1 clean water before them4 ,when ducks are ten or eleven weeks old they should be in condition for market4 ,early green ducks should weigh not more than four and one-half pounds1 while later ducks cannot be too heavy4 ,as a rule early ducks mature very unevenly1 making it necessary to sort them over often4 ,ducks are fit to dress for only a short time4 ,they 8go back10 as it is termed1 for they shed and grow a new lot of feathers1 which takes all the fat and all your profit4 ,hence the importance of turning them into money as soon as possible4 ,in dressing it is most desirable to dry pick4 ,although some still scald1 dry-picked stock sells better than scalded1 especially when the market is dull1 for it can be frozen1 while scalded stock cannot4 ,for dry picking have a box for the feathers4 ,it may be of any size you wish on the ground1 and should be of such depth that the top edge is one or two inches lower than your knee when in a sitting position4 ,to use for cooling the ducks1 saw a coal-oil barrel in two2 use one-half for cooling1 the other half for clear water to put them in after washing4 ,to kill1 catch the feet in the left hand1 and the neck near the breast with the right hand1 then with a swinging motion 7the same as in using an axe71 strike the back of the head against a post with sufficient force to start the blood from the ears4 ,now with a quick motion place the body under your left arm1 catching the back of the head and the top of the bill in the left hand4 ,using a knife with a five-inch blade1 make a cut crosswise at the base of the brain1 then turn the edge to the roof of the mouth1 and slash outward1 being careful not to split the bill4 ,let the blood run for two seconds4 ,sit down4 ,place your knees against the neck just tight enough to keep it in place4 ,if too much pressure is put on1 it will stop the flow of blood and give the flesh a red appearance4 ,hold the feet and wings in the left hand4 ,commence picking at the vent1 then the breast and neck4 ,the feathers are left on half the neck1 and on the wings from the first joint out4 ,pick clean as you go1 for once the duck gets cold1 it will be hard to pick4 ,experts use a shoemaker's knife ground thin1 and strop it the same as a razor1 to shave the pin and small feathers off4 ,after picking1 put them into ice water or cold spring water until the animal heat is gone2 then wash the feet1 and wash all clots of blood from the mouth and throat2 then put into another vessel of water1 which takes all the stains off and gives a nice clean appearance4 ,after they are clean you can put them into a barrel or box with crushed ice1 and if left for twelve to twenty-four hours in this condition they can be shipped a long distance with but little ice4 ,to make dressed ducks show up good it is necessary to take them out of clean water at the finish4 ,the second vessel should have clean water put in as soon as it gets cloudy4 ,when packing for shipment1 use flour or sugar barrels4 ,pack with back down1 putting the head under the wing4 ,pack close1 and leave a space on top for ice4 ,raise the top hoop1 place burlap on top1 drive the hoop on again1 with the burlap under1 and nail firmly4 ,before using1 the barrel should be thoroughly washed4 ,bore two three-fourths-inch holes in the bottom1 to drain4 ,a goose will lay from ten to twenty eggs and then want to sit2 but if you coop her in sight of her companions1 four or five days will suffice to break her up4 ,if she lays a third clutch of eggs1 let her keep them and sit4 ,when the weather is mild1 set five eggs under a hen2 or1 if she is very large1 seven might be risked4 ,it takes from twenty-eight to thirty days for goose eggs to hatch4 ,as the skin is very tough1 it is well to sprinkle a little water around the nest1 and even on the eggs themselves1 during the last two weeks1 especially if the weather is dry and hens are doing the incubating4 ,the youngsters need nothing for the first thirty-six hours4 ,then feed scalded corn-meal--the coarsest kind--and wheat bran1 chopped green clover or young green oats cut fine1 tops of green onions1 lettuce leaves or any tender young greens4 ,if the weather is fine1 put the coop containing ,biddy and her family out on the grass1 making a small yard in front for the first few days1 to prevent their wandering too far away4 ,move the coop and yard to a new place as they eat the grass4 ,like young ducks1 their drinking water must be in a vessel that permits them to put the whole beak into the water1 or they are apt to get the air passages clogged up with soft food1 causing the gosling to smother2 but on no account must they be permitted to get their bodies into the water1 as they chill and cramp so easily4 ,it is much better to buy two- or three-year-old birds from a reliable dealer for stock than obtain eggs for setting and wait for them to develop4 ,after the breeding season is over1 geese and goslings need little grain if on grass land4 ,late in the fall geese do well if turned into the corn stubble or the orchard1 where they will clean up all the windfalls--which does much to stamp out grubs and insects4 ,,pigeons ,,and ,,squabs ,when pigeons are kept for squab-raising it is one of the most profitable ventures in which suburbanites or real country folks can embark4 ,the young are ready for market when four weeks old2 the average wholesale price is three dollars a dozen4 ,private customers will pay forty cents a pair all through the winter months1 and a good pair of mature birds will raise two squabs every four weeks for nine months in the year1 which means that each old pair of birds should provide one and one-half dozen squabs1 which will market for four dollars and fifty cents4 ,the cost of keep is supposed to be fifty cents a year1 but ever allowing one dollar a year1 there should be three dollars and fifty cents clear profit4 ,these estimates are made on good homer pigeons1 well housed and cared for1 not common nondescript birds1 leading a half-wild existence1 with only old-fashioned shelter behind a row of holes high up in the barn1 where the nests are exposed to every storm2 besides which1 the young of mongrel pigeons only weigh five or six ounces when four weeks old1 and are so scrawny and unappetising that they are difficult to market at any price1 whilst homers at the same age weigh from twelve to twenty ounces1 and are white-skinned and plump4 ,the mature homers will cost about two dollars a pair from any of the recognised lofts1 but it is no use buying elsewhere1 for unless birds are mated pairs1 you may have another season wasted4 ,pigeons are faithful creatures and remain in pairs for years1 and if an accident happens to one of them will frequently refuse to mate a second time the same season4 ,young birds which are only paired at the time of sale are likely to object to the mates chosen for them1 and proceed to exercise personal choice when liberated amid a flock of strange birds4 ,so be wise and buy only from reliable experienced breeders4 ,the most convenient house for squab-raising is built like a chicken-coop1 about twelve feet wide1 eight feet high in front1 sloping to six feet at the back1 and any length1 according to the number of birds kept4 ,have plenty of windows in front of the house1 and openings six inches square1 three feet apart1 all along the back of the house about a foot from the roof4 ,run a nine-inch board the entire length of the house as a platform for the birds to alight on as they go in and out1 and it is just as well to have a similar board just under the holes on the inside of the house4 ,put up three or four perches near the front windows1 so that the birds can fly from side to side of the house on wet days for exercise4 ,the number of birds which can be kept in each house can be easiest estimated by the nests4 ,each pair of brooders must be provided with nest-boxes divided into two compartments twelve inches square4 ,they can be arranged in tiers all along the side1 back and front walls1 and from floor to ceiling4 ,put the first tier about eighteen inches above the floor1 as the birds don't seem to like the lower nests4 ,fasten small perches about a foot long to the partition on each box1 for the convenience of the birds as they fly back and forth1 and when feeding their young4 ,before the house is occupied1 it should be thoroughly whitewashed1 the floor covered with sand or ground plaster1 and earthenware dishes known as 8nappies10 which cost one dollar a dozen1 must be put in1 one into each compartment4 ,suspend a bundle of cut hay in one corner of the house1 as some birds like to make their own nests1 though others seem to think that a handful of tobacco-stems1 which it is well to place in each nappy as a check to vermin1 is quite nest enough4 ,drinking-fountains and feeding-boxes into which the birds can only get their beaks are imperative for pigeons1 for they are most particular and will not take defiled food or drink unless positively starved into it4 ,yet if they have open feed and water boxes1 they will scatter the contents all over the floor4 ,there is a galvanised-iron feeding-box costing one dollar on the market which has seven openings1 so that many birds can feed at the same time4 ,water-fountains of the same material are virtually indestructible1 and cost only fifty cents4 ,the yard and fly must of course be entirely closed for pigeons1 and should be four feet higher than the front of the house1 so that the birds can use the roof for a sun-parlour4 ,we use four-by-four joists1 cut into twelve-foot lengths1 for the front of the house1 as they can be nailed to the house and need not be sunk into the ground1 as those at the side and far end must be4 ,the joists for the sides and end are cut into thirteen-and-one-half-foot lengths1 which allows a foot and a half to go into the ground4 ,these measurements allow the use of four-foot netting without any waste4 ,for a house twelve feet long1 ,i think the yard should be at least fifty feet4 ,erect several perches at the far end of the yard1 a platform about two feet wide and four feet long on legs three feet high in the centre of the yard for the bath-tubs to stand on4 ,pigeons must have a bath1 for cleanliness is a necessity2 a pan about two feet square and four inches deep is the best size1 and they can be bought in galvanised iron for one dollar each4 ,red-wheat1 ,kafir-corn1 cracked corn1 ,canadian field-peas1 ,german millet and hemp-seed are all appropriate for pigeons4 ,they should be alternated1 or one or two mixed together4 ,of course1 sometimes one grain is cheaper than another1 or easier to get in certain districts1 but don't use any one grain exclusively4 ,pigeons must have variety4 ,we follow the rations recommended by ,w4 ,e4 ,rice1 a very experienced pigeon-raiser4 ,morning3 ,equal parts of cracked corn1 ,kafir-corn and wheat4 ,evening3 ,cracked corn and ,canadian peas4 ,these regular meals are put into the feed-boxes in quantity sufficient to insure the birds having a constant supply4 ,treats which we feed at odd times1 such as millet1 hemp and rice1 are thrown on the ground1 for1 as they are only fed in comparatively small quantities1 they are eaten up at once1 and so there is no danger of their being soiled4 ,remember always to buy red1 not white1 wheat1 for the latter is very apt to cause diarrhea4 ,once a week we give them a meal of stale bread which has been steeped in skim-milk and squeezed almost dry again1 for we have lots of skim-milk1 and the bread we get from a baker in the town for twenty-five cents a barrel4 ,freight costs another twenty-five cents1 but even at fifty cents a barrel we find it an economical feed when there are a lot of squabs to be fattened for the market4 ,the parent birds take all the trouble and responsibility of feeding and raising the young right up to the time they are ready for market4 ,the hen-bird lays two eggs1 with one day intervening1 which take eighteen days to incubate4 ,after the eggs are hatched1 both birds devote their entire energies to feeding the youngsters for about two weeks1 for both have the power to secrete the predigested substance often called pigeon's milk1 on which nestlings are exclusively fed for the first few days4 ,at the end of two weeks the hen has usually laid two more eggs in the second nest1 so that by the time the squabs in the first nest are ready for market1 the second eggs are ready to hatch4 ,it is this double family which necessitates two nests for each pair of birds4 ,cleanliness is even more imperative in the pigeon-house than in the hen-house4 ,never neglect to scald out the earthenware nest1 and whitewash the compartment it stands in1 every time squabs are removed for market1 for it is only by such rigid system that the place can be kept in a sanitary condition4 ,pigeons must have shell1 salt and charcoal to be healthy1 so there should be a self-feeder with three compartments in each house4 ,when ordering1 specify that the oyster-shell is for pigeons1 as it is to be broken up smaller than for the hens4 ,the rock salt and charcoal should be ground to about the size of rice4 ,during the heavy breeding season we crush most of the grain1 and always peas1 for when the parent birds are rushed for time between their two nests they are very liable to pick up whole grain and feed to the young birds before they are able to digest it4 ,until we discovered this carelessness1 we often had a dead squab in the nest4 ,the feed-boxes can be kept filled up1 as pigeons never overeat1 and must have access to food at all times when they have young ones to feed4 ,if you start with a few pairs of birds1 the best way to increase the number is to sell the squabs1 and use the money to buy mature birds1 for it takes pigeons six months to reach maturity1 and it is necessary to have two extra houses in which to keep the growing birds1 as they should not be allowed to remain in the regular brood-pen4 ,if1 however1 you have specially-mated birds and desire to raise their progeny1 you must watch the nests1 and as soon as the young ones get out on the floor 7the old ones generally push them out when the eggs in the second nest hatch71 they can fend for themselves1 and should be removed to a nursery-house1 where all feed must be cracked to the size of rice for several weeks4 ,when one desires to build up size and good points1 it is necessary to have two nursery-houses1 and so be in a position to select the best birds from different parentage to mate4 ,to illustrate3 ,the nestlings from one side of the house should go into ,nursery ,no4 #a1 nestlings from the other side into ,nursery ,no4 #b4 ,our nurseries are only seven by ten feet1 so we never have more than twenty birds in each1 and they can be taken within a few days of each other1 in this way making very little difference in age when it comes to mating-time4 ,when the younger ones in the nurseries are between six and seven months old1 we take a bird from each and put them into a mating-cage1 which is really a coop1 four feet long1 two and one-half feet deep and two feet high1 which is fastened up in a corner of the feed-house4 ,the coop is divided into two compartments by a wire-netting door4 ,a bird is put into each compartment4 ,if they are male and female1 they will commence within a week or two to coo and talk to each other through the wire1 at which time the compartment is fastened up to the top of the cage1 and they are allowed to have the run of the coop for three or four days1 after which they are put into a regular breeding-house1 where they will soon take possession of the nest4 ,if1 however1 the birds chosen simply ignore each other after they are put into the mating-cage1 one of them is removed to another cage1 and two more birds are taken from the nursery-house and put into the two compartments4 ,in this way we go through the nests until we have them all paired4 ,,poultry ,,ailments ,only in rare instances does poultry require doctoring1 yet it is well to be prepared with sufficient knowledge to recognise the symptoms of approaching trouble4 ,a few small coops should be kept in some dry1 sheltered outhouse1 to be used as quarantine quarters4 ,empty dry-goods boxes turned on their sides1 with half the front boarded across and a door of wire netting to close the other half1 make good coops for individual patients4 ,they should be covered all around1 sides and top and bottom1 with roofing-paper1 to insure freedom from draft4 ,the boxes may be any size1 but ,i like them about eighteen inches wide and high1 and about two and a half feet long4 ,to avoid dampness1 and for convenience in attending to the birds1 it is well to elevate them on legs or stand them on a shelf or bench4 ,before using1 or whenever they are vacated1 they should be disinfected and the inside thoroughly painted with whitewash4 ,the enamelled cups without handles can be attached to the side of the coop by wire loops4 ,the most dreaded visitor on a poultry-farm is roup1 for it not only affects the bird during the period of immediate illness1 but it leaves behind it all sorts of constitutional weaknesses to the bird's progeny4 ,every poultry-keeper should cultivate the habit of scrutinising his or her flock at feed-times4 ,a suspicious-looking bird should be caught and removed to quarantine quarters immediately4 ,the symptoms of cold1 influenza1 canker1 diphtheria and roup are in the earlier stages almost identical--watery eyes1 sneezing1 discharge from the nostrils or the nostrils being stuffed up 7the nostrils are the two small holes at the base of the bill74 ,when the bird is noticed to have any one of these symptoms1 open the bill and look down the throat4 ,should there be no signs of trouble1 you may be sure that there is nothing but an ordinary cold to fight1 which a few days in hospital will cure4 ,give light and easily digested food1 such as stale bread soaked in scalded milk and squeezed almost dry or corn-meal which has been well steamed4 ,put ten drops of spirits of camphor on a lump of sugar1 then dissolve the sugar in a half-pint of water and use in the drinking-cup4 ,if1 however1 examination reveals yellow spots on the mouth or in the throat1 or a thick slimy discharge from the eyes and nostrils1 it is a serious case of catarrh or roupy cold1 which may1 if neglected1 develop into malignant roup4 ,throughout the entire range of cold and roupy diseases there is no special odour until malignant roup is positively developed4 ,then there is a most offensive and unmistakable odour4 ,treat all diseases which overstep a common cold as roup1 and you will err on the side of safety4 ,in the last and most malignant stages of roup1 the face and eyes or head are very likely to be severely swollen1 and if things have progressed to such a condition1 before the bird has been removed from the flock1 it is well to take the precaution of disinfecting the drinking and feeding dishes and generally clean up the poultry-house1 and add a disinfectant to the drinking-water for a few days4 ,permanganate of potassium is what ,i generally use1 because it is cheap and most effective as a germ-killer4 ,dissolve one teaspoonful in a quart of warm water1 and you will have such a strong solution that for all ordinary uses can be diluted again at the rate of one teaspoonful to five of water4 ,treatment for roup3 ,first wash off any discharge which may have accumulated around the eyes and bill with warm water and permanganate2 then fill an atomiser with diluted permanganate solution and thoroughly spray the throat and nostrils4 ,repeat night and morning1 as long as there seems any necessity4 ,keep the light diet as recommended for common cold4 ,indigestion and intermediate stages up to acute gastritis and liver complaint1 all spring from the same causes1 and will succumb to the same remedies1 so we will consider them connectedly4 ,they are caused by indiscreet or excessive feeding2 mash which has been allowed to become sour2 an excess of bread1 potatoes or fat in table-scraps fed to the birds2 lack of corn1 vegetables or sharp grit2 condition powders1 egg-foods1 and such condiments1 if given frequently1 will affect the digestive organs and bring on indigestion4 ,at first the sufferer looks mopey and stupid2 the comb is pale4 ,at this stage a few days in hospital and a dose of magnesia and reformation in diet will work a cure4 ,put about a third of a teaspoonful of sulphate of magnesia in a cup of drinking-water4 ,feed a mash composed of three parts finely-cut clover-hay1 which has been thoroughly steamed1 and one part each of coarsely-ground corn and oats4 ,if you haven't clover-hay1 use wheat-bran instead2 chopped apple1 lettuce or any greens should be the mid-day meal4 ,put a small pan of sharp grit into the coop4 ,advance symptoms are watery1 yellowish droppings and thirst1 and the comb becoming fiery red1 which may gradually darken to crimson as the bird's condition becomes worse4 ,administer a teaspoonful of castor-oil2 feed sparingly on mash1 which at this stage should consist of boiled rice1 scalded bread and milk or cottage-cheese4 ,if the dysentery is very severe1 fill up a drinking-vessel with the water in which the rice was boiled4 ,after eight hours of such diet1 add twenty-five drops of tincture of nux vomica to half a pint of rice-water4 ,continue with light1 nourishing food for about a week4 ,in the fall fowls are frequently given free range1 before the corn and other crops are harvested1 and with the result that they gorge themselves with new corn1 which is very liable to heat and swell4 ,in the summer people are very likely to cut grass and throw it in to yarded hens1 who will eat it greedily1 but it invariably causes trouble1 being in long lengths4 ,lawn-clippings1 which are not over an inch in length1 are quite safe and1 of course1 supply the required green food which they specially crave in hot weather4 ,when the bird is seen to have an unusually large crop and shows signs of distress1 catch it and hold by the feet1 head downward1 then gently work the crop so as to push a little of the contents into the throat and out through the beak4 ,even if only a few grains can be ejected in this way1 it will help the strained condition of the crop and ease the bird's sufferings4 ,administer a dose of castor or sweet oil4 ,occasionally an obstinate case can't be helped by simple means1 and then surgery has to be resorted to4 ,tie the feet together and the wings close to the body with a broad strip of muslin1 place the bird on its side on the table1 calling in assistance to hold it still1 and with a sharp pocket-knife make a small slit1 first in the outer skin1 pulling one side slightly outward1 then making an insertion in the crop itself4 ,carefully remove the contents4 ,you need not be at all nervous about the operation1 which is quite painless4 ,after the crop is emptied1 take a moderately fine needle threaded with a fine sewing-silk4 ,take two or three stitches in the crop and cut off the thread1 pull the edges of the outer skin together and fasten with two or three stitches4 ,of course1 under no circumstances must the crop and the outer skin be fastened together in stitching4 ,keep the bird on very meagre rations for a week or ten days4 ,the most common ailment of infant chickenhood is bowel trouble1 and one should be on the watch for the the first signs1 all through the hatching season1 as a few hours means much to frail baby life4 ,a chill1 dampness1 improper food or dirty drinking-water are the usual causes4 ,should any laxity be noticed in the droppings1 remove the drinking-water and substitute either milk which has been scalded and allowed to cool or rice-water1 according to the symptoms4 ,feed boiled rice at least once a day4 ,if the chicks are in a brooder1 set the temperature a little higher than under ordinary circumstances4 ,if they are with a hen1 keep her confined to the brood-coop1 to insure the chicks being able to nestle to her4 ,gapes is the second scourge of chick-life4 ,gapes is not truly a disease1 but the effect of a parasite worm1 which is supposed only to materialise on ground in which poultry-droppings have been deposited for several seasons4 ,a gapeworm is only about five sixteenths of an inch in length and no thicker than a fine thread4 ,once introduced into the bird's throat it fastens there and sucks the blood of its victim1 and1 of course1 a little chick has not the strength to eject it1 no matter how much it may cough or gape4 ,they multiply very quickly4 ,some of the remedies are as follows3 ,dip the end of a small wing feather in turpentine1 push it down the bird's throat1 turn two or three times quickly and pull out4 ,the worm may come with it4 ,another is to mix salt and water or steep tobacco in water for ten minutes2 pour a tablespoonful down the bird's throat1 keeping the head up1 and the two holes at the base of the bill covered with your thumb and forefinger whilst you count five4 ,release and suddenly turn the bird upside down1 holding by the feet4 ,it will gasp1 splutter and usually eject the worm4 ,to exterminate the pests1 have the ground1 on which the birds have been cooped and yarded1 sprinkled with quicklime 7keeping the birds safely cooped1 so that they cannot get into or eat the lime74 ,let it lie overnight and then plough under4 ,if such treatment is impossible1 remove all the young stock to some other part of the farm4 ,mature birds have the strength to eject the worms4 ,,the ,,vegetable ,,garden ,it is advisable to plan the garden on paper and make out seed lists early in the spring1 to save time later4 ,every family will1 of course1 have specially preferred vegetables to take precedence over others1 so individual taste alone can determine the allotted space for each variety4 ,our selection and plan was made with due regard for table pickles and preserves1 all of which were bountifully supplied4 ,therefore1 if your discrimination on such subjects is too undeveloped as yet to be trusted1 accept our experience this year1 and then you will know how to reconstruct it for your personal needs4 ,when planning out on paper1 the second crop should be considered as well as the spring sowings4 ,one of the advantages of sending for seeds early is that you are sure to get the varieties selected1 whereas later in the season 8the best0 is frequently sold out4 ,when choosing a site1 remember that a slight slope to the south or southeast is desirable4 ,size must depend very much on whether you intend having a separate berry patch or not4 ,a hundred feet by seventy-five feet will supply an average small family with vegetables for the table1 excepting winter potatoes1 which should be a field crop4 ,protection from the northeast storms should be provided4 ,cedar or privet is the ideal hedge for such purposes1 but it takes money and time2 so1 while it is developing1 resort to the serviceable hurdle fence made of brush4 ,if the weather is fine1 the last two weeks of ,march should see the patch of ground intended for the vegetable garden ploughed and harrowed4 ,have well-rotted stable manure scattered over the surface before ploughing1 which should be deep at first4 ,after two or three days' airing1 plough again1 running the furrows crosswise2 then harrow and roll and harrow again1 until every clod is broken up4 ,thorough preparation of the soil should never be shirked1 for it is more than half the battle4 ,let me caution you not to have the ploughing done if the ground be wet4 ,much of the disappointment which city people experience arises from the natural desire of the amateur to get to work4 ,earth ploughed1 dug or hoed when wet or soggy will bake and crust all summer4 ,the right consistency can be ascertained by picking up a handful and squeezing it4 ,if it remains a solid lump it is too wet1 but when it presses together easily1 and as readily falls apart when released1 it is in just the right condition to work1 will turn a clean furrow and will readily crumble under the harrow4 ,sod ground is desirable for potatoes1 so if there is a strip of grass land which needs renewal1 have it well ploughed1 harrowed1 and marked off in rows eighteen inches apart1 for the winter crop4 ,illustration3 ,a ,,corner ,,of ,,the ,,vegetable ,,garden ,almost every old farmer has a theory about the way and size to cut potatoes for planting4 ,after listening to and trying several methods1 we have come to the conclusion that cutting large tubers in four1 and small ones through the centre lengthwise1 is much better than dissecting carefully to separate every eye1 and then using two pieces when planting1 especially as the innumerable experiments made at the agricultural stations have revealed the fact that eyes gather nutriment for sustenance and growth from the potato itself1 until the sprouts develop stems that form joints1 at which point rootlets start1 proving beyond doubt that1 unless the piece of potato planted is large enough adequately to feed the eye or eyes it may contain1 the root growth1 which is required to furnish the subsequent tubers with food1 must be weakened4 ,we plant one quarter potato to every foot in the row1 and cover from four to five inches deep1 selecting ground which has been heavily manured the year before1 and scattering wood ashes on the surface after the seeds have been covered4 ,failing this source1 commercial fertiliser specially prepared for potatoes must be bought4 ,thorough cultivation is necessary to insure a good crop4 ,soon--say seven or eight days after planting--run the harrow over the field1 to kill the embryo weeds and level the surface4 ,as soon as the plants show1 cultivate again1 but of course only between the rows1 and with an ordinary cultivator4 ,repeat at frequent intervals4 ,it is estimated that it takes fifteen bushels of potatoes after they have been cut into quarters1 to plant an acre1 which should return one hundred and thirty bushels of salable potatoes1 by which is meant large and medium sized potatoes1 small ones not entering into the calculation4 ,there will be in all probability about thirty bushels of these dwarfs1 which are excellent fattening food for poultry and pigs when cooked and mashed up4 ,the space intended for carrots requires extremely good cultivation1 for the soil must be thoroughly pulverised4 ,tie the seeds in a piece of cheese cloth1 steep in water for twelve hours1 then hang up in a warm room to drip and dry sufficiently to prevent their sticking together when being planted4 ,another aid we furnish these delicate seedlings is to drop a radish seed every six inches1 because they germinate quickly and throw a strong seed leaf1 which breaks the crust over the row and allows the fragile carrot sprout free access4 ,allow two feet from the last row of potatoes1 stretch the line1 and with a pointed stick draw a shallow drill in which to scatter the carrot seed4 ,covering must not be more than a fourth of an inch2 press down firmly4 ,between each two rows of carrots allow one foot4 ,steep and use only half the seed at first1 planting the remainder twenty days later4 ,with good ground and cultivation you should have carrots late in ,june4 ,a thirty-inch space must divide the carrots from the beets4 ,prepare the ground as before1 but make the drill a full inch deep1 dropping the seed half an inch apart1 the rows two feet apart4 ,these should be ready for use the first week in ,june4 ,keep half the seed for late planting4 ,early turnips can start another two feet along4 ,drill half an inch deep1 the rows one foot apart4 8,first of ,all0 peas are semi-dwarf1 but yield much better if given some support4 ,we plant every two rows seven inches apart1 in a drill one inch deep1 and when the peas are two inches high we stick brush between the rows1 so making a hedge of vine when developed4 ,twin rows should be two feet apart4 ,for onion sets1 make drills an inch and a half deep1 placing the sets upright and from four to six inches apart4 ,firm the earth all around1 and the fourth of an inch over them4 ,these will furnish early onions for cooking4 ,for onion seed the soil cannot be too carefully prepared1 for1 like carrots1 they are long in germinating and extremely fragile4 ,a few radish seeds can again be used as pioneers4 ,instead of commercial fertiliser1 the poultry droppings are used for onions1 being reduced to a powder by grinding in an old chopping machine4 ,sprinkle freely1 within one inch of the centre of the row1 and from three to four inches each side of it4 ,unless rain falls within a few days1 water very thoroughly with a sprinkler4 ,hen droppings seem especially desirable for all bulbs and tubers4 ,lettuce seed requires well-enriched soil2 drill one-fourth of an inch deep1 the rows one foot apart4 ,from the time seeds are put into the ground1 cultivation must be continual1 raking between rows being frequent enough to destroy embryo weeds4 ,ten minutes' light work with a rake before weeds develop will save hours of hard labour with a hoe4 ,cultivation is required1 not only to destroy weeds1 but to supply air1 and encourage all the moisture from the subsoil to travel upward1 so nourishing the plant roots as they develop1 and preventing the soil from baking4 ,not cultivating the ground around plants is as injurious to their health as shutting a child in an unventilated room4 ,lettuce1 cabbage and cauliflower plants should now be planted out4 ,prepare the rows as for seed1 and with the pointed stick used for marking the rows1 make holes directly under the line--nine inches apart for lettuce1 one foot for cabbage and cauliflower4 ,put a little water into the hole1 pack the earth around the root and stem1 water copiously1 then draw dry earth up over the wet surface1 to prevent the moisture from evaporating or a crust forming4 ,to promote root growth1 cut off half the length of the outer leaves with a pair of sharp scissors4 ,if possible1 provide some protection until the plants are established4 ,tomatoes1 peppers and eggplants should be bedded out about the twentieth of ,may4 ,tomatoes and eggplants stand two and one-half feet apart1 each one in ground very heavily enriched to a depth of three feet and a circumference of two feet4 ,pursue the same method of planting as for cabbage1 except that instead of cutting the leaves across1 nip out the two heart leaves of each plant4 ,checking top growth makes the plant branch and form a stocky bush instead of a spindly top growth that will break under the weight of fruit when it forms4 ,if the 8home0 is to be an ideal haven of rest it must be pretty4 ,economy may prohibit buying plants for the flower garden1 but the exercise of a little fore-thought will enable you to have a lovely display of flowers all through the summer at a nominal cost4 ,procure some shallow boxes from your grocer4 ,they should not be more than three inches deep1 and about eighteen inches long and one foot wide4 ,if it is not possible to get what you want1 saw a six or seven inch box in half1 using the lid as a bottom for the second box4 ,have the mould thoroughly pulverised before sowing1 and prepare an extra quantity to use for covering the seeds4 ,this ,i do by half filling a rather fine colander and shaking it over the box until there is an even layer over the seeds4 ,the average small flower seed should not have more than the fourth of an inch over it4 ,a board that will fit inside the box should be pressed down hard1 to insure the seeds being firmly embedded in the mould4 ,otherwise the air gets around them and dries up and kills the first frail germs of life4 ,after planting and patting down1 sprinkle lightly1 and stand the boxes in a south or southwest window in a living room where the temperature averages sixty degrees4 ,the boxes must be watched for what is called 8damping off40 ,it can easily be detected by the sickly appearance of the seedlings1 followed by a shrivelling or burning of the stem close to the earth4 ,the moment the danger signal is noticed1 prick out into fresh boxes of corresponding size or a trifle deeper4 ,the seedlings need not be planted more than half an inch apart4 ,prepare the mould in the boxes the same as you did for the seeds1 pat down1 and with a toothpick make the holes in which the baby plants are to be put1 firming the earth around them gently with the forefinger of each hand4 ,should no suggestion of debility appear among the seedlings1 still prick out into fresh boxes when the second leaves unfold4 8,bovee0 potatoes1 for early garden crop #a peck1 #j4ge ,carrots1 8,oxheart0 #a ounce1 4#aj ,cauliflower1 8,early ,snowball0 #a packet1 4#be ,celery #a packet1 4#aj ,beets #b ounces1 4#bj ,brussels sprouts #a packet1 4#aj ,cabbage1 8,jersey ,wakefield0 #a packet1 4#ae ,cabbage1 8,autumn ,king0 #a packet1 4#ae ,kale1 8,dwarf ,green0 #a ounce1 4#aj ,lettuce1 8,boston ,market0 #a ounce1 4#ae ,peas1 8,first of ,all0 #a pint1 4#ae ,peas1 8,petit ,paris0 pint1 4#aj ,peas1 8,champion of ,england0 #a quart1 4#cj ,turnips1 8,early ,flat ,dutch0 #a packet1 4#je ,turnips1 8,purple ,top ,aberdeen0 #a packet1 4#je ,turnips1 8,rutabaga0 #a packet1 4#aj ,white onion sets #a quart1 4#be ,red onion sets #a quart1 4#be ,onion seed1 8,prizetaker0 #a ounce1 4#bj ,cucumber1 8,white ,spine0 #a packet1 4#aj ,eggplant1 8,new ,york ,spineless0 #a packet1 4#aj ,tomato1 8,crimson ,cushion0 #a packet1 4#aj ,pepper1 8,ruby ,king0 #a packet1 4#aj ,muskmelon1 8,delmonico0 #a packet1 4#aj ,squash1 8,long ,island0 7summer7 #a packet1 4#aj ,squash1 8,gregory0 7winter7 #a packet1 4#aj ,green bush bean1 8,the ,longfellow0 #a packet1 4#aj ,pole lima bean1 8,leviathan0 #a packet1 4#aj ,okra1 8,long ,green0 #a packet1 4#je ,radish1 8,scarlet ,turnip0 #a ounce1 4#aj ,corn1 8,country ,gentleman0 #a packet1 4#ae ,herbs--parsley1 sage1 summer savory1 thyme1 marjoram1 aniseed1 wormwood1 saffron1 tansy #a packet each1 4#dj ----- ,total cost #d4ie ,,the ,,hotbed ,the outer shells of hotbed and cold-frame are identical1 and can be made by any handy man4 ,as all sashes are made in one size--namely1 six by three--the boxes must correspond2 to insure water running off and all the power of the sun being utilised1 they must slope lengthways1 the top end of a box being three or four inches higher than the bottom4 ,the ordinary box or bed frame is made six feet long1 three feet wide and fifteen inches high at the top end1 sloping to twelve at the foot1 and stands on the surface of the ground1 but the plan we have adopted after several years' experience is to dig a pit three feet deep1 six feet two inches long and three feet two inches wide1 and build the box twenty inches high at the top end1 sloping to seventeen inches at the foot1 and of course six feet long and three feet wide1 which allows it to stand inside the dugout and five inches below the surface of the surrounding ground1 so effectually preventing any cold air creeping in around the bottom4 ,we use sound boards two inches thick for sides and ends and two-by-two studding for corner stays4 ,very well-made boxes and sashes1 which fit exactly1 are sold by several of the greenhouse builders for about eight dollars4 ,they are shipped knock-down to save express charges1 but they are ready to bolt together4 ,they come in the ordinary six-by-three size1 for single beds1 or in groups of from three to five1 with light partitions for the sashes to rest upon4 ,the five-section bed costs about twelve dollars1 but will need five sashes1 amounting to fifteen dollars1 and the partitions1 which ,i think are about one dollar a piece4 ,for convenience in bad weather1 it is well to have the beds near the house1 and1 when possible1 sheltered from the north and facing the south4 ,fresh horse manure constitutes the heating power in a hotbed4 ,we use solid droppings and dry leaves1 about half and half4 ,it is ripened in the manure-shed by being made into a heap about three feet high and three feet wide1 thoroughly sprinkled with liquid manure4 ,it is allowed to stand some weeks after mixing1 then twice forked over1 two weeks intervening4 ,all the droppings should be well broken up and mixed with the leaves1 and the entire mass repiled between each forking4 ,after the ripening process has been accomplished1 it must be packed into the bottom of the hotbed to the depth of two and a half feet4 ,it should be smoothly laid and well tramped into place4 ,put in the sash1 and within a few days the heat will rise to a hundred degrees or over4 ,lift the sash slightly at one end1 and wait until the temperature falls to about eighty-five degrees1 then place about six inches of rich1 fibrous soil over the top4 ,we manufacture our potting-mould several months before it is required1 by taking the old heating material from spent beds and mixing it with an equal amount of soil from sod land and about one-third the quantity of clean1 sharp sand4 ,after thorough mixing1 it is piled in a large heap and left exposed to the weather until required1 or until late in the fall1 when it is put into a shed and kept dry to prevent freezing1 as potting-mould and covering for fresh hotbeds is often needed in the early spring4 ,just before using1 it is passed through a sieve to remove all lumps4 ,the first year1 when there is no old bed to empty1 good top-dressing or potting-mould can be made by cutting deep sods1 shaking the earth from the roots and mixing it with an equal amount of old1 well-rotted cow manure and about one quarter the amount of clean sand4 ,it is imperative to prepare all such things in the fall4 ,the outside of a hotbed should be banked up with rough stable manure and the sash covered at night with mats and shutters in extreme cold weather4 ,old carpet or bags made of burlap and filled with cut hay will cost nothing except time and answer quite well4 ,we use pads1 for which all sorts of old clothes are utilised4 ,then unbleached sheets large enough to cover the sash1 side and ends1 and reach well onto the ground1 are used4 ,the sheets are given two coats of oil1 and so are impervious to rain or snow1 and we think better than wooden shutters4 ,suppose you want to make your first venture with winter salads1 the first gathering for ,thanksgiving1 and from then on until spring4 ,start one bed the first week in ,october1 sow three rows of lettuce seed five inches apart1 sowing three different varieties1 ,tennis-,ball1 ,boston ,market and ,big ,boston2 two rows of curly cress 7peppergrass7 the same distance apart1 and five days later1 two rows of white mustard4 ,eight or ten days later1 prepare a second bed1 so that the heat may have risen and decreased to about seventy-five by the time lettuce is large enough to transplant--about three weeks from the sowing of the seed4 ,set out the seedlings eight inches apart each way in the new bed1 and sow radish seed between the rows4 ,if you have enough frames1 plant the three different varieties of lettuce in different beds4 ,they will mature in the rotation named4 ,between the rows of the ,boston ,market and the ,big ,boston1 onion seeds may be sown4 ,when selecting lettuce to transplant1 choose the strong seedlings and from different parts of the rows1 so that when the surplus plants are thinned out1 the rest will be left to grow undisturbed4 ,the mustard and cress will be ready to cut in from seven to ten days after the mustard is sown4 ,cut the cress with a pair of scissors a little above the soil and it will spring again and again4 ,mustard must be sowed after each gathering1 but as it only takes half the time to develop1 it will be ready when the second crop of cress is4 ,mustard should be allowed to grow more than an inch and a half above the ground4 ,one important thing to remember in running a succession of hotbed crops1 is that the heating power of manure only lasts about seven weeks4 ,beans1 beets and ,swiss chard1 and such hardy things1 which require two months or more to mature1 do not suffer through the decrease of heat1 in fact1 will do just as well1 or better1 in a spent hotbed or cold-frame1 which is just a hotbed without any heating material4 ,but if very cold weather sets in1 bank up heavily around the sides and ends with fresh manure1 to keep the cold from penetrating the bed-box1 and using extra heavy mats over the sash at night4 ,eggplant1 tomatoes and peppers should be started the last week in ,february1 and celery1 cabbage1 cauliflower and ,brussels sprouts about the first of ,march4 ,one bed should be devoted to onion seed 7sown at the end of ,february71 and seedlings can be pricked out into another bed or cold-frame when about two inches high1 and will be strong bulbs to plant out in the garden in ,april4 ,cucumbers1 muskmelons and squash can all be started on sods in a hotbed1 early in ,april1 and will be sturdy plants by ,may #bjth4 ,,how ,,to ,,grow ,,asparagus ,why every garden has not an asparagus-bed is an unfathomable mystery to me4 ,it is universally liked2 even epicures consider it a delicacy4 ,it is ready for table use in very early spring1 when everyone craves fresh vegetables1 and it is as easy to grow as any other vegetable after it is once established4 ,probably the last word explains the mystery4 ,it takes three years to establish1 or1 rather1 to bring it to the profitable stage4 ,a light crop can be gathered the second season1 so the home table profits almost as quickly as in the case of artichokes or strawberries4 ,whatever the cause1 the fact remains that an asparagus-bed is rarely found on a farm4 ,yet the pecuniary advantages to be reaped from asparagus-growing are sufficient to satisfy the most ambitious gardener4 ,three years after our first bed from seed was started we sold three hundred and fifty-four bunches at an average of forty cents a bunch4 ,early in the season we got fifty cents1 toward the end of the season some were sold for thirty-five cents4 ,since then the annual returns have never dropped below two hundred and eighty-six dollars4 ,manuring and cultivating cost approximately twelve dollars a year4 ,the bed occupied about a quarter of an acre of ground4 ,having a number of egg customers1 we sell direct and so get the full price1 but even wholesale prices range from fifteen to twelve cents4 ,there are two ways of starting beds1 sowing seed or setting out plants4 ,one-year-old plants will cost from sixty cents to a dollar a hundred4 ,planted in ,april and well cared for1 they will provide several dishes for the home table the following spring and nearly a full crop the second spring4 ,seed sowed at the same time will take a year longer1 but after that will give a larger yield than the transplanted plants and1 as asparagus-beds are productive for fifteen or twenty years1 the one-year loss in the beginning is an economy4 ,but it is well to set out a few plants1 simply because in the country one cannot get ,southern vegetables1 which come into the city early in the spring1 and1 therefore1 should try to have a home supply as quickly as possible4 ,in selecting ground for an asparagus-bed1 it must be remembered that it is a permanent crop1 and cannot be transplanted after it is established4 ,it will grow on any ordinary garden soil which is well drained1 but1 when possible1 heavy subsoil with light sand or loam above it should be selected1 as it will invariably produce an earlier crop each year than heavy ground4 ,the soil should slope to the south or southwest1 and a shelter from the northeast is also desirable4 ,for our large market bed we used land that had been under cultivation for two years4 ,the preceding crops had been corn1 oats and potatoes1 so it had been thoroughly worked4 ,after the potatoes were harvested in the fall1 the field was ploughed1 and barn-yard manure scattered broadcast over it4 ,early the following spring the ground was again ploughed1 to turn in the manure1 and harrowed each way to thoroughly break up and pulverise the soil4 ,should you be compelled to use ground that has not been worked previously1 and is of a heavy1 damp character1 it would be well to plough as early as possible in summer1 if necessary1 using a subsoil plough1 to break the ground to a depth of fifteen or sixteen inches4 ,harrow to smooth the surface1 and repeat the harrowing about every three weeks until ,october1 when it should be ploughed again to the depth of six or seven inches1 manured and left until spring4 ,after the spring harrowing the rows must be marked out five feet apart and running from north to south4 ,use the plough back and forth in the same furrow to make a wide trench1 which should be six or seven inches deep and about a foot wide4 ,if much of the soil falls back into the trench1 remove it with a spade or broad hoe1 then plant seed about three inches apart4 ,keep the rows free from weeds all through the season and the ground loose around the plants4 ,it is desirable to utilise the space between the rows1 as it insures the ground being well cultivated4 ,each space will accommodate two rows of carrots1 onions or lettuce1 or one row of cabbage4 ,in the fall1 when the tops of the asparagus begin to die1 they must be cut off and burned4 ,the following spring the ground between the rows should be manured and ploughed1 or spaded if the place is an inclosed garden and a plough cannot be used4 ,strong roots may throw very good-sized sprouts1 but don't be tempted to gather them1 for their removal will stimulate the plant to throw up more stalks than its age warrants1 and the result will be either death or a weakly1 unprofitable existence for several seasons4 ,not more than one row of carrots or onions should be grown between the rows the second season1 and1 unless space is of great value1 it is as well not to use it at all4 ,cultivation must be kept up all through the growing season1 to destroy weeds and keep the ground in condition4 ,many amateurs have an idea that hoeing or cultivating of any sort is solely to destroy weeds1 which is a great mistake4 ,stirring the surface soil breaks the crust1 and the powdered earth forms a mulch which keeps the lower soil moist1 a condition which liberates the mineral qualities which constitute plant-food4 ,the second spring after sowing seed a light crop of stalks may be gathered1 say two or three from each hill1 but not more4 ,then allow the stalks to grow and feather out until they assume their full fern-like form4 ,in ,june apply a moderate quantity of barn-yard manure between the rows if the ground is not being used4 ,if it is occupied by a crop1 use commercial fertiliser composed of equal parts of nitrate of soda1 sulphate of potash and wood-ashes4 ,scatter each side of whatever vegetable occupies the space between the rows and work the fertiliser well into the soil4 ,in ,august1 when the crop is harvested1 apply a moderately heavy dressing of well-rotted barn-yard manure4 ,late in ,october cut down stalks and burn1 as the year before2 then plough or spade between the rows4 ,the third spring will bring the bed to a profitable state1 though it will not reach its full yearly capacity for another year4 ,use the one-horse cultivator or hoe between the rows as early as the ground can be worked4 ,draw the earth slightly from the roots at first1 to permit the sun to warm the ground around the roots and awaken the plant to life4 ,a week or so later1 if white asparagus is desired1 the soil must be again drawn up over the plants and each row hilled up so as to bleach the sprouts4 ,the operation will need repeating about once a week all through the cutting season1 which should not last more than three weeks on so young a bed1 though in future years it may be kept up six or even eight weeks4 ,after the cutting season throw down the ridges made by the hilling-up and apply either barn-yard manure or commercial fertiliser1 repeating the application about ,july #ast4 ,if green asparagus is desired1 the only difference in treatment consists in omitting the hilling-up4 ,after the third year care of the bed consists of manuring and cultivating4 ,we have found it best to use barn-yard manure and commercial fertiliser alternately4 ,sowing the seed in trenches or deep furrows is done to insure the crowns being three or four inches below the surface when they have developed considerable growth1 which would not be the case if they were sown on the level ground to commence with4 ,like its cousin1 the lily of the valley1 asparagus sends out roots and stalks from a heart or crown1 which must be underground where it is moist and dark4 ,asparagus may be canned like any other vegetable for winter use2 pack1 cut ends down1 in glass jars1 fill jars with cold water1 put the lids on loosely1 stand in hot water1 boil three hours1 fill the jars to the brim with boiling water and screw lids down tight4 ,if you consider that raising from seed is beyond your patience1 buy plants from a reliable grower4 ,most nurserymen's catalogues quote one and two year plants1 but the experienced are unanimous in preferring strong one-year-old plants1 affirming that they stand being transplanted better than the older ones4 ,the ground must be prepared as for seed4 ,when the plants arrive1 put them into water for twelve or twenty-four hours to soften4 ,set the plants two feet apart in trenches1 being careful to have the crowns right side up4 ,if you hold up a plant in your hand you will notice that the thick fleshy roots all proceed from the heart1 or crown1 as it is called1 and droop downward1 and that on the other side of the crown there are what look like small rootlets4 ,these are really the dry stalks from the preceding season and buds of the coming season1 and are often mistaken for roots and placed downward in the trenches instead of upward1 which of course they should be4 ,the proper way to plant is to make a small mound at the bottom of the trench--about two handfuls of soil--and spread out the roots1 and place the crown on the mound of earth in such a way that the roots envelope it4 ,press them firmly into place1 and cover until the crown is about two inches below the soil4 ,if it happens to be a dry season1 water regularly until growth is well established4 ,asparagus must be cut very carefully1 otherwise the embryo shoot may be destroyed or the crown itself killed4 ,when only small quantities are being removed each day1 the best plan is to pass the thumb and forefinger down the spur an inch or two into the ground1 then bend outward1 and it will snap below the surface of the earth without injuring the plant in any way4 ,when large beds are being cut for market1 a knife will have to be used1 as it does the work so much more quickly4 ,asparagus-knives are of special shape4 ,there are several on the market1 and they will be found advertised in all seedmen's catalogues4 ,the average price is fifty cents4 ,rust1 a fungus disease1 has become very prevalent during the last few years1 attacking both young and old beds4 ,as the name implies1 it looks like rust on the stalks and spoils the appearance for market1 besides injuring the plant and materially affecting the crop4 ,it has been suggested by many who have studied the subject that rust originates on decaying stalks4 ,for that reason it is advisable to burn the dead stalks as soon as they are cut away in the fall1 instead of allowing them to decay on a compost-heap1 as one does with other garden trimmings4 ,spraying with ,bordeaux mixture after the cutting season each year has been recommended as a preventive4 ,once established1 there seems no remedy4 ,we have a neighbour whose beds were seriously affected seven or eight years ago4 ,he tried a number of ordinary washes and powders1 but they seemed useless4 ,six years ago he started new beds and adopted our plan of alternating commercial fertiliser with barn-yard manure as we had never had any sign of rust1 and he attributed it to the ashes in the mixture we used1 thinking that they purified the ground4 ,another enemy is the asparagus-beetle--an attractive-looking insect1 jet black1 with red1 yellow and blue markings4 ,it remains hidden in brush or rubbish through the winter and comes out in the first warm days of spring to lay its eggs1 always choosing the young1 tender sprouts for their resting-place4 ,in a few days the young grubs hatch and feed on the asparagus1 boring small holes1 entirely ruining the appearance of the stalks1 and occasionally descend to the crown of the plant itself4 ,it only takes the grubs a month to pass through the several stages which bring them to maturity1 so that if only one or two beetles survive the winter1 there may be an army by the time the beds are bearing fully4 ,allowing poultry to run on the beds in the fall and winter is about the safest and easiest way of scotching the pests1 though dusting with air-slaked lime in the early spring is recommended1 and some authorities suggest the cutting of the beds as soon as shoots develop in the early spring1 hoping in that way to destroy the eggs4 ,this is rather an expensive remedy1 as it means burning up the early market crop1 which brings the best prices4 ,,how ,,to ,,grow ,,mushrooms ,anyone who has a good cellar where an even temperature can be maintained can grow mushrooms for home use1 but if they are to be raised in large quantities for market1 an appropriate building must be given over to their exclusive use4 ,we have been successful for several seasons in growing mushrooms in an amateurish way1 but it was not until a large root-cellar was left vacant that we thought of the feasibility of adding them to our market products4 ,the farm we were lucky enough to acquire was one of the old-fashioned1 practical places1 with a full equipment of buildings4 ,under the cow-barn there was a stone basement1 used for the winter storing of root crops4 ,after our dairy herd developed1 it seemed wise to use ensilage instead of roots during the winter4 ,so we built a silo1 and this left the store-house vacant4 ,it was eighty feet long and fifteen feet wide1 so1 after we conceived the mushroom idea1 we partitioned off thirty feet to retain as a storing-place for household vegetables and fitted up the other fifty feet with mushroom-beds4 ,we put in a brooder-house stove and pipe system1 which cost one hundred and twenty dollars4 ,the lumber for the beds cost an additional thirty dollars1 extra manure twenty-two dollars and spawn fifty dollars--two hundred and twenty-two dollars in all4 ,four months later we had received four hundred and forty-five dollars4 ,since then the returns have fluctuated between four and five hundred dollars1 and we estimate that it costs one hundred and twenty-five dollars per season to produce the crop4 ,so ,i think that mushrooms can be considered profitable when run in connection with poultry or general farming1 especially as they come in at a season of the year when there is very little else to be attended to1 and1 what is more1 the only heavy work is preparing manure and compost for the beds1 and that any ordinary farm man can accomplish4 ,the rest is all so light and easy that a young girl or a delicate woman can attend to it without fatigue4 ,it is not necessary to have an expensive stone or brick building4 ,we have a neighbour who uses part of an old cow-stable1 and a man in the suburbs of ,new ,york1 who grows a quantity each season1 has simply a dugout with rough board walls1 two feet above the ground1 and an ,a-shaped roof--all covered with tar-paper1 a place that could not have cost more than seventy-five dollars at the very most4 ,a shed or outbuilding of any kind will answer if it is weather-proof and can be kept at a temperature of fifty-five or sixty in zero weather without much expense4 ,illustration3 ,,mushrooms ,don't be tempted to start on any elaborate scale in the house-cellar1 for the odour from the beds whilst the manure is heating prior to planting-time will permeate the entire house and cling to carpets and draperies in a most horrible way4 ,of course1 this does not obtain when only a few are to be raised for the home table1 because shallow boxes can be used and need not be carried into the cellar until the objectionable period is past4 ,when a special house is used1 the beds may be made on the floor1 a great depth of manure used and artificial heat dispensed with4 ,but it is not a good or economical plan1 for the necessary amount of stable manure would cost as much as fuel1 necessitate close watching and the result would not be as satisfactory1 so we will only consider the approved method of benches and artificial heat1 which is generally adopted by the modern market grower4 ,the benches in our house run on each side1 leaving walks three feet wide through the centre of the house1 two feet along the side walls4 ,having the three walks enables us to gather from each side of the beds1 which is almost a necessity when the beds are four feet wide4 ,with a narrower house and beds1 a centre path would be sufficient1 but it should not be less than three feet wide for convenience when filling and emptying beds4 ,the benches are made of two-by-two studding and rough hemlock boards1 the studding being used for the upright supports which go from floor to ceiling1 every five feet of the entire length and on each side of the house4 ,supports are run diagonally between each four uprights on each side of the house1 to make a foundation for the floor of the beds1 as well as to strengthen the entire structure4 ,the hemlock boards are used for the sides and bottoms of the beds1 which are two feet above the ground4 ,beds should be sixteen inches deep1 but we used one row of boards nine inches wide and another row six inches wide1 as the boards happened to be cut in those sizes4 ,the second tier of beds1 which were added a year later1 were a foot and a half above the top of the first tier and only twelve inches deep1 but have proved quite as satisfactory in every way1 and as the shallow beds take less manure1 ,i think it is safe to advise beginners to adopt the latter depth for beds in a house where artificial heat is used4 ,the bottoms and sides of the beds should be fixed so that they can be easily removed1 as it facilitates the work of emptying beds1 which has to be done every spring4 ,any heating apparatus which can be easily arranged and depended upon can1 of course1 be used1 but ,i think the stove and pipes which are specially made for poultry plants are the most convenient1 as their construction is so simple that any handy man can fix them without the aid of a plumber--a great consideration on the farm4 ,narrow cellar windows were inserted in the sides of the house1 to furnish light and air in the spring and fall1 when the heavy work was being done1 and also while gathering each day during the season4 ,it is so much pleasanter to work by daylight1 and it does not injure the crop in any way1 if shutters are used to keep out the cold4 ,the main factor in mushroom-growing is beds4 ,first1 the material of which they are composed2 secondly1 the way they are made4 ,fresh manure1 with a fair percentage of short bedding 7straw or leaves preferably71 must be collected each day when the stables are cleaned4 ,we use two parts horse and one part cow manure1 sometimes substituting sheep-droppings for horse4 ,the daily collection must be stored in a shed and made into a pile about three feet high and two and a half feet wide4 ,as soon as sufficient manure is collected to fill the beds1 the curing process should be commenced4 ,this consists of packing manure closely together1 and if at all dry1 slightly moistening it with water or drainage from the stables to start fermentation4 ,within a few hours the heat will commence to create steam and it must be forked over and made into a fresh pile4 ,to check the heat1 which would1 if left to run its course1 quickly burn out the value of the manure and render it worthless1 forking and repiling will probably have to be repeated three or four times1 with from two to three days intervening1 according to the strength of the manure and the temperature4 ,it usually takes from two to three weeks to cure manure properly4 ,when it shows a temperature of one hundred degrees ,fahrenheit after being undisturbed for thirty-six hours1 it may be considered all right4 ,we half fill beds with the rough material1 then mix soil from sod ground with the remainder to fill up the top of the beds4 ,the proportion is about one-third soil to two-thirds prepared manure4 ,when filling the beds1 the manure1 and also the mixture of soil and manure1 should be strewed in thin layers1 say about two inches at a time1 and stamped down thoroughly before the next layer is added4 ,when the beds are filled1 cover the surface with straw or mats to prevent the beds becoming dry4 ,the manure will heat considerably after being packed in the beds1 so thermometers should be inserted every few feet1 as planting must not be done until the temperature falls to ninety degrees ,fahrenheit1 at which stage the straw or mat can be removed and the spawn inserted4 ,the propagation of mushrooms is entirely different from that of any other vegetable1 neither seed1 bulb1 nor cutting holding any place in the process4 ,from the gill-like lining of a full-grown mushroom fall innumerable spores1 so minute that if caught on a sheet of paper they would look like dust4 ,if the spores fall upon earth that is in just the right condition1 mould-like filaments develop1 spread and become what we call spawn4 ,spawn culture is a complicated process1 which concerns the grower of mushrooms not at all1 as he buys spawn as he would any other seed1 except that it is sold in compressed brick-like cakes1 which weigh about a pound apiece1 or in rough shreds2 the latter variety being known as flake or ,french spawn4 ,bricks1 known as ,english spawn1 seem to give the best results in this country and are what we have always used4 ,they should be broken into pieces about the size of a walnut1 planted in rows a foot apart1 the pieces being six inches apart in the rows4 ,the spawn should be inserted about three inches4 ,the best plan is to lift a small part of the manure with a hand fork1 press down the spawn1 replace the manure and press firmly in place4 ,the close packing is one of the principal points of success1 so it is well to go over the entire bed with the back of a wooden shovel or a small mallet4 ,after planting replace the straw or mats if the temperature of the house is at all dry4 ,eight days later remove the mats and cover the beds with a layer two inches thick of good garden soil4 ,until the mushrooms begin to appear the temperature of the house may be sixty-five to sixty-eight degrees ,fahrenheit1 but from the moment they commence to appear keep it as nearly fifty-five as possible4 ,moisture must be carefully watched4 ,if the beds appear at all dry1 even after the soil has been placed over them1 cover with mats for a few days or even sprinkle the beds very lightly1 but they must not be made at all wet4 ,perhaps the safest plain for the inexperienced is to sprinkle the walks1 as then there can be no danger of an overdose4 ,it takes about five weeks for spawn to spread through the beds and about another two weeks before the crop makes its appearance4 ,well-made beds1 in a house kept at fifty-five degrees1 will yield for ten or twelve weeks1 but during the last two or three weeks the quantity will decrease rapidly4 ,gathering must be done every day1 and in the height of the yield it is wise to go through the beds twice a day to avoid the loss which occurs within a few hours from overripening4 ,when the mushroom first breaks through the ground1 it is apparently a solid1 white ball1 balanced on a miniature column4 ,a few hours1 and the under part of the ball breaks from the stock and the mushroom gradually spreads like an umbrella being opened and shows a line of pale pink1 or flesh-coloured1 gills1 which become darker every hour until almost black1 at which stage the mushroom becomes thin and rapidly decays4 ,if mushrooms are gathered just after the veil 7as the skin which attaches the edge of the cap to the stock is technically termed7 breaks1 they can be held over for twenty-four hours without deteriorating1 if kept in a cool place away from the air4 ,if1 by chance1 some open ones escape the picker's notice1 remove them as soon as seen4 ,,six ,,good ,,vegetables ,,to ,,grow ,it is strange that many of the most useful vegetables are neglected in the majority of home gardens4 ,okra1 ,swiss chard1 leeks1 ,brussels sprouts and ,scotch kale are really little known1 yet they are all appetizing health additions to the table1 and require no special conditions or culture4 ,okra1 or gumbo1 as it is invariably called in the ,south1 figures very largely in ,creole cooking1 but here in the ,east is only just appearing in the markets4 ,the demand is sure to grow rapidly1 because it is one of those insidious articles which seem indispensable when once used4 ,soups1 stews1 gravies and innumerable made dishes are all improved by a little okra1 and it is the basis of many special dishes4 ,my household is fond of gumbo soup1 so for that alone okra had to have a place in the garden1 and now we use it in a dozen different ways4 ,cut into slices and spread alternately with rice and tomatoes in a casserole1 with butter1 in which curry-powder and salt has been mixed1 dotted all over the top and baked for three hours1 it is a deliciously savoury luncheon dish4 ,but it is the growing1 not the cooking1 of this neglected vegetable that ,i have to do with just now4 ,the ground for okra should be thoroughly enriched and well cultivated4 ,make a furrow about an inch deep1 and if only a home supply is wanted1 about thirty feet long4 ,sow the seeds two inches apart in rows and cover4 ,thin to eighteen inches apart when the seedlings are about two inches high4 ,if more than one row is to be grown1 make them two and a half feet apart4 ,okra is a semi-tropical plant1 so is better not sown until the second week in ,may4 ,once started1 it grows very rapidly1 yields and continues a supply of pods throughout the season4 ,the flowers are large and rather pretty1 but only last a few hours2 after they fall it takes about twelve hours for a pod to develop sufficiently for gathering4 ,to be in perfect condition for cooking they should not be much more than an inch long4 ,any surplus quantity can be dried or canned for winter use4 ,sliced1 they are a splendid addition to mixed pickles4 ,swiss chard is such a true cut-and-come-again that for home or market it is invaluable1 and a poultry-keeper can find no better or cheaper green food for fowls that are yarded4 ,the leaves and stalks are the edible part1 and can be boiled like spinach or the stalks alone used4 ,they are white and run the full length of the leaf4 ,cut them out and tie loosely2 cook and serve just as you would asparagus4 ,the new variety called 8,lucullus0 is1 ,i think1 the best4 ,make the ground very rich2 sow in rows three feet apart1 about the end of ,april or the first week in ,may4 ,thin the plants when they are about two inches high to stand eighteen inches apart4 ,when used as spinach cut the leaves when they are ten inches high1 but when the stalks are to simulate asparagus gathering should be delayed until they are about fourteen inches high4 ,then cut off the green part of the leaf1 which can still be used as greens4 ,no matter how the leaves are to be used or at what height the crop is cut1 be very careful never to injure the heart of the plant1 for if you do successive crops will be spoiled4 ,brussels sprouts have been gaining favour in the market during the last few years and should certainly be in every garden1 for they possess all the healthful qualities of cabbage1 and the flavour is much more delicate4 ,when small1 the plants look exactly like cabbage1 but instead of firm1 solid heads1 the stalks run up to twelve or fourteen inches in height1 and baby cabbages spring out all around the stalk for the entire length4 ,one plant often yields thirty-five or forty of these diminutive cabbages4 ,one great advantage of ,brussels sprouts is that the seed need not be sown until ,june and the plants are not ready for transplanting until ,july1 so can succeed early peas in the same ground4 ,like all members of the cabbage family1 ,brussels sprouts are gluttons and positively must have heavy and rich ground4 ,sow seed in shallow drills2 transplant when seedlings are about three inches high1 two feet apart in rows three feet apart4 ,for early spring harvest1 sow seeds in hotbed during ,february or ,march4 ,mature plants are quite hardy1 but must be dug up before severe frost4 ,the best way to keep the home supply is to hang the whole plant up by the roots in a frost-proof cellar4 ,leeks and winter onions are members of the onion family which are usually overlooked1 and it is a great pity1 because they are both most desirable4 ,leeks should be sown on very fine1 rich soil4 ,a heavy dressing of poultry manure1 applied the fall before planting1 is an ideal fertiliser4 ,scatter the seed thick in rows two feet apart and thin out the plants so that they stand nine inches apart4 ,cultivate the ground constantly and hill up as the plants grow4 ,this is a part of the work which must not be neglected1 as it encourages the growth and bleaches the stalks4 ,a slight frost won't hurt them1 but they must be heavily banked up and covered with litter if they are to stay out in the ground until spring4 ,the winter supply of these vegetables should be dug in ,december and stored in the house for convenience4 ,pack them1 standing up as they grow1 in boxes2 scatter earth between them1 and keep them in a dark cellar4 ,for soups they are much superior to ordinary onions4 ,boiled and served with white sauce1 they are a most enjoyable vegetable4 ,winter bunch onions1 as they are termed1 are really the earliest of all spring onions4 ,sow the seed in shallow drills1 a foot apart1 in ,may or ,june4 ,cultivate until fall1 then cover with litter4 ,early in the following spring rake off and cultivate lightly between the rows1 and you will have delicious green onions for table or market when other people are thinking about sowing the seed4 ,kale should be considered indispensable in every garden1 for it comes into season late in the fall1 when frost has demolished all other greens4 ,even in the vicinity of ,new ,york it can be relied upon to furnish early spring greens almost before the snow is off the ground4 ,in fact1 ,i have gathered it from under deep snow in midwinter and found it in good condition4 ,seeds should be sown about the middle of ,june1 and the seedlings transplanted into rows two feet and a half apart4 ,the leaves are curly and of a dark green1 and should not be used until there has been some frost1 for until frozen they are as tough as they are tender after ,jack ,frost has visited them4 ,as soon as the weather becomes colder1 bank straw or leaves on each side of the rows up to the top of the kale and then put cedar branches or brush of some sort along each side to keep the covering in place4 ,kohlrabi is another valuable vegetable1 which comes in when other things have faded4 ,it really belongs to the cabbage family1 but it is more like the turnip4 ,the edible part is the bulb which develops above ground4 ,when cooked it looks and tastes like a most delicately flavoured turnip4 ,as they must be cooked while young and tender1 it is best to make several sowings2 one in the hotbed in ,february1 and two others in the open ground2 the first in ,may1 the second in ,august4 ,they can stand quite a heavy frost and so are usable until ,december or ,january1 according to the season4 ,sow in rows placed about two feet apart1 and after the young plants have attained sufficient strength to withstand attacks from beetles and such insects1 thin them to two feet apart4 ,perhaps it is as well to add a few hints about the general cultivation of these vegetables--hints which will be useful for all gardening4 ,cultivation must be constant and thorough1 especially when the soil is light and sandy4 ,of course1 no good gardener will permit weeds to get a foothold in his territory1 but the constant use of the rake is much more important1 for it keeps up the supply of moisture in the soil around the roots of the plants1 and so insures their being well fed and making rapid growth4 ,this is a point which always seems to puzzle inexperienced gardeners1 so it needs explanation4 ,stirring the surface soil with a fine rake as soon as it is partly dry after a rain1 furnishes a mulch of dust which prevents the moisture in the lower earth escaping1 because it checks the capillary process by which moisture travels to the surface and is carried into the air4 ,the soil may be rich in the mineral and animal components which constitute plant-food1 but unless moisture is present in sufficient quantities these are not available as sustenance for plants4 ,,how ,,to ,,plant ,,and ,,cultivate ,,strawberries ,just why growing one's own strawberries should create a sense of superiority is difficult to say1 but it does4 ,city friends1 who accept really difficult agricultural accomplishments with matter-of-fact indifference1 tender a sort of wondering respect to the strawberry-grower1 and what is more extraordinary1 the grower invariably accepts the laudation with the condescending pride of a victor4 ,at least1 ,i must own to some such feeling1 even though ,i know how absurd it is1 for the small wild berry is indigenous to this country and was adopted by the thrifty colonial housewives as a garden-plant long before the horticulturists dreamed of taking it under their scientific management4 ,the cultivated strawberries are somewhat like exotics1 having been created in ,europe from the native wild berry and a somewhat similar wild plant brought from ,chili in #agej4 ,varieties resulting from that cross were subsequently brought to this country and furnished the stock from which has gradually been developed the large1 luscious fruit of to-day4 ,but it still likes ,american soil and so will thrive in a wider range of latitude than any other cultivated plant4 ,there are several strawberry farms in our vicinity and1 according to the owners1 they bear most profitable crops4 ,one grower tells me that he averages six thousand quarts to the acre1 and gets an average price of eight cents a quart4 ,another neighbour says he calculates to clear three hundred dollars an acre from his berries4 ,personally1 ,i can't quote figures1 because we have never gone in for market berries4 ,being very fond of them1 and wanting the very best we could possibly grow1 we have always confined our efforts to garden culture1 just for home consumption1 and the reward has been such epicurean feasts that we have been satisfied4 ,like asparagus1 strawberry beds should be established as soon as the family has settled in a country home1 because it takes a year to get a full crop4 ,there are a great many varieties to choose from1 but ,i think it is best to restrict selection to the old established kinds4 ,the ,marshall for first early1 the ,glen ,mary for mid-season and the ,gandy for late gathering4 ,and truly ,i don't believe there can be a better selection for the home garden in the vicinity of ,new ,york4 ,but1 as some varieties do better than others in a certain locality1 it is advisable to consult old residents in the neighbourhood and the nurserymen from whom plants are ordered4 ,light sandy soil1 sloping slightly to the south1 will produce the earliest berries1 but we are convinced from experience that slightly heavier soil and a more northerly exposure produces a better fruit in mid-season4 ,our beds all slope to the south1 but the late varieties are so situated that they are slightly shaded by a row of young pear trees1 which protects them from the direct rays of the sun4 ,the soil is--or rather was--of ordinary quality1 neither very sandy nor very heavy1 so for several seasons we scattered fine coal ashes between the rows of the early plants1 which materially lightened the soil1 and for several years we have had berries from five to ten days earlier than our neighbours4 ,new beds may be started in the fall or spring1 whichever is the most convenient4 ,if the plants are set out in the early fall1 they will bear the following season1 but if planting is delayed until spring1 it will be a full year before any fruit can be expected4 ,so ,i recommend ,august planting of all plants to the beginner1 and spring planting when there are established beds to take other plants from4 ,to explain3 ,strawberries are propagated from the runners1 which1 under natural conditions1 shoot out from the parent plants and1 taking root1 develop individual crowns4 ,but the up-to-date nurseryman has of late years taken to sinking small pots filled with rich earth in the beds1 then by lifting the ends of the runners on to the pots the roots of the young plants develop within the pot instead of on the ground and can later in the season be removed without any check to growth1 which1 of course1 greatly facilitates the growth of the crown after it is set out in its permanent position4 ,pot plants1 as they are called1 are slightly more expensive than layer plants1 but they are well worth it when time is an object4 ,before the plants arrive the ground should be thoroughly prepared by digging and raking until it is in a fine fibrous condition4 ,mark off rows four feet apart4 ,when the plants are received1 unpack and water copiously1 and leave in a shady place for twenty-four hours before setting out1 at which time make a hole with a trowel a little larger than the pot in which the plant has been growing1 fill it about half-full of water1 and if the plants have been delivered in the pots1 remove carefully by loosening the soil1 which is done by pushing a small stick through the drain-hole and turning the pot upside down4 ,then slip out the ball of earth1 and put it into the hole which you made with the trowel4 ,fill in with the loose earth and the process of planting will be complete4 ,plants should be set two feet apart in the rows4 ,if they are strong and healthy specimens1 growth will start almost immediately1 so you must go carefully through the rows in about two weeks' time1 when the plants will have commenced to throw out runners4 ,we never allow more than four for each plant1 and those are trained to root as nearly as possible before and behind and on each side of the parent plant1 which makes a solid row about twenty-seven inches wide at the end of the growing season4 ,the best way of insuring runners rooting is to press them close to the soil1 holding them in place either with a small stone or a handful of earth4 ,after growth stops in the fall1 the space between the rows should receive a dressing of commercial fertiliser and be well spaded over4 ,about ,december #ast a mulch of straw or leaves should be spread over the plants to protect them from the frost4 ,early the following spring the same work is repeated1 and about ,may #ast the mulch is removed from immediately around the plants1 but left on the ground to keep the berries from coming in contact with the earth1 and also to keep the soil moist about the roots4 ,the beds must be kept free from weeds at all times4 ,after the crop has been gathered1 a few runners are allowed to develop and are rooted in pots1 as explained above1 to be used in establishing new growth later in ,august1 as we always put out six new rows each season and demolish six old ones1 as young plants yield more and better fruit than old ones4 ,for market the culture cannot be so careful1 because the size of the beds will necessitate the use of horse cultivation4 ,what is more1 pot plants cost too much4 ,the successful market grower1 to whom ,i have referred previously1 practises the following method3 ,the ground from which early potatoes have been harvested is sown with oats and rye1 and when that crop is removed the following summer the ground is ploughed1 harrowed and marked off in rows four feet apart1 and the plants are taken from the field set out the year before4 ,when the field is planted in ,june1 a man goes through the rows about ,august and covers the tips of the runners with a little soil1 to hold them down to the ground4 ,this work is usually done by a man's foot and a hoe2 then1 after growth stops in the fall or before it starts the following spring1 the young plants formed from the runners are severed from the parent plant and taken up4 ,this is accomplished by running a one-horse plough along the outside of the rows to cut the runners and throw out the plants1 so making it easy for a man to go along and pick up the strongest plants1 which are carried to a trench in some convenient location and left until the following ,june4 ,the trenches are made about six inches deep and the plants are set about one inch apart1 and the trench refilled4 ,again a man's foot and the hoe do the work4 ,the idea is that severing plants while in a dormant condition and storing them closely in a trench prevents their feeling the shock of removal from the parent stem and retards growth until time to bed4 ,of course1 when they are removed to permanent rows1 they are planted one foot apart and fields are kept free from weeds by the use of a one-horse cultivator between the rows4 ,even in field culture the runners have to be attended to as soon as they commence to form4 ,allowing several to develop from each plant will make the row a comparatively solid mass of from fifteen to eighteen inches wide at the end of the season4 ,a field set out in ,june or early ,july will give a full crop the following year and be nearly as productive the second year if early cultivated and fertilised1 but after that should be ploughed up and the ground used for potatoes1 cabbage or some other crops before it is again used for strawberries4 ,the ground on which strawberries are to be grown should have been well enriched with barn-yard manure for previous crops1 but commercial fertiliser should be used while berries hold possession of the ground1 for barn-yard manure is apt to contain the spores of fungus diseases which attack strawberries4 ,any sign of these diseases should be instantly checked by spraying with ,bordeaux mixture4 ,one thing more4 ,when purchasing plants1 remember that there are what are called perfect and imperfect plants4 ,the latter are just as good for all practical purposes if planted side by side with perfect plants1 but not otherwise4 ,,how ,,to ,,grow ,,small ,,fruits ,if gathered when ripe1 and served at once1 berries--in fact1 all the small fruits--are undoubtedly luxuries4 ,so the country home should always devote some space to them1 no matter how small the garden may be2 and when the home is a farm1 expected to become self-supporting1 the berry orchard should be established immediately after taking possession1 for the outlay is little1 returns quick1 and necessary knowledge is very easily acquired4 ,therefore1 small fruits are a permanent branch of husbandry to be recommended to the amateur of small means1 who needs a marketable commodity to keep the pot boiling4 ,like most old farms1 our place had a few neglected currant bushes1 a patch of half-wild black and red raspberries1 and a strawberry bed in a most demoralised condition4 ,but even these poor degenerates convinced us of the economy of growing small fruits for our own use1 and the profit to be derived by supplying other people's tables4 ,besides the luxury of having freshly-gathered fruit1 there are preserves1 jellies and cordials for winter use4 ,at the end of the first year we thoroughly pruned and cultivated the old brambles1 and planted half an acre with brambles and black and red currants4 ,afterward the space was enlarged1 until we had a good-sized berry orchard1 which has always shown a profit even in the worst seasons4 ,brambles will grow in almost any ground1 but if well fed and given a congenial home they yield much better4 ,the fruit is larger1 better coloured and finer flavoured4 ,so1 when possible1 select ground that is somewhat sandy in character1 with a heavy subsoil4 ,ground that has been under cultivation for two or three seasons is best1 because it will have been well worked1 and so will be comparatively free from weeds4 ,commence with a small patch1 say half an acre1 divided equally between black and red raspberries1 blackberries and black and red currants4 ,strawberries cannot be included in a general small-fruit orchard1 because the beds are profitable for only three years1 and it is better to take them into regular crop rotation1 using ground that has previously been occupied by potatoes or corn4 ,as space is somewhat limited1 we will devote this chapter to brambles and currants4 ,there are new plants for favour each year in nursery catalogues1 but we will cover only a few of the old stand-bys1 such as the following list3 ,raspberries 7red71 ,columbian and ,cuthbert2 7black7 ,gregg and ,cumberland2 blackberries1 ,wilson and ,taylor2 currants1 ,red ,cherry and ,fay's ,prolific2 gooseberries1 ,industry and ,pearl4 ,the best plan is to purchase a few dozen plants of each variety from some good nursery for parent stock1 and when they are once well set1 do your own propagating from them4 ,raspberries should be set three feet apart1 in rows five feet apart4 ,have the ground well dressed with stable manure1 and mark off in rows4 ,it is best to use a plough for the marking1 as you then have a furrow about the right depth in which to plant4 ,if the plants have travelled far1 stand them in a shallow pan or half barrel1 and cover the roots with water for ten or twelve hours before planting4 ,brambles that are kept well trimmed need no staking out1 but when planting young stock it is well to have some stakes cut about four feet long and pointed at one end4 ,drive one every three feet along the rows1 and then set the plant close up to it4 ,spread out the roots in the natural form1 and firm the earth well around them1 then tie the canes loosely to the stake1 to prevent the wind from blowing them from side to side4 ,unless stakes are used at this time1 brambles or small bushes sway from side to side in every light breeze1 and the roots are loosened1 thus preventing them from gaining any hold on the ground4 ,cultivation should be as thorough and constant as for corn until ,august1 as it is required to keep down weeds and permit growth4 ,after ,august1 cultivation should stop1 to check the growth and allow the summer wood time to ripen before frost4 ,to those who are new to gardening1 the above may need some explanation4 ,cultivation--by which is meant stirring the surface soil with the cultivator or garden rake--prevents the moisture from escaping from the ground4 ,moisture releases and brings into consumable form the different properties of the soil which constitute plant-food4 ,a bountiful supply of nourishment naturally promotes growth4 ,stop cultivation1 and food decreases1 growth stops1 and the tender twigs at the extremity of branches have time to harden sufficiently to resist frost that would kill new growth4 ,planting and general care are virtually the same with blackberries4 ,raspberries are of a weedy or spreading nature1 and throw up new shoots from root beds1 which must be kept down between rows1 or the patch will become a tangled wilderness within a few years4 ,even during the first summer after setting out it is advisable to top-prune as fresh growth is made4 ,don't allow the canes to grow to a length of more than twenty inches4 ,the pinching off of the ends forces them to throw out side branches and more canes from the main root1 a very desirable thing1 as fruit is borne only on the extremity of branches grown the preceding year4 ,after the first year all the old canes which have borne fruit must be cut out4 ,in winter1 when sap has returned to the roots1 is the best time for this work2 but as the amateur may find some difficulty in distinguishing the old canes from the new ones1 it is safer to do the demolishing soon after the fruit has been gathered1 when there can be no mistake4 ,each fall throw well-rotted stable manure around the roots of each plant1 and fork it into the ground as early in the spring as the weather permits4 ,at the same time run the plough between the rows1 to destroy the undesirable root shoots4 ,blackberries do not form root beds that send up new shoots1 so the ploughing need not be practised between the rows2 otherwise1 clearing and pruning are virtually the same as for raspberries4 ,when more plants are required of the raspberry family1 allow some of the root shoots to develop during the summer1 and early the following spring take them up with a sharp spade1 which will sever the connection between the new and the old plant without injury to either4 ,as blackberries do not throw up new plants in the same way1 they must be created from seeds or layers4 ,allow one or two canes of old plants to grow long enough to fall over and reach the ground1 and in ,august peg the tops to the ground with a forked stick1 and draw up a little mould around each4 ,they will soon throw out roots and top growth1 and early the following spring can be cut from the parent branch about eight inches above the rooted end4 ,dig up a new plant1 and set in rows the same as raspberries4 ,all the brambles are very vigorous growers and remarkably free from disease1 but it is advisable to keep a lookout for the anthracnose1 which is a greyish-looking spot with a purple centre4 ,they are most likely to make their appearance in summer on young canes1 and if not checked1 multiply and eventually kill the plants4 ,cut out any affected canes immediately after discovery1 and burn4 ,spray the adjacent plants with ,bordeaux mixture two or three times1 allowing twelve or fifteen days between the applications4 ,if old plants are affected1 they don't need any consideration--take shoots from them4 ,orange-rust is the yellowish-looking spot on the under side of the leaves4 ,the only remedy is to dig up1 and cremate1 but ,i truly think1 instead of talking about cause and cure of occasional diseases1 it is better to set out new plants every five or six years1 for fresh-grown youthful vigour invariably militates disease more than any amount of doctoring4 ,currants1 both black and red1 should be in every small-fruit orchard2 or if there is no special orchard1 a few bushes should be planted in the vegetable garden4 ,bushes should stand five feet apart1 in a partly shady position if possible1 and in rich1 moist soil4 ,currant bushes bear for many years if properly cared for1 and in their case pruning need not be an annual occurrence1 as the same branches will bear for several years2 it is advisable1 however1 to cut out a few of the older branches every two or three years1 and encourage new growth4 ,early in the spring spray well1 and again after the fruit has formed1 and yet again late in the summer1 for borers4 ,this is the worst and commonest enemy the currant has4 ,it originates from a dark-blue moth with yellow bands across the body1 which lays its eggs on the buds of the outer branches4 ,the eggs hatch into small white caterpillars with dark heads4 ,after destroying the appearance of the bush they bore to the centre of the stems1 and remain there until the following year4 ,much disease and many insect pests will be averted if all dead leaves are raked up from under the bushes in the late fall1 and burned4 ,mulch around the bushes in the early winter with stable manure1 and fork into the ground the following spring4 ,stock can be increased either by dividing large bushes1 which is really the quickest way1 or by taking cuttings4 ,if the latter method is followed--and when there are only young bushes on the premises1 it will have to be--take about eight inches off the end of well-developed branches of the same season's growth4 ,plant them so that all but the top leaf-bud is under ground4 ,they need not be set more than three inches apart1 and must be transplanted the following year4 ,august is the best season to take the cuttings1 as it gives them time to form roots before frost4 ,in ,november protect them slightly with a mulch of straw or leaves4 ,they should remain in the nursery bed for a year before being transplanted again to their permanent position4 ,gooseberries are usually picked green and used for pies1 but when the large-fruiting varieties are grown they are delicious raw when ripe4 ,the soil should be rich1 heavy loam well drained4 ,little pruning is needed for the first two or three years beyond the clipping back of the shoots to develop fruit spurs along the cane1 but of course weak or broken branches must be removed4 ,propagation is done by suckers and mound layers1 though the ,american varieties grow easily from cuttings4 ,to procure strong mound layers1 cut the old bushes back in the late fall or early spring to encourage new shoots to spring up from the roots1 and when they are from one to two feet high press them outward from the parent plant1 covering the base of the shoot up to about four inches above the root with earth1 packing it well down4 ,then in the fall or following spring sever the shoot from the parent plant and transplant to the permanent home4 ,let them stand about four feet apart each way4 ,,how ,,to ,,raise ,,perennial ,,plants ,the revival of the old-time hardy garden has become such a craze among fashionable folk that the country woman who desires to add to her income will find growing perennial plants for sale a profitable occupation1 provided1 remember1 that there is a well-to-do community near at hand where she may find a ready market4 ,like all occupations which have to do with ,nature1 it is folly to attempt it unless you have an innate love of the work1 for it requires the comprehensive sympathy of a real affinity1 as well as technical knowledge1 to rear either plants or animals successfully4 ,the great advantage in raising bedding plants is the small space and capital required4 ,a hundred square feet1 and two or three dollars for seeds1 will enable anyone to make a beginning1 which can easily be worked up into a large business4 ,the correct month for starting perennials from seed is ,june1 but as that necessitates waiting about nine months for any returns1 ,i am sure the beginner will agree with me in thinking it is best to start some in the house or hotbed1 for then the varieties which flower the first season can be sold in ,may or ,june1 and those which don't flower until the second season will be large1 strong plants in ,october1 when many people set out hardy plants4 ,the sashes for hotbeds1 glazed and painted ready for use1 cost only three dollars and fifty cents each1 and the walls of the beds can be made out of any old boards1 so they do not add very much to the expense of starting1 but if you do not care to undertake anything so professional as this at first1 it is quite possible to manage with shallow boxes1 if you have a south or southeast window in a room which averages from sixty to sixty-five degrees4 ,the first consideration is getting good potting mould for the seed-beds or boxes4 ,it must be light and fibrous1 a condition best arrived at by shaving off the under side of grass sods1 and mixing with about twice the amount of ordinary garden soil and a little fine sand4 ,but as you are not likely to have a store of sods1 and the frozen condition of the ground will make it difficult to get them1 you must substitute well-rotted cow manure4 ,have ordinary garden soil carried into some place warm enough to dissipate all frost1 then mix thoroughly with the pulverised manure and sand4 ,pass through a fine sieve1 and it will be ready for use4 ,even when the hotbed is used1 it is better to have small boxes for the different varieties of seeds1 and stand them in the hotbed1 instead of sowing the seed directly in the bed itself1 for some varieties take longer than others to germinate1 and it is a difficult problem to ventilate and water a bed containing a miscellaneous assortment1 but when the seeds are in boxes1 they can be removed from the bed during the warm part of the day1 and the difficulty is militated4 ,boxes should be about two and a half inches deep1 and have a few cracks or holes in the bottom for drainage4 ,cover the bottom with a layer of coal ashes1 then fill to within a quarter of an inch of the top with the potting-mould4 ,smooth it off evenly1 water and stand in a warm place4 ,within a few days there will be a crop of weed seedlings4 ,demolish them1 rewater and allow a few days to elapse on the chance of a second crop appearing1 after which it will be safe to do the planting4 ,it is a good scheme to use a flour or powdered-sugar shaker for very small seeds1 instead of trying to sow them by hand4 ,when seeds are large enough to handle individually1 like hollyhocks1 push them into the soil with the point of a pencil or a wooden-skewer1 half an inch apart in rows one inch apart4 ,after the seeds have been placed1 scatter mould over them4 ,the amount has to be determined by the size of the seeds4 ,the general rule is1 twice their own depth2 but with the very minute varieties it is better to put no covering at all4 ,no matter what the depth of covering1 the soil must be pressed firmly down with a smooth piece of board1 cut to fit inside the box4 ,a desk-blotter or roller is very convenient1 and does the work very evenly4 ,do not be afraid to press down firmly4 ,the seeds must be closely imbedded in the soil1 otherwise the air will dry up the first frail sprouts and kill them4 ,after the rolling and pressing1 sprinkle with water1 then cover with a piece of glass or paper1 and stand in the hotbed or window4 ,covering the boxes with glass or paper is done to retard evaporation4 ,seeds must never be allowed to dry out during the time of germination2 watering is so likely to disturb the soil around them that it is to be avoided if possible1 but if it has to be done1 use a very fine rose on the sprinkler1 warm water and be very careful4 ,after the seedlings appear1 remove the covering1 and when the second leaves have developed1 transplant into fresh boxes if you are depending on window culture4 ,if you have a hotbed1 they can be set in rows from one to two inches apart1 according to the size of the plants4 ,during the bright warm days the sash of the hotbed should be raised or entirely removed1 but be very watchful of the weather4 ,spring is such a treacherous time of year that the warm mornings may develop into frosty afternoons4 ,always replace the sash over the hotbed by three o'clock in the afternoon1 and cover with mats before dusk4 ,as soon as the ground is in condition for the outside nursery beds1 dig and thoroughly cultivate1 for the plants which are to be held over for fall sales must be bedded out as soon as all fear of frost is past1 and seeds sown for the next year's stock4 ,the seed-beds in the open ground must be well prepared and made very fine and fibrous4 ,sow the seeds in rows and transplant as with the house seedlings4 ,beds must all be kept free from weeds and under good cultivation during the growing season4 ,when severe weather comes in the fall1 cover lightly with leaves or soil1 and the plants will winter safely and be ready for spring sales the following year4 ,the house-raised seedlings which are to be sold for this year's bedding can go into garden beds1 but it is really better to put them into small individual pots1 which should be partly submerged in soil or sand4 ,customers will usually pay a few cents extra for pot-plants4 ,there is such an endless variety of perennial plants that it is impossible to grow them all2 in fact1 it would be very foolish to try to do so4 ,select the best-known and most popular kinds1 and have some of different sizes1 so that you can make up selections for beds4 ,hollyhocks1 foxgloves1 golden glow1 monk's-hood all range from three and a half to five feet in height4 ,after them come phlox1 larkspur1 false dragon's-head1 ,canterbury bells and bergamot4 ,a step lower are bleeding-heart1 columbine1 leopard's-bane1 asters1 sweet-williams and wallflowers4 ,still lower are ,iceland poppies1 ,japanese primroses1 wake-robin and pansies4 ,the first year it would add to your profit to grow a few of the annual varieties in the hotbed collection3 ,hollyhocks1 sweet sultans1 sweet tobacco1 asters1 wallflowers1 mignonette and salvia4 ,among the perennials which will flower the first season if seed is sown in boxes or hotbeds1 are monk's-hood 7which is one of the most charming of the tall blue flowers and comes also in white1 and blue-white mixed72 larkspur2 ,chinese bellflower 7large bell-shaped flowers of steel blue1 white and violet72 heliotrope and marshmallows 7pink1 rose colour1 white with crimson spots1 and golden yellow with maroon centres7--these are amongst the most valuable of the first-year bloomers1 for they flower all through the summer4 ,three of the most fragrant annuals are sweet tobacco1 sweet sultan and mignonette4 ,sweet-williams are such old favourites1 and are so multicoloured that ,i have always been thankful that they flowered the first season4 ,meadow-sweet--or goat's-beard1 as it is often called--is white and fragrant4 ,blanket-flower grows about two feet high1 and has most gorgeous flowers1 dark velvety brown marked with blotches of crimson4 ,of course1 all the varieties suggested for early house-culture should also be sown in the open ground in ,june to produce a plentiful supply of strong plants for the following year4 ,illustration3 ,,june ,,roses ,,june ,,roses ,the first luxury we allowed ourselves on the farm was a collection of roses4 ,we had put aside a sum of money for some necessary repairs1 and when they were completed there were six dollars left1 which we agreed to spend on the garden4 ,one dollar went for perennial seeds1 another for wistaria root4 ,the remaining four were devoted to roses4 ,we sent for an advertised collection of hardy roses1 consisting of six two-year-old plants for one dollar and twenty cents1 two ,crimson ,ramblers at fifty cents each and two ,dorothy ,perkins at fifty cents apiece1 a collection for winter forcing1 which were only little seedlings1 and cost forty cents4 ,lastly1 a two-year-old moss rose was added1 which also cost forty cents4 ,since that time1 several two-year-olds of specially desired varieties have been bought1 but the purchases made with that four dollars really constituted the stock from which we have populated our own and many other gardens4 ,the first year the ,dorothy ,perkins covered about twelve square feet of sidewall1 and all but the winter collection and one of the others flowered the first season4 ,one hundred slips were taken1 and eighty-two lived4 ,twenty were sold the following season at ten cents each4 ,the second year one hundred were sold at five cents each to a local store1 and three dozen at ten cents to odd customers4 ,the winter collection was not allowed to flower until the second winter2 then they were put into the violet-house1 where they did quite well1 but as we had neither time nor desire to undertake any more hothouse work1 we never made any attempt to increase the stock or make any sales4 ,however1 rose-growing for the winter market is carried on quite extensively in our vicinity1 so ,i have had ample proof of the profit to be derived from the work when undertaken as a business4 ,but truly1 ,i think growing garden plants is almost as profitable1 and most certainly it is a much easier and healthier branch of the work4 ,moreover1 it does not require capital1 nor the knowledge required for hothouse culture4 ,the best soil for roses is that which is rich in vegetable matter1 such as sod1 roots and fallen leaves which have been exposed to the action of the elements long enough to disintegrate and melt into the soil4 ,it is the condition found in the ground cover of woods and forests1 and it can be simulated at home by means of a compost heap4 ,old sods1 leaves and all waste vegetable matter are piled up with alternate layers of garden soil1 allowed to remain for several months1 then thoroughly forked and repiled4 ,when it is wanted for use1 pass through a coarse sieve1 and mix with one-half its own bulk of cow manure4 ,if your garden soil is not very good1 dig large holes two feet square and deep4 ,then fill up with the home-made compost1 or soil from the woods1 and old cow manure4 ,when the young plants come from the nursery1 unpack and stand the roots in water4 ,if the ground should not be ready1 or any other cause compels delay in planting1 add rich soil to the water in which the plants are standing1 until it is about the consistency of mud1 and keep in that condition until the plants can be set in their permanent positions out of doors4 ,make a hole in the middle of the filled-in space large enough to permit of the roots being spread out to their full capacity4 ,never squeeze plants into a small hole1 which necessitates the doubling under of roots4 ,this applies to all plants as well as roses4 ,after the roots have been spread out evenly in the hole1 scatter soil over them to the depth of two inches2 then water copiously1 and after the water has been absorbed by the soil1 fill up with dry earth and firm down thoroughly4 ,watering in the middle of the filling-in operation washes the soil into all the crevices around the rootlets1 and insures a supply of moisture around the plants4 ,putting in the dry earth above it prevents evaporation1 so that the roots have valuable food while they are recovering their hold on ,mother ,earth4 ,another point to remember in setting out roots is that an eastern or northern exposure is to be preferred to a southern exposure1 as the morning sun is better for them than the strong noon-day glare4 ,keep the ground as clean and well-cultivated as around tender annuals4 ,now we come to the question of food for this gluttonous beauty4 ,get a strong barrel and stand it on blocks to raise it to about the height of a pail above the ground1 then tack the mouth of an ordinary burlap bag securely around the top of the barrel1 so that the bottom of the bag falls to within one inch of the bottom of the barrel4 ,insert a common tap just above the lowest hoop1 then empty two pailfuls of fresh cow-droppings into the bag1 and pour water over it until the barrel is full4 ,let it stand two or three days before using4 ,dose3 ,three quarts of the liquid for each plant every two weeks1 from the time they show life in the spring until ,september4 ,hybrid teas are the variety best adapted to garden culture4 ,they embrace some of our most beautiful roses1 are perfectly hardy and flower throughout the summer4 ,to this class belong all the ,killarney and ,lyon family2 ,la ,france1 ,viscountess ,folkestone1 ,mrs4 ,aaron ,ward1 ,harry ,kirk and about one hundred others4 ,in order to insure free flowering none must be allowed to fade on the bush4 ,keep a close watch1 and cut the moment the petals show any sign of withering4 ,allow long stalks1 as it is the most natural way of pruning these plants and insures a supply lasting until frost4 ,crimson ,ramblers ,i have discarded entirely1 for their blossoming period is short1 and their foliage is not attractive4 ,dorothy ,perkins and ,hiawatha both grow rapidly and are better in every respect4 ,two years ago1 ,i bought one plant of the new ,german climber1 ,thousand ,beauties1 which is rightly named1 for it is a mass of blossom1 and it is like having twenty plants in one1 as it bears flowers of all shades1 from white to deep crimson4 ,it was a constant wonder and delight the whole of last summer and made quite as much growth as any of the other climbers1 so ,i really think it is worth a place in any collection4 ,in the fall1 all bushes are given a conservative pruning1 by which ,i mean that only some of the old wood is removed--not all--and that the rampant young growth is cut back to about half its length4 ,after the ground is frozen1 a heavy covering of cow manure is put around the plants at a distance of two or three feet1 according to the size of the bush1 and at ,christmas-time1 before the really severe weather comes1 fallen leaves are spread over that1 and a few cedar branches1 to prevent their being blown away4 ,in the spring1 as soon as the ground can be worked1 the manure and leaves are worked into the soil1 and any branches which have been winter-killed are cut off4 ,our collection has been enlarged entirely through cuttings4 ,i cut off about six inches from the end of branches1 close to a bud4 ,these cuttings are allowed to stand in water for two or three days1 then planted in shallow boxes filled with moist1 rich soil1 and kept in a light1 warm cellar1 where the temperature averages about fifty degrees4 ,the following year they are planted out into nursery beds until ,august1 when they are set out in their permanent homes4 ,last summer ,i transplanted ten straight from the cellar into a garden bed1 and by ,july they were two and a half feet high1 and bore from four to seven blossoms each from ,august to ,september #aeth1 when we had a hard1 frosty night1 which checked all development4 ,if cuttings are intended for winter forcing1 proceed as before until the second spring1 then transplant into pots1 which should be plunged to the rim in the ground4 ,about once a week turn the pots around1 to prevent any roots which may force their way through the bottom of the pot from getting a hold on the ground4 ,at the same time nip off any flower buds which may appear4 ,feed well1 to promote growth1 and about ,july have the benches in the hothouse filled up with rich soil1 to which has been added a goodly percentage of silver sand4 ,remove the plants from the pots1 and set out about fifteen inches apart4 ,of course1 the fire must not be started in the heating apparatus1 and all windows and doors must be kept open1 so that the plants have plenty of air1 and during the hot1 close days1 they should be lightly sprayed three or four times a day4 ,after the first of ,september there is danger of frost1 so it is best to close the windows at night1 but the principal desire is to keep the plants cool to permit their growth until the fires are lighted and forcing really begins1 which should be about ,october4 ,when the fires are first lighted1 keep the temperature down to about fifty-five degrees1 increase slowly to sixty-five1 then to seventy4 ,watering is a great problem1 and nothing but practice can really teach you the exact proportions4 ,the only general instruction is3 ,the plant must never be allowed to dry out1 nor must it ever be too wet4 ,a spray for green fly and other insects should be used in the evening1 once or twice a week1 from the time the plants are taken from the garden into the house4 ,,lavender ,,and ,,herbs ,there should be an herb bed in every garden1 for their usefulness is manifold4 ,ye dames of olden times knew and estimated their value1 but when housewifery was metamorphosed into domestic science1 the traditional law of our grandmothers sank into derision1 and many factors of homey comfort might forever have been buried in oblivion had not some wise person started a craze for old furniture4 ,that aroused a general interest in the old-time housewifery1 and resulted in a revival of half-forgotten arts1 the hardy garden and herb bed being among them4 ,i spent most of my schoolday holidays at my grandmother's place in ,yorkshire1 ,england1 where many of the customs of ,queen ,anne's time remain unchanged4 ,so to me lavender and herbs seemed indispensable in a self-respecting household1 and as soon as ,i owned a garden they were installed4 ,perhaps you never experienced the delight of sleeping between sheets redolent of sweet herbs1 so don't know what you are missing4 ,at grandmother's1 sheer muslin bags were filled with lavender1 thyme and rosemary1 and kept in every cupboard1 bureau drawer and chest4 ,large jars filled with rose-leaves and mignonette1 all the herbs and many spices were stowed in the sitting-rooms and halls1 and the lids were removed for about half an hour after sweeping and dusting were completed1 so a faint1 indescribable perfume permeated the whole house1 and was most delightful4 ,punk sticks and pastils have such a positive odour that after a time one becomes very tired of them1 but herbal odours1 being delicate and indescribable1 merely suggest the freshness of meadow lands in ,june1 and invigorate the senses instead of wearying4 ,the herb then is invaluable for all sorts of complexion and hair washes4 ,even ,helen of ,troy's beauty was attributed to their use4 ,as disinfectants--well1 the plague was supposed to be banished from ,athens by the air being purified with aromatic herbs1 and during the great plague in ,england in ,elizabeth's time1 little balls of perfume paste encased in silver1 gold or ivory1 open-worked lockets or pomades were worn suspended round the neck or carried in the pockets1 and during an outbreak of smallpox1 grandmamma brought forth several such inherited treasures and filled them with a compound made of beeswax1 herbs and spices1 and we all wore them in the old way4 ,what influence they exercised over the dreaded disease ,i do not pretend to gauge1 but we all escaped4 ,separate or mingled fate and superstition has made me use such compounds whenever travelling or knowingly exposed to infection4 ,even medical men don't deny the benefit of sweet odours1 or their value as disinfectants1 so why should not we enjoy the undoubted pleasure when it only means a few packages of seeds and a little trouble4 ,lavender is hardy when it is once firmly established1 but it is not the easiest perennial to start in this country4 ,at first ,i bought nursery stock1 but out of two dozen plants which ,i got from four different sources during two years1 only one lived1 and that was always a semi-invalid1 so ,i resorted to the slower method of sowing seed4 ,in ,march1 a shallow box was filled with potting mould thoroughly soaked with water1 then covered with about one-fourth of an inch of soil1 patted down firmly1 the box covered with glass1 and placed in a west window4 ,as soon as seedlings appeared the glass was removed1 but they were shaded from the direct sun and slightly sprinkled every morning4 ,when two inches high they were transplanted to a deeper box and set two inches apart4 ,about two months later they were transplanted to a partly-shaded seed-bed in the garden1 and the last two leaves were nipped off each plant to insure a bushy growth4 ,cultivation was constant all through the summer until ,august1 when they were again transplanted--this time into a bed which was to be their permanent home--a border partly shaded by shrubs4 ,it happened to be a very dry summer1 so they were sprinkled every evening4 ,when cool weather set in1 leaves were scattered between the plants1 and the quantity increased as the weather became more severe4 ,in the spring the mulch was removed1 and a little bone meal raked into the ground around the plants4 ,the ground must be covered every winter1 and it is well to have a dressing of well-rotted cow manure dug into the bed during the early fall4 ,in ,june or ,july we always have huge quantities of flowers4 ,we have never marketed any of them1 but they have formed the basis of many ,christmas and birthday presents4 ,ten pounds of lavender flowers1 and one pound each of musk1 thyme1 rosemary and mint leaves1 all dried1 and mixed with one ounce of ground cloves1 was grandmamma's formula for moth-bags which preserved our furs and woollens just as effectually as camphor balls or tar mixtures4 ,sage is needed for pork1 duck and goose dressings1 and is one of the very best tonics for the hair3 the broad leaf variety is the best to grow4 ,it will save time to buy the plants2 they only cost ten cents each1 are very easy to establish1 and quite hardy4 ,three plants will be sufficient for a home supply4 ,set out three feet apart in a partly shaded situation4 ,there are two varieties of thyme2 both should find a place in the garden1 the broad leaf ,english in the herb-bed for flavoring stews and soups2 the almond-scented in the flower garden1 for it is a pretty variegated plant which remains green all through the year1 and is used only for sachets and potpourri4 ,both varieties are perennials1 but if sown early in the spring will mature the first season4 ,the seed should be sown in rows nine inches apart1 on rich soil which has been worked into a fine1 loose condition1 with a fine garden rake1 and later smoothed off with a board or the back of a spade4 ,mark the rows by pressing the edge of a board on to the ground4 ,don't make a furrow1 as the seed is very small4 ,next1 sprinkle thoroughly1 using a fine rose on the water-can4 ,keep the can moving back and forth until the ground is thoroughly saturated to the depth of an inch4 ,wait for an hour1 then scatter the seed thinly on the marked lines1 and cover about the sixteenth of an inch with dry1 fine soil4 ,it is a good plan to fill the flour-dredger with soil1 and shake it over the rows1 for then you are sure of its being evenly distributed4 ,after the seed is covered1 put a board over the row1 and press gently1 to insure the seeds being firmed into the ground4 ,thyme1 marjoram--in fact1 all small seeds--do better if they are partly shaded4 ,i make long1 narrow frames of slats1 and cover them with unbleached muslin1 then drive a few sticks into each side of the row1 and lay the frames over them4 ,for safety against wind-storms1 it is well to put a few nails through the frames into the sticks4 ,about eleven o'clock it is advisable to sprinkle the muslin over the frames with water1 as the evaporation prevents the seedlings becoming too dry4 ,if time won't permit making the frames1 spread two or three thicknesses over the rows1 using stones to hold them in place1 or mulch with lawn clippings4 ,i like the former the best1 because they are easy to remove1 and are not so untidy as a grass mulch1 which dries and blows about4 ,when the seedlings are well established--which is when they have got their second pair of leaves and are an inch high--the mulch will have to be removed1 but if the frames are used1 they can remain for another week4 ,rosemary is another perennial1 and the plants can easily be got from any nursery1 but if you want to raise some seed1 proceed exactly as for thyme4 ,after you have one well-grown plant1 it is better to propagate by cutting than to raise from seed4 ,they require rich soil1 and a sunny position1 and need some light protection during the winter4 ,the whole plant is aromatic1 but the flowers are the strongest4 ,it is the essential oil which is distilled from them that is the principal ingredient of eau de cologne4 ,a cupful each of lavender1 thyme1 rosemary and mint1 steeped in two quarts of hot water for two hours1 strained and added to a warm bath1 banishes fatigue in a miraculous way1 and in cases of long convalescence1 a cupful of the mixture in the sponge bath is most gratifying and refreshing to the invalid4 ,summer savory is an annual4 ,it must be sown in shallow drills nine inches apart1 in early summer4 ,sweet marjoram is a perennial1 and should receive the same culture as lavender4 ,both are used for flavouring1 stuffings and soups4 ,bane1 saffron and wormwood belong to the poultry department principally4 ,the first are annuals1 the last perennial4 ,borage is an annual which gives just the piquant fillip to salads and summer drinks which epicures delight in1 and bees simply adore it4 ,plant in dry1 sandy soil4 ,dill and tarragon must not be left out of the herb collection1 for they improve the pickles1 and are necessary for many sauces4 ,they are both annuals of easy culture1 and will grow in any garden4 ,sow in rows ten inches apart1 and thin when plants get second leaves4 ,to make tarragon vinegar1 gather a pint of the young sprigs1 wash1 and pour two quarts of malt vinegar over them4 ,let it stand two or three weeks1 strain1 and if not quite strong enough1 add fresh sprigs4 ,strain after two weeks1 and bottle for use4 ,spearmint requires moist soil4 ,we grow it in large quantities1 as we have a good market for it at five cents a bunch during the spring and summer4 ,it is positively no trouble after it is introduced into congenial soil1 for it spreads rapidly1 and needs no cultivation beyond the cutting what is necessary for market4 ,don't make the mistake of transplanting the common wild mint1 for usually the flavour is more like peppermint than spearmint1 which is the variety demanded for sauces4 ,we bought three plants originally1 which cost fifteen cents each1 and now it covers about fifty feet of one side of the back garden1 where the ground is moist and shaded by some old quince trees4 ,,growing ,,watercress ,watercress is in constant demand the year round in the markets of all large cities1 so it is a salable crop which should especially appeal to the commuter class of farmers1 as it must be freshly gathered to be at its best1 and naturally cannot be shipped long distances to market1 which is perhaps the principal reason for its being such a profitable crop4 ,in ,france and ,england1 watercress farms are quite numerous1 especially in the vicinity of ,paris and ,london2 but in this country it is only just beginning to be cultivated to any great extent1 the principal market supply being furnished by ,italians who take short journeys into the country and gather it from the ponds and streams where it grows wild4 ,under such circumstances it is not surprising that the leaves of poisonous water plants are often found in bunches offered for sale in the public markets4 ,we have supplied our egg customers and one hotel with cress for four years1 and never received less than five cents a bunch--usually ten cents--and from ,november to ,march from twelve to fifteen cents for a good-sized bunch4 ,like a good many of the side lines which have brought grist to our mill1 it developed from an apparent accident4 ,there was a large wild bed in the stream which ran through the lower meadows1 from which we gathered cress during the spring and summer4 ,chancing down a wagon-road one day in ,january1 we were astonished to see lots of fresh green sprigs growing under the meagre shelter of a low log bridge which crossed the brook4 ,we accepted the hint1 and determined to protect enough of the brook the following year to supply us with fresh salad through the winter4 ,some time in ,october1 brush was piled up for a distance of about six feet on each side of the stream4 ,in ,november1 when the nights commenced to be really cold1 we made some frames out of thin cedar poles1 interlaced them with strong cedar branches1 and then placed them over the stream1 with the ends resting on the brush1 which elevated them about nine inches above the cress4 ,though primitive1 the arrangement proved beyond doubt that forcing watercress was practicable4 ,during that winter we often put a little cress around the poultry which was being shipped to private customers1 and so many requests came for a regular supply that we concluded it would pay to increase the beds4 ,but as the stream was some distance from the house1 and accessible to the cows when they were in the lower pasture1 we resolved to utilize the escape from the spring-house1 which was never failing4 ,it had up to that time been carried off by a tile-drain under the side lawn4 ,operations were commenced by digging a ditch three feet wide1 one foot deep4 ,at first it was only made fifty feet long2 subsequently it was increased to one hundred feet4 ,as the ground was heavy clay1 we carted clean sand from a bank at the other end of the farm1 and covered the bottom of the ditch to the depth of three inches to form a seed-bed1 and also to militate the usual creepy-crawly brook creatures4 ,at every five feet of the ditch1 sluices were inserted--just box-like arrangements1 made out of rough boards1 one of which could be raised and lowered at will1 so that the amount of water in each five-foot section would be under control4 ,when the ditch and sluices were completed1 a trap divided through the middle was put in front of the escape from the spring-house to divide the flow of water1 and one length of the tile at each end of the trap carried it to the opposite sides of the ditch to insure even distribution4 ,it is a special stone building1 twelve feet square1 used for milk and butter4 ,the floor is about three feet below the ground1 and a gutter1 fourteen inches wide and twelve inches deep1 runs all round the four sides1 and is kept continually full of cold running water from a spring situated about three feet to the right of the house4 ,the water is divided by a stone as it enters the house1 and goes to the right or left in the gutter until it reaches the escape at the opposite side of the house4 ,the floor and gutter are made of stone1 so the place is beautifully clean and very like an old-country dairy4 ,after the beds had been thoroughly saturated with water1 all but the merest dribble was shut off4 ,roots from the meadow brook were taken up1 washed carefully in fresh water to remove the before-mentioned creepy creatures1 and then set out in the sand at the bottom of the ditch4 ,field stones were placed on the roots of each plant to prevent their being dislodged by the action of the water before they had had time to establish an anchorage4 ,after two weeks the whole supply of water was allowed to run into the ditch1 and it covered the bottom to a depth of five inches4 ,fully one-half the plants died and had to be replanted1 but the following year the entire ditch was a solid mass of cress4 ,the leaves were much larger1 and the flavour much better1 than the cress had ever been in its wild state4 ,of course1 if the best price was to be obtained in the winter1 our desire was to force the crop at that season4 ,we built sides fifteen inches deep to the ditch1 using rough slabs1 which only cost us fifty cents a load from the sawmill in the woods4 ,then we used the ordinary cold-frame sash over the top4 ,after the beds are once established1 their cultivation consists in cutting1 and nothing else2 and1 as the cutting is necessary for the market supply1 it is really truer to call it harvesting than cultivating2 though neglecting to cut the beds regularly as soon as they are four inches high will ruin a bed very rapidly1 as the plants grow thick-stemmed and sprawly4 ,we find that old beds as a rule are not as profitable as young ones1 so we make a practice of renewing three or four sections every year4 ,the method is to withhold water in ,july until the plants die1 then pull them up1 after which the bottom of the ditch is dug over to let in the air and sweeten the ground4 ,after a lapse of two or three days1 it is raked down level again1 and a few loads of fresh sand spread over the bottom1 saturated with water as before1 though1 instead of old roots1 we now use slips three inches long1 taken from the ends of old branching plants4 ,they root very quickly1 and make better plants than the old roots4 ,twice we have started an entirely new stock from the seed1 and think the result quite worthy of the extra trouble4 ,the seed is very light and small1 so it is best to start it in shallow pans filled with sand1 which must1 of course1 be kept saturated with water1 but not submerged4 ,may or ,june is the best season for this planting1 for then plants are large enough to transplant into beds in ,july1 and will be well established before the forcing season4 ,for a small home supply through the winter1 half-barrels or wash-tubs may be used4 ,half fill them with sandy soil and stand in a light1 warm cellar4 ,set slips four inches apart in ,august1 and keep perpetually moist4 ,if you have no means of getting slips1 buy seed from any good seedsman4 ,start in shallow pans in ,june4 ,i saw an item in a paper1 not long ago1 which estimated that an acre of watercress1 at its present market prices1 would bring from four to five hundred dollars a year4 ,watercress should be carefully prepared for market4 ,gather and bunch at once1 to prevent unnecessary handling4 ,cut the stalks evenly after the bunches are tied up1 and pack in light crates lined with hay or moss4 ,place bunches closely together in rows1 with hay or moss between layers4 ,ship on late trains if they have to go by express1 to avoid exposure to the heat of the sun during transit4 ,when small quantities are going to private customers1 pack in strawberry or grape boxes1 as there is less likelihood of the cress heating and spoiling when packed in this way4 ,,my ,,experience ,,with ,,bees ,the old-fashioned hive was so inconvenient and wasteful that many people who date their knowledge of bee-keeping from the old homestead will find it difficult to believe that apiculture has developed into a practical1 money-making industry during the last twenty years1 until now the average amount of honey put on the market each year is upward of a hundred million pounds1 representing a money value of from eight to ten million dollars4 ,in a favourable locality one hive1 with its average colony of thirty-five thousand workers and a queen1 will turn out from thirty to forty pounds1 besides the fifteen or twenty necessary to feed the hive through the winter4 ,the vicious temper of the old-time black bee has much to do with the neglect of this profitable industry4 ,the ,italian bees are1 however1 so much better as honey-gatherers that they are almost universally kept now1 and are so gentle in disposition that even a nervous person can easily learn to manipulate them without fear of stings4 ,the principal honey-producing plants in our ,eastern states are fruit bloom of all kinds1 locust1 white clover1 crimson clover1 basswood1 sumac1 goldenrod1 buckwheat1 sunflowers1 grapes and asters4 ,of these1 clover1 basswood and buckwheat provide the bulk of our honey crop in most localities1 although large yields are often obtained from others4 ,fruit bloom1 though yielding much honey1 comes so early in the season that it is mostly consumed by the bees in brood-rearing4 ,clover commences the last of ,may1 lasts several weeks1 and yields a light-coloured honey of fine flavour4 ,basswood blooms the first part of ,july1 lasts about ten days1 and produces a very white honey4 ,buckwheat blooms in ,august and the first part of ,september4 ,it gives a dark-red honey with a strong flavour4 ,my apiary started with three hives1 bought for two dollars at a farm auction4 ,i knew nothing about bees or hives at the time2 the owner was not there to be questioned1 so it was a truly risky proceeding1 not to be recommended4 ,but if chance makes it possible to pick up one or two good hives of the box1 movable-frame style1 and bees of any sort for a few dollars1 take them and improve the stock by introducing good ,italian queens1 which can be bought for two dollars and fifty cents each from any bee-supply house4 ,they can be shipped through the mail in small cages4 ,when an ,italian queen is introduced into a hive of common bees in ,may or ,june there will be no sign of the original occupants in the fall4 ,for the working bees are such indefatigable toilers that during blossom-time they usually wear themselves out in about six weeks1 and most certainly never survive more than twelve4 ,the drones are driven from the hive to die whenever any of the different blossom crops which supply honey are on the decline4 ,queens live for years1 but as perpetuators of their race are only to be relied upon for three years4 ,if your immediate neighbourhood cannot furnish stock to start with1 the best plan is to send for frames of nuclei and a queen4 ,one frame would cost three dollars1 and hardly contains sufficient bees to build up a strong colony1 therefore it is better to send for three frames1 which will make a splendid start1 and only cost an additional one dollar and fifty cents4 ,if purchased in ,june or ,july they will have multiplied so considerably by the time buckwheat is in blossom that you will be able to build up a second colony4 ,of course1 a hive filled with a full complement of bees can be bought1 but would cost at least ten dollars4 ,express charges would be very expensive1 as bees come under the head of live creatures1 and double rates must be paid4 ,the frames of nuclei are packed in light cases which cost less than half4 ,a hive must be ready to receive the little travellers on their arrival1 and here again it is advisable to consider express charges4 ,one hive ready for use will cost two dollars and sixty cents1 and almost as much expressage as five hives 8in the flat10 as dealers call it1 and the five hives can be had for nine dollars and twenty-five cents4 ,nails of the correct size and full instructions are sent with the hive1 so even a feminine amateur will find it quite easy to put them together4 ,i use two-story1 dovetailed hives1 which consist of a cover1 bottom1 brood-chamber and two supers4 ,bees are best kept in a quiet corner of the garden1 or under the trees in the orchard1 where they are protected from the noon-day sun and east winds4 ,when we had only two or three hives they stood on a shelf in an open-fronted shelter1 which was made from a large packing-case bought from the general store for twenty cents4 ,in the winter we packed straw or leaves around the hives1 and set up boards in front1 which leaned against the top of the case1 and sloped out a few inches at the ground4 ,this was to keep out the snow and rain and yet allow plenty of ventilation4 ,now that hives are scattered through the orchard1 we simply slip each into a case a little larger than itself1 and set up a board in front4 ,further south no protection will be required1 but in the ,north it would be advisable to carry the hives into a dry1 well-ventilated cellar for the winter4 ,the only drawback to the latter plan is that the bees may become restless quite early in the spring1 so the condition of hives should be watched4 ,a small hand-mirror held at the opening of the hive1 and a light held in the other hand so that it will shine into the hive1 will enable you to see what is going on inside4 ,if the bees appear restless1 it is a sure sign that they need more air4 ,opening the cellar windows after dark on a moderate night will usually supply all the ventilation that is necessary1 until the middle or end of ,march1 when it is best to let the bees have a cleansing flight if they still appear restless4 ,it is not very much trouble1 when only a few hives are kept1 to carry them out on a warm day and place them where they stood last fall4 ,it should be done early in the morning and as carefully as possible1 so as not to disturb the inmates1 who will gradually arouse as the sun gains strength1 and take flight4 ,this will relieve the intestines of the waste matter which has caused their restlessness4 ,after the sun has gone down in the evening1 carry the hives back into the cellar1 and the bees will be quiet until spring is sufficiently advanced to warrant putting them out for the season1 which is usually when soft maples and willows commence to furnish pollen4 ,as soon as the days are warm in spring we go through the hives and give them a general clean-up4 ,if a hive appears to be short of honey1 a comb from a hive that is well supplied is removed and given to it1 and as some bees are sure to have died during the winter1 some colonies will be stronger than others1 so things must be evened up4 ,when a hive has more than five frames filled with brood1 one or two are taken out and placed in hives having less than five frames filled with brood4 ,a great advantage of the modern frame-hive is this being able to take out and put in brood1 and later add supers and empty sections as the original ones are filled with honey4 ,a bee's life is apparently a most accurately prearranged existence1 filled with allotted duties1 which are intuitively understood and unerringly performed4 ,there is only one queen allowed in each colony1 and she lays all the eggs1 the workers being imperfectly-developed females4 ,drones are the masculine members of the population1 lazy fellows1 whom the workers have to feed1 hence the reason for their being expelled from the hive whenever food is scarce4 ,the queen is truly a royal personage1 who only leaves the hive to take what is called the nuptial flight1 when she meets some drone in midair1 and returns to become the sole mother of the hive4 ,she is always guarded by a small retinue of attendants1 who feed and care for her as she wanders from cell to cell1 depositing an egg in each with untiring zeal4 ,the egg develops into a tiny grub-like worm1 which is fed for seven days by young workers2 then the cell is capped over by another set of workers1 the grub being left undisturbed for eleven or twelve days1 by which time it has developed into a full-fledged bee1 which gnaws its way out of the cell1 and at once takes up the duties of life4 ,for six or seven days its time is devoted to feeding the newly-hatched eggs1 then1 for about the same length of time1 building combs and cleaning the hives1 after which it is evidently considered strong enough to leave the hive and commence the arduous task of gathering honey4 ,the queen is exempt from all work4 ,within a week or two after a virgin queen has taken her nuptial flight1 the hive should be opened and the frames removed1 one by one1 and examined until the queen is found4 ,she can be distinguished from the others by the length of her body and the way the other bees cluster around her4 ,pick her up very gently by the back1 being careful not to squeeze her abdomen1 and with a pair of sharp scissors clip both wings on one side of her body4 ,this insures a short flight at swarming-time4 ,when she again issues from the hive1 usually the excited condition of the bees will indicate when this is going to take place1 and as the queen cannot fly with her cut wings1 you will have little trouble1 for she will be found on the ground near the hive1 with a group of bees around her1 and the full swarm not far away4 ,approach very quietly1 and place a small wire trap over the queen4 ,the traps are sold by all the bee-supply firms1 and cost twenty-five cents4 ,place the trap in the opening of the hive you desire the swarm to occupy1 cautiously approach the full swarm1 and with a soft broom sweep the bees into the hive if the position they occupy makes it possible2 if not1 use a box or pan1 and carry them to the hive and empty them in front4 ,they will soon commence to occupy the new home4 ,the slide of the queen trap can be opened1 and the bees inside will settle down to business4 ,after the first swarm1 early in the season1 it is advisable to take every possible means to prevent after-swarms4 ,want of room is the main cause for old bees leaving a hive1 so a great deal may be accomplished by careful manipulation of the frames4 ,the lower part of the hive is devoted to brood-rearing2 the other part is composed of the frames which hold the section-boxes4 ,section-boxes are the small square cases in which comb-honey is marketed4 ,among the modern inventions in apiculture is the comb foundation1 or starter1 as it is sometimes called4 ,in the old days bees had to supply all the wax to build the combs4 ,now it is bought with the cells ready started1 and the bees have only to draw them out and finish off the work1 which of course saves the little workers much time1 and enables them to store more honey4 ,what is termed medium foundation is used in the brood-frames1 and thin or extra thin in the section-boxes4 ,bees will sometimes ignore extra space when added above the frames where they have been working1 so it is advisable to raise the top super1 and insert another one below it4 ,this supplying empty sections materially mitigates swarming1 but does not always prevent it4 ,it is the after-swarms that it is so important to check1 as they are of little use1 seldom being able to gather sufficient stores to keep them through the winter4 ,in ,september all hives should be examined1 and if any have less than twenty-five pounds of honey1 artificial feeding must be resorted to4 ,make a syrup of equal quantities of sugar and water2 heat slowly1 stirring all the time1 being very careful not to let it scorch1 for burnt syrup means destruction to the bees4 ,allow it to cool1 and then fill what is known as a ,miller feeder1 which costs thirty-five cents1 and fits into any of the movable-frame hives4 ,illustration3 ,a ,,cellar ,,store ,,room ,,storing ,,fruit ,,and ,,vegetables ,at least one-half of the profit to be derived from living in the country materialises in winter when fruit and vegetables can be struck from the family living expenses1 so the keeping and storing of the garden and orchard products are of great importance to the housewife who wants to make the home furnish current expenses4 ,to keep well1 things must be gathered at the moment between full development and complete ripeness1 for1 if development is not complete1 fruit and vegetables shrink and wither2 if completely ripe1 they decay rapidly4 ,the house cellar1 attic1 or a root-cellar or pit in the garden are all available on a country place1 and all suitable for different things4 ,the cellar is best for storing fruits and vegetables4 ,long ago we had racks made of two-by-two scantling--some six feet long1 others three feet1 and both two feet wide--to put under barrels and boxes to lift them from the ground and allow a free current of air to circulate underneath them as a protection against damp and mildew4 ,to economise space1 we had boxes1 ten feet long and ten inches deep1 fixed in tiers of three1 with one foot of space between4 ,the frames which supported them were also made of two-by-two scantling1 and reached from the rafters of the ceiling to the ground4 ,the keeping of early fruits1 like currants1 strawberries1 and raspberries1 depends principally upon the cook's skill1 for they have to be canned and made into preserves and jellies4 ,get into the habit of doing such work in small quantities--from a quart to six quarts1 or even a pint1 as the day's gathering may provide4 ,the habit of waiting for the height of the season1 when a big gathering is possible1 is frequently the cause of home-canned goods spoiling1 because some of the fruit is almost sure to be overripe1 and that means that fermentation or mould will set in1 in a short time1 and ruin the entire boiling4 ,after wiping and labelling the jars1 they must be kept in a cool1 dark place4 ,we have a big cupboard at the back of the outside section of the cellar1 where all such goods are kept4 ,begin with asparagus1 which is best packed into jars filled with salt and water1 and cooked in a steam boiler for an hour and a half4 ,peas are shelled1 and about two quarts of the hulls and a sprig of mint are boiled in four quarts of water for thirty minutes1 then strained1 the water brought to the boiling-point1 salted to taste1 and the peas boiled slowly in it for thirty minutes4 ,fill the jars to overflowing1 and screw down the tops at once4 ,beans must be strung and sliced and boiled in salted water1 as for table1 or packed in two-inch layers1 with a sprinkling of salt between1 in a stone crock4 ,put a plate or a stone on top of the beans to keep them under the brine1 and cover closely4 ,when wanted for use1 soak in fresh cold water overnight and cook in the usual way4 ,gathering and packing is of the greatest importance in keeping fruit4 ,the most favourable time is when the fruit has attained its full growth and colour1 which is several days before it is quite ripe4 ,all fruit should be handled with the greatest care2 the slightest bruise or scratch starts a condition which will develop rot4 ,a high extension ladder1 a high step-ladder1 and an agile boy are the requisites for picking4 ,when possible1 choose a bright1 cool day1 have the boxes and barrels ready1 and press all help into service4 ,before allowing anyone to pick apples1 teach him how4 ,take the apple lightly1 turn it slowly1 and press upward1 so that the stem is severed from the branch1 not from fruit4 ,whoever does the climbing should discard shoes1 for they are apt to injure the bark of the tree1 which always causes later troubles4 ,a shallow bag1 slung across the body sling-fashion1 is the best receptacle for the picker to use1 because it leaves both hands free4 ,the work is greatly facilitated if two people can pick1 two pack1 and a fifth take the fruit from the pickers to the packers4 ,have two bag-slings for each person picking1 so that the collector can take the full one and hand up an empty one1 which saves emptying the fruit into a basket4 ,the packers and the barrels1 or boxes1 should stand side by side1 with a box of convenient height and size turned upside down to act as a table on which to place the sling-bags when full4 ,the best apples are packed in small boxes1 with paper between the layers4 ,the second quality are put into barrels4 ,put a layer of hay in the bottom of the barrel1 fill it with the fruit1 and end with a layer of hay4 ,the small ones may be used for cider and for feeding stock4 ,onions are ready to harvest when the tops fall down and dry4 ,choose a dry day to dig them up4 ,leave the bulbs lying on the ground for several days1 then carry into a shed1 where they can be spread out for two or three days more1 while the work of cutting off the roots and tops is being completed4 ,we have a room over the woodshed which we use for onions1 as they are apt to sprout in a cellar that is moist enough to keep other root-crops in good condition4 ,we had tiers of shelves1 made of slats1 put up all round the walls1 on which the onions are spread out1 and1 as a precaution against frost1 they are covered with bags or dry autumn leaves as severe weather approaches4 ,bore holes about nine inches apart in the sides of the barrels2 fill with the onions1 leaving the head of the barrel off1 and stand in any unused room4 ,potatoes should be dug as soon as the tops die down4 ,choose a dry1 bright day and cart at once into a dark place to dry4 ,don't leave them in the light on the field1 but spread out for a few days1 then pack them in the cellar in barrels which have a few holes bored in them1 or in bins which have a bottom made of slats4 ,carrots1 turnips and beets should be packed in boxes or on tiers of box shelves4 ,in either case1 they should be well covered with sand or soil to prevent the roots shrivelling4 ,put a few boards in a sunny place1 and stand the squash and pumpkins on them4 ,they should stay there about a week or ten days1 and be covered at night with bags or an old blanket1 after which put them in some dry1 cool place4 ,cauliflowers are pulled up with as much soil as may be attached to the roots1 and hung head down from ceiling of the cellar2 ,brussels sprouts1 the same4 ,cabbage is pulled up in the same way and packed in rows of two or three abreast on the cellar floor4 ,these are for use in very bad weather4 ,the main quantity is stacked in a pit in the garden and covered with earth1 straw and brush4 ,celery is partly protected by being earthed up for bleaching1 so it can be left in the garden until the first of ,october1 or even the fifteenth if mild1 but it must be brought in before heavy frost4 ,about nine inches of soil is spread on the floor all along one side of the cellar4 ,the celery is dug and brought in with what earth adheres to the roots1 and then set in the soil just as if the plants were expected to grow1 only they are put very close together and about three abreast4 ,when the row is completed1 boards are set upon end1 the full length of the row1 and another set of heads is packed in the same way1 each additional row being divided by boards4 ,this is done to prevent the celery heating1 and rot setting in1 as would be the case if the entire mass was allowed to touch4 ,after the setting-up is all done1 earth is scattered heavily between the heads4 ,there is usually a large quantity of green tomatoes still on the vines in the fall1 and the full-sized ones can be packed in shallow boxes1 with paper between the layers1 and kept in a cool1 dark place4 ,later in the season bring out a few at a time to ripen in the window of a warm room4 ,grapes must be carefully cut1 the bunches examined and any faulty grapes removed with a pair of scissors4 ,put slats across a box about two inches from the top1 tying the bunches of grapes to the slats and letting them hang down into the box1 leaving a space between the bunches4 ,fill the box up with finely-cut tissue-paper and keep on the shelf in the cellar4 ,the cellar for storing fruit must be well ventilated and free from damp1 though a cement cellar is apt to be too dry1 which causes the fruit to shrivel4 ,in such a case1 stand a tub or a couple of pails of water in the cellar1 and do not fail to change it once or twice a month4 ,a dry cellar with an earthen floor is usually about right1 though1 if rapid thaws occur during the early spring1 such a floor is likely to become very damp2 as a remedy1 put one or two wide1 shallow boxes1 filled with unslaked lime1 into the cellar1 which will absorb the moisture4 ,,forcing ,,rhubarb ,,and ,,asparagus ,we had little more than settled on the farm when ,i read an article in some farm paper about forcing rhubarb in a dark cellar4 ,there was a lot of rhubarb in the garden1 and a lot of room in the cellar4 ,several roots were dug up and packed in one corner of the section we kept for vegetables1 but as the article had not mentioned that any heat was necessary1 and that it was necessary to expel all light1 the venture was not a success1 for there was a window in the wall near the chosen corner1 which allowed the light to shine right on the roots1 and the temperature was much too cold4 ,there were dozens of spindly little stalks1 with large green leaves at their ends1 but nothing worthy the name of pie-plant4 ,however1 before the following winter ,i had secured technical knowledge and vicarious experience1 to start on4 ,the window was boarded up1 and two lanterns were kept burning near the roots4 ,we had rhubarb charlotte and rhubarb pies1 and stewed rhubarb for breakfast1 just as often as we liked1 from ,december until ,march1 and what is more to the purpose1 we sold eighty-two dollars' worth4 ,after we built the mushroom-cellar1 a section was partitioned off for rhubarb and asparagus1 and both became profitable adjuncts to our winter income4 ,one great advantage about both of these crops for home use is that there is no necessity to use manure or any great amount of moisture1 and for that reason there is no objectionable odour to sift through into the living-rooms4 ,naturally1 when large quantities are to be raised for market1 it is better to have a special room for work1 but even that does not necessitate any serious outlay4 ,a neighbour built a house twenty-eight feet long on the dugout plan1 on a side-hill at the back of his house2 just boarded up the front and ends with rough slabs1 which cost him two dollars and fifty cents4 ,three rolls of tar-paper1 at one dollar and ten cents each1 were used to exclude light and draft4 ,stove-pipe cost another two dollars4 ,he had an old stove1 but even if he had had to buy one1 it would only have meant another eight or ten dollars1 and the first crop brought him in one hundred and thirty dollars4 ,there is often some old building around a farm which can be utilised for this work1 but if there is no hillside or building available1 it is better to excavate to a depth of three feet1 making the house about nine feet wide and as long as you like4 ,this will allow a two-foot path through the middle1 and a little more than three feet on each side1 in which to store the roots4 ,side-walls need be only a foot above the ground1 but it is best to have a peaked roof1 the centre of which is three and a half feet above ground1 so that there will be plenty of headroom in the centre of the house4 ,place a door at one end1 with an extension shed and storm door beyond it1 unless the house can be built adjoining some shed or outbuilding into which the door may open4 ,cover the ends and roof with tar-paper1 and bank the sides up with earth4 ,then in the centre of the house make a pit1 about two feet below the floor and large enough for a stove to stand in1 and run the pipe from a double elbow to each end of the house4 ,the reason for making the pit for the stove to stand in is to get the pipe as near the ground as possible4 ,it is possible to do without the stove if the floor of the house is covered with manure and a goodly supply is packed around the sides of the house1 but as that would be more expensive and much more laborious1 ,i advise you to adopt the stove plan1 especially as it involves none of the harrowing niceties usually attached to running hothouse heating apparatus1 there being no water-pipes to freeze or injury to crops if the fire happens to run down or even go out altogether4 ,my neighbour1 who built the house on the side hill1 tells me that he had no coal-stove at first1 and used the kerosene cooking-stove from his summer kitchen4 ,having decided where and what quantity is to be raised next winter1 the preliminary work must be begun at once4 ,if you have a lot of old roots in the garden1 dig up the greater number just as soon as it is possible to put a spade in the ground1 and cut the roots into good-sized chunks1 being careful to leave from two to four eyes 7embryo buds1 which are unmistakable7 in each clump4 ,if you have a strip of ground on which corn or potatoes were grown last year1 scatter barn-yard manure over it4 ,if it is heavy loam1 plough deeply1 but if light sandy soil1 the furrows need not be more than six inches deep1 and in addition to the barn-yard fertiliser it will be well to use a heavy dressing of wood ashes4 ,we spread the barn-yard manure about three inches deep all over the surface of the ground before ploughing1 then broadcast ashes1 harrowing up and down1 leave for about two weeks1 and then harrow from side to side4 ,when in good condition1 the ground must be marked off into rows about four feet apart4 ,run the plough twice in the same furrow1 and the trench will be deep enough to admit of a little more manure being scattered1 then covered lightly with soil before the plants are put in4 ,set them three feet apart4 ,cultivate well through the summer to keep clean and promote growth4 ,cut out any flower-stalks which may appear1 for one flower-stalk takes more strength from the root than twenty fruit-stalks1 so they should never be allowed to mature1 even in the ordinary garden-beds4 ,the clumps left undisturbed for the summer supply should have a good dressing of manure worked into the ground around them now and again after the gathering season is over1 so that they will be in good condition to go into the cellar in ,december4 ,when old clumps have been divided and set out in ,april1 they will be large and strong enough to use for forcing the following ,december1 but if young nursery plants have to be bought1 it is better to defer forcing until the second winter4 ,about ,november #aeth we dig up the roots and leave them to be frozen2 then about ,december #ast1 or even a little earlier if the nights have been frosty1 one-half the roots are piled up in a shed1 and the other half packed on the earth floor of the forcing-house4 ,a little earth is scattered between them1 and then they are sprinkled with water in which nitrate of soda has been dissolved1 one ounce of the latter to one gallon of water4 ,the stove is started1 a wash-boiler of water put on1 and then the work simply consists of shaking down the stove1 putting on half a scuttle of coal and filling up the boiler night and morning4 ,in from three to four weeks the first gathering is made4 ,stalks should be from twelve to fourteen inches high1 and four usually go to a bunch4 ,the roots will yield good crops for from three to four weeks1 but gathering should cease when the crop shows any sign of declining4 ,when you decide that the roots shall stop bearing1 let the fire go out4 ,three or four days later the roots can be removed and piled in a shed1 and those that have been held dormant brought in and spread on the cellar floor4 ,proceed as with the first lot1 and at the end of the season simply let out the fire again and wait until the weather will permit outside planting4 ,then divide the roots into two or three pieces1 according to size1 and plant in rows as before4 ,they will be ready for forcing again the second winter1 so that1 once started1 the supply is always on the increase4 ,asparagus can also be forced in the same manner as rhubarb1 the only difference being that asparagus roots don't divide well1 so seed has to be sown each year to keep up a stock for forcing4 ,plants cannot be used until the third season1 and they are not supposed to be worth replanting for forcing4 ,asparagus can also be forced by placing hotbed frames and sashes over the plants1 and banking up all around the frames with stable manure1 to generate heat4 ,this method only slightly hastens the crop4 ,there is nothing quite as satisfactory or profitable as the dark house or cellar1 because growing roots from seed is comparatively little trouble1 and the supply once started1 it is an easy matter to keep up a succession of three-year-old roots4 ,time can be saved the first year by buying one- or two-year-old plants from a nursery1 planting them in the garden1 and the following year use for forcing4 ,,raising ,,pigs ,a country home large enough to maintain a cow should certainly keep a pig1 if things are to be run on a profitable basis1 for the skim-milk1 buttermilk and waste vegetables cannot be satisfactorily disposed of1 unless there is a pig to consume them4 ,build the sty first4 ,ours is built on the ,english plan1 a sleeping-compartment six feet square1 five feet high in front1 three feet at back4 ,outer compartment of same size1 with walls three feet high1 floor slanting slightly to the front4 ,there is a trough in each corner of the open compartment4 ,the floor of the sleeping-room is six inches higher than the outer compartment1 and the whole building1 except the roof1 is made of concrete1 so can be easily and thoroughly cleansed4 ,if several sows are to be kept1 each must have a sty1 and there should be one or two large ones for young stock4 ,the piggery should be as far from the house and water-supply as possible4 ,if funds have to be very carefully dispensed1 start with a pair of young ones1 which usually can be bought in any farming district in the spring for about six dollars a pair when six weeks old4 ,they will need a little extra care at first1 a warm bed of common hay or dry leaves over straw4 ,it is advisable to watch them at feeding-time to see that they eat4 ,the first week boil a quart of wheat-bran1 pounded oatmeal 7hulled oats very coarsely ground71 coarse corn-meal and white middlings1 and twelve quarts of water for half an hour4 ,let stand until cold1 then add skim-milk sufficient to make it like rather thick gruel4 ,give four quarts three times a day for two pigs4 ,gradually accustom them to vegetables4 ,outside leaves of cabbage1 lettuce and other greens1 potato-peelings and peapods can all be utilised4 ,boil until tender1 mix a little bran or round oats with them1 and feed once a day4 ,after a week or ten days gradually reduce the gruel and substitute regular feed1 bearing in mind always that frame must be built before fattening is attempted4 ,if there is plenty of cash in the exchequer1 time can be saved by purchasing a mature sow due to farrow in ,april4 ,when making your selection1 choose a placid-looking animal with a reputation for being a good mother4 ,a vicious1 bad-tempered pig is a menace on a home farm4 ,moreover1 the vicious sow is generally a bad mother4 ,probably no animal is more easily affected by the treatment it receives when young than a pig4 ,treated kindly1 they become tractable1 gentle creatures2 if abused1 surly and dangerous4 ,for this reason it is perhaps better for the amateur to commence with a pair of little ones1 or one old sow4 ,suppose you have bought a sow after breeding2 you may expect little ones in sixteen weeks4 ,her litter may consist of any number from six to fourteen4 ,let her have plenty of exercise until a few days before she is due1 then restrict her range to her own sty4 ,for safety1 it is well to make a fender-like frame that will stand about six inches above the floor and the same from the side-walls4 ,then if ,mrs4 ,mother is careless enough to roll over1 any baby that happens to be in danger of being crushed can escape under the fender4 ,we used some old oak fence-rails1 cutting them to fit snugly across from wall to wall1 and bored large auger-holes seven inches from each end4 ,strong bolts and nuts were put through the corners1 and blocks of wood six inches square are placed for it to rest on2 being bolted together1 they are easily taken apart and in and out of the pens1 as they are not wanted after the little ones are a few days old4 ,have the sleeping-compartment thoroughly cleaned out and bedded with straw and the fender put in place four or five days before the litter is expected1 and don't disturb it after that until they are four or five days old4 ,put a small quantity of clean straw in the outer compartment during the last week4 ,about a month before farrowing-time let bran and ground oats predominate in the sow's rations1 and add a little linseed-meal4 ,she should be kept in full vigour1 but not allowed to get fat1 for which reason corn is best eliminated from her food4 ,after the litter has arrived give nothing heavier than a little bran-gruel for twenty-four hours4 ,feed lightly for two or three days1 then increase1 giving her about all she wants2 at the end of ten days commence to add corn-meal in limited quantities and green food of some sort1 unless the weather is such that the family can go out to pasture4 ,there should be a little opening in the outer compartment large enough for the youngsters to creep through1 and outside a fenced-in yard1 in which there is no trough4 ,when the babies are two weeks old give them a little grain4 ,they will soon learn to help themselves1 and so reduce the trouble at weaning-time4 ,we take the mother away when they are six or seven weeks old and let her run with the herd until again near farrowing-time4 ,if a boar is kept1 he should have his own sty and a separate yard4 ,his food should be good1 but not too fattening4 ,the best age is between one and five years4 ,to keep pigs successfully on the home farm1 you must disabuse your mind of the idea that they are naturally dirty creatures1 for they really are not4 ,given clean quarters1 a stream to bathe in1 and wholesome feed1 they are as self-respecting as any animal on the farm4 ,if there is no brook nor spring-place near the pasture1 a large patch of sod should be removed1 and the hollow filled with water4 ,after a few weeks let it dry up1 and make a new bath4 ,see that no horrible half-mouldy swill-barrels are kept around4 ,table scraps1 excepting meat1 vegetable peelings1 small potatoes1 apples1 in fact all unmarketable vegetables1 are boiled in the food-cooker with about the same amount of salt that we should use in cooking for the table4 ,when everything is soft1 bran1 crushed oats1 shorts or middlings are stirred in to make it into a thick porridge1 the whole being closely covered and allowed to stand until cold4 ,sometimes cornstalks are chopped and boiled in the same way4 ,when a feed-cooker is used1 preparing the food is very little trouble1 and most certainly it goes further than uncooked4 ,each animal has a pailful night and morning4 ,skim-milk and buttermilk1 when there is any to spare1 and a forkful of ensilage in the winter when there is no pasture4 ,water stands before them all the time in one of the cement troughs1 into which twice a week a pailful of coal-ashes is put to aid digestion1 and once a week an ounce of sulphur and charcoal is added to the feed4 ,when pigs weigh about one hundred pounds1 corn can commence to take the place of their grain1 for from then on fattening is the one end and aim of management4 ,the fleshy1 small or medium pig1 which weighs from two hundred and fifty to three hundred pounds brings a better price in the ,eastern markets nowadays than the large greasy pig1 so that returns are realised more quickly1 and it pays to force them with the best of food4 ,if by any chance a sow should farrow late in ,november1 it is more profitable to market the little ones as sucking pigs than to try to keep them through the cold of ,january and ,february4 ,ham and bacon is necessarily a staple in country households1 and a real luxury when home-cured4 ,as soon as the meat is cool1 it must be cured1 for should it become frozen1 it is impossible to turn it into good ham and bacon4 ,sugar and ,wiltshire are the two preferred methods4 ,there is a small hand-machine on the market1 specially made for injecting the liquid for the ,wiltshire method4 ,the positive price ,i don't know1 but ,i believe it is about ten dollars4 ,however1 ,i have used a white metal syringe1 which holds thirty-six ounces and answered very well for the small quantity undertaken4 ,the process given in an old ,english receipt is as follows3 ,add to five gallons of water1 twelve pounds of salt1 one pound of saltpetre1 one ounce of salt prunella1 two pounds of brown sugar4 ,bring slowly to the boiling point1 let simmer for fifteen minutes1 skim2 when cool it is ready to use in the injecting machine or syringe4 ,insert the syringe in the flesh1 and inject the pickle4 ,this is to be done every few inches over the entire surface of the meat1 to insure the full piece being permeated with the liquid4 ,lay the meat on the slab1 powder with saltpetre1 lay the rind side downwards and cover the cut side with a thick coating of salt4 ,the work should be done on a stone slab1 or hardwood bench with raised edges4 ,let the meat remain fifteen days1 and recover with fresh salt4 ,after seven days more1 wash the meat with clean cloths1 and hang up to dry for several days before smoking4 ,the dry sugar-cured method1 is1 ,i think1 to be preferred in this country1 because it is more generally liked4 ,place the hams and sides on a slab1 and proceed as follows3 ,mix five pounds of salt with three pounds of brown sugar and two ounces of saltpetre4 ,thoroughly rub all parts of the meat1 every third day for three weeks1 after which1 wash and wipe and dry for smoking4 ,of course1 you know that nothing but hard wood must be used for the fire4 ,green hickory is the best4 ,sausages should be composed of one-third bread--stale bread grated4 ,never use new or moistened bread4 ,casings only cost five cents a pound1 so it is better to buy them already prepared4 ,a good mixture is five parts lean pork1 one part fat1 two parts veal or mutton4 ,pass through the chopping machine1 then to every eight pounds add one teaspoonful of dried and finely powdered sage1 thyme1 and marjoram1 two teaspoonfuls each of mustard1 pepper and salt4 ,add the bread-crumbs last1 thoroughly mix1 and fill the casings4 ,make short1 fat links4 ,,caring ,,for ,,house ,,pets ,in all probability no creature on earth suffers so desperately from human ignorance as the house pet4 ,people who keep horses1 cattle or even poultry consider it necessary to know something about their wants and requirements1 but the poor pet animal is the recipient of much affection and many cruelties1 for it is cruel to ruin the health by injudicious feeding1 and vitality and happiness by want of exercise4 ,a wholesome1 happy dog or cat is the best playfellow children can have2 an entertaining companion for any member of the human race1 but an ailing1 unhealthy animal is a positive menace to the family4 ,the young dog just taken from its mother requires special care and patient training1 or it will not develop into an intelligent companion4 ,even an older dog who comes from kennels of repute will require careful guiding4 ,of course1 ,i refer to the general house-dog2 hunting-dogs are usually broken to their special duties before being sold4 ,but the house or pet dog must understand a multitude of things1 all of which vary according to the idiosyncrasies of the family who adopt it1 so it has to readjust its habits to new owners and environment4 ,have a kennel ready before the dog arrives4 ,a dry-goods case covered with roofing-paper will do if it has two heavy pieces of scantling nailed across the bottom1 to lift it three or four inches above the ground1 so that the air can circulate under it and prevent moisture from the ground making the floor damp4 ,place it in a sheltered position1 out of winter winds or the glare of a summer sun4 ,a good straw bed every week in cold weather and a good scrubbing in warm weather are sanitary precautions which should be observed4 ,have a strong screw-eye at one side of the kennel and a chain with a swivel snap at each end to prevent the chain getting twisted up to half its length1 and for convenience when handling a strange dog4 ,if the dog has been crated and expressed1 remember that in all probability the poor beast will be frightened1 tired and cross4 ,talk to it for a while1 and manage1 if possible1 to get a collar on and a chain attached before opening the crate4 ,then let ,mr4 ,dog get out by himself1 at his own time4 ,walk him about for some time and let him inspect the premises in the neighbourhood of the house4 ,naturally cleanly dogs will need the exercise1 so don't curtail it4 ,if there are any signs of constipation1 a dish of sour milk will usually correct the trouble4 ,if1 however1 the journey has the reverse effect1 which is very likely to be the case in summer1 scald milk1 pour over some stale bread which has been toasted and feed when quite cool4 ,when the dog has finished his inspection of the premises1 fasten him to the kennel and be sure to provide a solid1 heavy water-pan that cannot easily be knocked over4 ,leave him to become accustomed to his new home and to sleep off the nervous strain of the journey4 ,should he whine or bark1 don't go near him4 ,he is too excited and upset to be disciplined1 and sympathy and petting at this point would mean a prolonged fight later4 ,feed him yourself and take him for a run on chain in the evening1 early in the morning and at noon4 ,decide which will be the most convenient hours and try not to change them4 ,two or three days are usually sufficient to make the average dog accept a new master and claim the kennel as his castle1 so after that time he can be allowed freedom4 ,if the dog is young and is to sleep out of doors1 he should be chained at night1 otherwise he will be apt to form the habit of wandering off in the early morning hours or moonlight nights1 but no dog1 young or old1 should be kept perpetually chained4 ,young dogs1 especially of the terrier class1 are benefited by being chained in a cool1 shady spot during the middle of the day1 as they are apt to rush about and be overcome by the heat1 which often causes fits and terrifies the family into believing that it is a case of hydrophobia4 ,if the new dog is under nine months of age1 feed him three times a day4 ,bread and milk1 oatmeal1 hominy1 or any such food which has been well boiled1 allowed to cool and covered with milk1 makes a suitable breakfast4 ,lunch may be half a puppy-cake or a slice of brown bread4 ,the main meal should consist of boiled meat1 onions and rice1 mixed with some cooked green vegetable4 ,after the ninth month two meals a day are sufficient4 ,be as careful not to overfeed as not to underfeed4 ,a dog should be ready for each meal1 but never ravenously hungry4 ,don't give milk which has not been scalded or potatoes in any form1 if you wish to keep the puppy free from worms4 ,sour milk once or twice a week is beneficial1 but must not be given oftener4 ,twice a week a bone with some meat on it is needed4 ,some people think that raw meat is bad for dogs1 but a limited quantity of fresh lean meat is really necessary for growing dogs1 and being on the bone necessitates a lot of gnawing1 which is good for the teeth and encourages the flow of saliva which aids digestion4 ,if you should have a mother-dog with puppies1 give her a large sleeping place2 dry and comfortably warm in winter1 dry and cool in summer4 ,puppies should be taught to drink as soon as possible after they are six weeks old4 ,condensed milk saves the trouble of scalding cow's milk4 ,whichever is used should be given warm2 never hot or cold4 ,the puppies will learn to eat more quickly if the mother is taken away for about an hour before offering food4 ,gradually increase the length of her absence until she spends only the nights with her babies1 and weaning will be accomplished without any trouble4 ,to prevent worms1 the one great trouble which attacks all dogs1 give the mother a dose of worm medicine three or four weeks before the babies are expected1 and give the babies very small doses when they are three weeks old1 six weeks old and nine weeks old4 ,after that time ,i depend on sour milk1 and an occasional dose of castor-oil4 ,house-breaking should be attended to as soon as the puppies commence to run about4 ,never leave a puppy alone in a room1 for one mistake prompts others4 ,be watchful1 and the moment a puppy begins to fidget or to run about1 put it outside or in a box containing sawdust4 ,patience and perseverance are necessary at first1 but in two or three weeks the lesson will be perfectly learned1 especially if the hours of taking the dogs out are strictly adhered to4 ,old dogs1 whose education in this respect has been neglected1 can be taught tidy habits if fed at regular hours1 the last meal not later than three o'clock in the afternoon1 the evening exercise being postponed till about eight1 after which they should be fastened to the box or basket which acts as their bed by a chain not more than two feet long4 ,release early in the morning and take out at once4 ,they will soon understand the discipline of enforced hours1 for the close proximity of their bed calls natural instinct to their assistance4 ,the habit once formed1 it will prevail when allowed to sleep in any part of the house4 ,bathing dogs of any kind or size ,i don't believe in very much1 for it robs the skin of the natural oil which is required to feed the hair and keep it in condition4 ,brushing1 however1 is quite necessary1 especially in the summer1 when fleas may be about1 and it is well to begin early in the season to rub some good insect-powder into the hair1 then after about half an hour brush it out thoroughly4 ,delicate small dogs with long hair can have a mixture of cocoanut and sweet almond-oil rubbed into the hair once a week and brushed out again4 ,if any accident makes washing unavoidable1 stand the dog in a small tub half filled with warm water1 rub white soap on a flesh-brush1 and brush from the center of the back with straight strokes to the end of the hair on each side4 ,take the front paws in your left hand1 letting the dog stand on his hind legs1 and brush from the neck down to clean the under part of the body4 ,the head should come last4 ,wash the ears first1 being careful not to let water run into them4 ,hold the nose up and wash the top of the head and sides of the face1 so that the water runs backward and not into the eyes4 ,last of all wash the muzzle1 being very careful about soap4 ,rinse in two clear waters1 then wrap the body in a warm towel while you wipe the face and the inside of the ears4 ,when about half dry let him down for a shake1 but be careful he does not escape under a piece of furniture and roll1 as he will probably try to do4 ,brush until quite dry1 rubbing a little oil onto the bristles1 at the end of the dressing4 ,treat your dog at all ages with kindly consideration4 ,be patiently and considerately firm1 remembering that you must rule through affection and respect4 ,don't hector or worry all the time4 ,be your dog's playfellow as well as master1 and he will soon become an intelligent and faithful protector4 ,cats can be kept in a city home with less trouble than dogs1 because they haven't got to be taken out to exercise1 a duty which can't be shirked with ,mr4 ,dog4 ,cats are needed in suburban or country houses at least as much as dogs4 ,the master of the house can usually guard against the rarely met burglar1 but no human vigilance is adroit enough to fight four-legged pantry thieves1 and a farm must have a good-sized tribe of felines to prevent loss in the barn1 poultry house and corn-crib4 ,well-bred cats are just as good hunters as common ones1 so it is wise for the self-supporting home to keep aristocratic cats for the house1 as there is no occasion to do violence to your feelings when kittens arrive1 because they can always be sold at fairly good prices4 ,in the outbuilding we keep ,maltese and very large blacks4 ,we have so many requests for the ,maltese and blacks that even the plebeian mothers are allowed to keep one or two kits of every litter1 for having children to provide for is a great spur to ,mrs4 ,cat's hunting proclivities4 ,considering the service cats perform for humanity by keeping in check the numerous varieties of rodents which abound in cities no less than in country places1 they should be the most highly prized and cared-for small animals we have instead of the most abused4 ,there seems to be a prevailing but erroneous idea that cats are neither affectionate nor companionable4 ,treat a cat as you would an intelligent dog and she will compare so favorably that ,mr4 ,dog will have to be extremely gifted to retain his superiority4 ,the outside cats should have plenty of fresh milk night and morning when the cows are milked1 not only as food1 but to counteract the injurious effect of the number of mice they eat4 ,new milk is rich in cream fats1 and acts as an antidote to the poison contained in the gall of the mice4 ,twice a week we give them a feed of raw meat1 on the bone if we can get enough bones1 for even the rat-catchers must be well fed1 or they lack the vitality to hunt4 ,having plenty of exercise1 and being able to find grass and herbs for themselves1 barn-cats are usually normal1 healthy creatures1 and need little dieting or doctoring from their owners1 but they should always have a good1 warm place to sleep in4 ,the city house-cat leads such a semi-artificial life that she needs more care4 ,milk which has stood several hours and been skimmed is not an especially good food4 ,it should be scalded and allowed to cool before it is given to kittens4 ,people rarely think to provide water for cats1 yet they really prefer it to milk1 and drink a surprising quantity when a dish of it is kept in one regular place4 ,potatoes should be as rigidly tabooed in the kittens' diet as in the puppies'4 ,accustom a cat to eat cereal or bread and milk in the morning4 ,our house-cats always have a little strip of fat bacon when it has been cut for breakfast1 and ,i am sure that the fat and salt are useful worm preventives4 ,at noon they have liver or beef which has been stewed with onions and any green vegetable which we may have2 for supper a saucer of milk4 ,it is very easy to teach a kitten to be cleanly if you exercise vigilance at first and provide a shallow box or pan half filled with ashes or sawdust4 ,one thing which must be understood by the city housekeeper whose pet has to depend entirely upon the box is that it must be emptied regularly1 at least once a day1 and1 if necessary1 twice4 ,neglect it and the animal's instinct of cleanliness is offended1 and it will select some place for itself1 thereby falling into untidy habits4 ,,raising ,,canaries ,,for ,,market ,canaries are dear1 fascinating little creatures to keep1 and no special conditions for raising which cannot be successfully accomplished in a limited space4 ,the most fastidious woman cannot object to caring for a few families4 ,one male and two females will start a profitable flock4 ,the male bird should be selected for his voice1 regardless of his color or shape4 ,the two other birds1 on the contrary1 should be selected for those very qualifications4 ,the male should be darker and deeper in colour than the female4 ,in fact1 male birds1 with green on their wings and heads1 mated with pale females1 produce the best-coloured young ones4 ,never allow two top-knot birds to pair1 for1 oddly enough1 the progeny will usually have bald or deformed heads4 ,a breeding cage with separate compartments costs at least #d1 but a very good one can be made at home out of empty dry goods or grocery boxes4 ,of course1 it must be a well-made1 smooth one1 otherwise it might hurt the birds4 ,painting is not advisable1 but it is well to rub off any rough surfaces with coarse sandpaper4 ,remove the lid and one side of the box4 ,leave the bottom1 one side and ends intact4 ,turn the box so that the remaining side becomes the bottom of the cage4 ,next get a piece of sheet zinc1 nick the corners1 and turn them up all around1 to form a tray an inch deep4 ,this is to fit inside the cage4 ,square-meshed1 galvanised cloth is the best for the front and top4 ,fasten it to the back1 ends and front with matting tacks1 leaving a space at the bottom in front for the tray to slip in under4 ,put a partition through the middle of the cage1 with a small door in it4 ,a door is also necessary in each compartment4 ,the ordinary seed and water dishes can't be improved on by home contrivances1 so add them to the purchased list4 ,two half cocoanut shells1 or small boxes1 must be hung up on the end or back of each compartment as foundations for the nest4 ,cover the bottom of the tray with a thick layer of bird-gravel1 and hang up materials for nest-building in each compartment4 ,dried moss1 bits of raw cotton1 or short fine hay1 are all suitable4 ,the material for a cage three feet long1 eighteen inches high and deep1 will only cost a dollar1 so the homemade cage1 in addition to being an economy1 has the advantage of size1 which means a great deal in a breeding cage1 as it allows the birds so much more exercise4 ,put a female in each compartment1 so that they may become accustomed to each other4 ,in about a week1 the door in the partition can be opened1 and both birds allowed the freedom of both compartments4 ,during this time1 the male bird must be kept in his own cage1 and in another room4 ,during these preliminary stages1 which should run from three to four weeks1 the three birds must have1 in addition to their regular food1 a small dish of mash every morning1 made of hard-boiled egg chopped very fine1 stale bread-crumbs1 and hulled oats ground 7not oatmeal or rolled oats71 equal parts of each1 just moistened with scalded milk1 and1 of course1 allowed to cool before being fed to the birds4 ,after the two females are on friendly terms1 bring the male bird's cage into the room1 and hang it before the breeding-cage1 and out of sight1 if possible4 ,curiosity will be aroused1 and the birds will spend most of their time talking to each other1 and endeavouring to see each other4 ,a week later1 close the door in the partition1 leaving a female in each compartment4 ,put the two cages on a level2 two or three days later1 open the door of one compartment1 and the door of the male bird's cage1 placing them close together4 ,he will soon commence going in and out of the breeding-cage1 and in a day or so his cage may be removed4 ,after the hen-bird commences to sit1 open the door in the partition1 and let the male into the second compartment4 ,when the second hen commences to sit1 the door in the compartment can be left permanently open1 as there is little fear of the birds' fighting1 and the male will divide his attention between the two families1 helping to feed and care for the nestlings4 ,special care is necessary during the incubating period1 for the eggs of these little songsters are exceedingly fragile1 and a loud noise to which they are unaccustomed1 even the slamming of a door1 will sometimes addle them4 ,too bright a light is also annoying1 so a piece of green baize pinned around the corner of the cage will give a sense of seclusion which will keep the bird tranquil and happy4 ,allow nothing to worry or trouble them while sitting4 ,fourteen days after the first egg is laid1 the young appear4 ,the tiny creatures are a great disappointment to those who see them for the first time4 ,chicks and ducklings are lovely from the time they first emerge from the shell2 but a young canary is featherless1 blind1 and has the longest neck imaginable4 ,in a short time1 however1 it becomes a golden ball of down1 and its early unattractiveness is forgotten in admiration4 ,continue the mash food1 but after the little ones are hatched1 feed night and morning4 ,add rape seed which has been boiled a few minutes1 and then rinsed through cold water4 ,the nestlings' eyes open about the sixth day4 ,after the thirteenth day they will begin feeding themselves in the most independent manner4 ,when the brood is a month old1 remove them to another cage4 ,they will then begin to lose their first crop of feathers1 and must be carefully protected from draughts1 lest they take cold4 ,at the end of this first moulting period1 you can tell how the young will develop1 both for shape and song4 ,the mother bird will usually begin to build a second nest when the babies in the first are about fourteen days old1 sometimes keeping up this double family from ,february till ,june2 so that with good birds you can count on having eight broods from the two females1 with an average of sixteen male birds4 ,if the trainer--that is to say1 the bird who teaches the young ones to sing--is a good songster1 the males should bring two dollars apiece when sixteen weeks old4 ,the young females can1 with a little patience1 be trained and taught tricks1 which will make them worth as much or more than their brothers1 who have only voice to recommend them2 but if the female's education is ignored1 they are not worth more than fifty cents apiece1 unless kept to breeding age4 ,cages must be kept scrupulously clean1 with plenty of sand on the floor4 ,accustom the birds to having a bath dish put in for a time every morning4 ,should the feet look soiled1 or the nails be too long1 take the bird firmly1 but gently1 in your hand1 and hold the feet in warm soap and water1 to remove all dirt and soften the nails1 the extreme points of which can be cut with a pair of sharp1 fine scissors4 ,take care not to go above or too near the end--the end of the nerve that can be seen running through the upper part of the nail2 for if you do1 it will be painful to the bird1 as cutting into the quick of your finger-nail would be4 ,if you are a real bird-lover1 and have time and patience1 you can accustom a flock to your presence until they will let you go among them in a flying-room and handle them at your pleasure2 for they are naturally most affectionate1 gentle little creatures1 as full of playfulness as a kitten4 ,a solitary songster will feel neglect and loneliness to a pitiable degree1 but will respond to petting as readily as a child4 ,a canary from the general stock of a bird-store is timid and reserved at first1 but will soon establish friendly relations between himself and his owner4 ,,the ,,business ,,side ,to make the home profitable1 there must be some system of bookkeeping instituted1 no matter how simple1 also there must be some ingenuity exercised about marketing4 ,take advantage of the long evenings to start books and lay plans for the disposal of surplus products to the best advantage4 ,unless you know what each animal costs to keep1 and what returns you are receiving from it1 you can't be sure what your profits really are4 ,i know how most amateurs hate to be bound down to the actualities of a balance-sheet with its cold facts on what it costs to produce this1 that or the other thing4 ,but experience has taught me that it is the crucial point and must be ascertained4 ,your accounts need not be elaborate but they must be clear and accurate4 ,establish some simple system of bookkeeping and after you have once overcome prejudice and made the plunge1 it is really gratifying to know1 for a positive fact whether things are really paying or not4 ,the first step toward general order is keeping records of individual animals or flocks1 as the case may be1 and also of the farm and garden crops4 ,bestow a name or number upon each animal1 and if you are going in for husbandry in an extensive way1 have a book for each variety4 ,if only two or three animals are to be kept1 a general stock-book will do4 ,each field and meadow should be named or numbered1 and a book devoted to work done on each4 ,poultry also needs a special book2 so do expenses4 ,my plan is to head a page in the cattle register with the animal's name or number2 date of birth or purchase1 with price2 followed by when bred1 to whom1 when due1 actual date of event1 sex of offspring and name or number bestowed upon it4 ,on the opposite page1 if the animal is a cow1 the amount of milk she gives1 a week after calving1 and at one measuring every month until we cease milking her4 ,milk is tested for butter-fats once in every three months and the result recorded4 ,the record of pigs and sheep is not so elaborate1 because1 of course1 there is only breeding and arrival of offspring to be noted4 ,for poultry1 the number of pens heads the page1 followed by the number of birds it contains1 and the individual numbers1 and on the opposite page the number of eggs gathered each week4 ,the feed-book contains the amount of grain1 etc41 used for each variety of stock4 ,the farm-book is kept in a like manner1 the field number heading the page2 then1 when ploughed2 how and to what extent fertilised2 with what variety of seeds sown2 number of times cultivated1 when harvested and the amount of the crop4 ,on the opposite page1 in pencil1 are suggestions for catch crops and rotation for main planting for a period of five years4 ,small note-pads with pencils attached are fastened up in every stall or pen of each outbuilding1 and events are jotted down as they occur1 so that there is no chance of forgetting or getting things mixed4 ,every ,saturday the sheets are torn from the pads and brought to the house1 for the items to be transferred to the different books4 ,it does not take half an hour each week to do the clerical work1 and it saves innumerable mistakes and accidents1 besides furnishing proof of the relative value of each animal and piece of land4 ,on one side of the expense book all money spent is entered2 on the other1 all moneys received4 ,a balance is struck every month and transferred to a general ledger1 which1 in turn1 is balanced once a year4 ,another thing that must be understood is that all profits must not be considered as a bonus to be used for personal pleasure4 ,some part of all moneys received should be set aside as working capital1 otherwise improvement and extension are simply impossible4 ,marketing home products advantageously is of paramount importance1 and seems to be the point on which many beginners fail4 ,commission men and wholesale markets should not be resorted to1 because home-grown products of all descriptions excel in quality and not in quantity2 therefore1 appeal to high-class private custom1 who desire the very best1 regardless of price4 ,i have never sold through any of the ordinary market channels1 yet have always had more orders than ,i could fill and received a little more than the ordinary prices4 ,naturally the location of the home and the quality of the wares must influence the returns to some extent1 but not half so much as the method of packing and shipping4 ,nicety in these respects captures the favor of customers and they take pride in exhibiting things to their friends--which is the very best sort of advertising a home business can have4 ,when ,i had reached the point where ,i knew that ,i could depend on a certain number of eggs regularly1 ,i wrote to a doctor friend in the city and told him that ,i could promise to deliver six dozen strictly fresh-laid eggs twice a week for the whole year1 at a uniform price of forty-five cents a dozen2 customers to pay the express charges1 which would be twenty-five cents on each six dozen4 7,express companies return empty packages free of charge47 ,within a month he had found four customers for me1 who would take two dozen a week each1 the box to be delivered at his house1 where the other three customers were to call every ,saturday and ,wednesday4 ,all poultry-supply houses have wooden boxes for sale with divided trays1 made to hold three1 six or twelve dozen eggs1 for about two dollars apiece4 ,before the year was out each of the three other customers had interested one or two friends1 with the result that three six-dozen boxes were shipped three times a week1 and the following winter ,i had orders from the same people for butter and table poultry4 ,in this way my market grew1 as did my stock1 and ,i never had any surplus to worry about4 ,of course1 ,i realise that there was an element of good luck in having a doctor for a friend1 but when there is no good ,samaritan to start a clientele for you1 energy will surely accomplish it2 for every housekeeper longs to get good1 fresh-delivered table delicacies which have not passed through a dozen hands4 ,i know one woman who got her first customer by writing personal notes to women of social prominence in a near-by town1 whose addresses she got from a directory4 ,from twenty letters she received two replies1 but they both became regular customers1 and recommended friends4 ,another instance of personal effort took the form of calls upon doctors and clergymen4 ,still another woman interested the fashionable milliner of her town to canvass orders among her customers1 and paid for the favour with eggs and butter4 ,a more impersonal way of gaining customers would be to arrange with one or two well-located drug or stationery stores for the display of large cards bearing notices of the things for sale and your address2 but1 of course1 there are dozens of ways to find customers4 ,advertising in newspapers will do as a last resource1 but strictly personal methods are the best4 ,now about packing4 ,eggs should never be more than two days old and must be sorted into lots of uniform color and size4 ,if the eggs should become soiled in muddy weather1 wipe them with a damp cloth as soon as gathered1 so that the shell does not become permanently stained4 ,for private customers1 table birds should be especially fattened and dry picked1 which means that the feathers are removed as soon as the bird has been killed1 without its being dipped into scalding water4 ,as the scalding spoils the flavour1 birds so dressed are only accepted by third-class market4 ,after the feathers and pin-feathers have all been removed1 the bird should be drawn1 washed in cold water1 wiped quite dry1 a piece of charcoal or peeled onion put inside the body and then trussed1 for they look so much more attractive than when shipped in a sprawling condition4 ,drawing and dressing for market is not the custom for general marketing in this country1 but it is universal in ,europe1 and private customers always appreciate the improvement such rigid cleanliness necessarily makes in flavour4 ,wrap each bird in a square of new cheese-cloth4 ,place a few sprigs of parsley1 thyme and summer savoury at one side1 for the convenience of the cook2 then put on an outer wrapping of white paper and tie with clean1 fresh string4 ,things going from a home should look dainty4 ,don't try sending butter by express unless you have orders enough to make it worth while to buy one of the refrigerator hampers which are now used for automobiles4 ,a hamper which costs about four dollars will hold five or six pounds of butter1 so it is not a very great outlay when you can get forty-five cents a pound for your butter4 ,in making up hampers of fruit and vegetables1 use small grape-baskets to divide the different varieties4 ,line them with green leaves4 ,pack everything with dainty care and reject everything which is not in perfect condition4 ,don't let anything interfere with the arranged schedule for shipping4 ,gain a reputation for uniform excellence and punctuality1 and success is sure4 ,,the ,,end ,transcriber's ,note3 ,obvious printer errors corrected silently4 ,inconsistent spelling and hyphenation are as in the original4