A Bird in the Hand
(Special Information Service, U. S. Department of Agriculture.)
WHY HATCH EARLY? AN ARGUMENT IN PICTURES
EARLY MATCHED PULLET
PHOTOO(?APMEO JUNE 26
EMtLY HATCHCD PULLET - 3CPT. Z<o
nATURC. - LAYING
MATURE EARL* MATCHED PULLtT
PRODUCING FALL ANDWlNTCR t OC.?
LATE HATCH CD PULLET
PHOTOORAPHtD JUNE 26
I
LATE HATCHEO PULLET SEPT 2b
IMMATURE- NOT LAYING
MOUV.TINO HE.N, PRODUCING
rc^TrtC-RS- ^UT NO CO Oi
HATCH EARLY IS
MOST IMPORTANT
Chicks Grow Faster and Stand
Hot Weather Much Better.
BIRDS BRING HIGHER PRICES
Pullets Produced That Lay When Eggs
Are Scarcest ? Be Cautious in
Starting Business of "Day
Old" Chicks.
Unless a special effort Is made
throughout the country to hatch the
1918 ohicken crop early, tire nation's
need for a greatly increased output of
poultry flesh and eggs is not likely
, to be fully met. While chickens can
be hatched at any time of the year,
it is the chickens hatched early in the
spring that give the best results.
Hatching should begin from February
1 in the South to March 1 in the North
and West, and should be completed by
May 1. The usual time for starting
the incubators and sitting hens coin
cides too closely with the planting sea
son on the farms and hatching oper
ations are likely to be reduced on that
account. Therefore, hatch early.
Chick Business.
* The city poultry keeper should tackle
the business of batching chicks or buy
ing and rearing "day-old" chicks cau
tiously or not at all. Often it is inad
CHARACTERISTICS OF
POULTRY BREEDS
Those of Laying Class Are Rela
tively Small and Energetic.
Brahma Is Most Popular of Meat Birds
Because It Is Largest and Most Rug
ged in Constitution ? Plymouth
Rock Favored.
(Prepared by ttie United States Depart
ment of Agriculture.)
The laying breeds commonly grown
In this country, with the exception of
the Minorca, are relatively small, very
energetic and lively, mature early, and
are easily kept in good laying condi
tion. The Minorca is of larger size
and modified somewhat in the other
particulars mentioned, -yet has more
the character of the laying class than
of any other.
Characteristics of Meat Breeds.
In the meat breeds there is not the
same uniformity of type that is found
In the laying breeds. The Brahma is
most popular because it is at the same
time the largest and the most rugged
in constitution. The Dorking excels in
quality of meat but is generally con
sidered somewhat lacking in hardiness.
The Cornish is rather hard-moated, but
being very short-feathered has its spe
cial place as a large meat-producing
fowl in southerly sections where the
more heavily feathered Brahma does
not stand the summers well.
Characteristics of General-Purpose
Breeds.
Among the popular breeds of the
general-purpose class there are also
differences in type, adapting breeds to
different uses. The Plymouth Rock is
generally regarded as the type meet
ing the widest range of requirements
in the general-purpose class.
The Wyandotte is a little smaller
and earlier maturing, but still very
well meated and easy to fatten.
The Rhode Island Red has nearly
the same standards of weight as the
Wyandotte, but Is a more active bird,
not putting on fat so readily; conse
quently it approaches the laying type
and is popular with those who want
eggs and meat, but want eggs most.
The Orpington is at the other ex
treme In the general-purpose class, be
ing a heavier, meatier fowl than the
Plymouth Rock.
Such a list of breeds affords so wide
a range of choice that poultry keeper*
visable to attempt to renew the city
poultry flock even though tHe tempta
tion comes strongly to the poultry be
ginner with the first warm days of
spring. Previous experience in the
raising of chicks often increases the
chances of success, but the land avail
able to the back-yard poultryman usu
ally is too small to undertake a chick
business.
No attempt should be made to raise
chicks unless a plot can be provided
separate from that to which the hens
have access and upon which there is
grass or where a supply of green feed
can be furnished. Where these con
ditions cannot be had it is better for
the beginner who is keeping only hens
for eggs to kill the hens as soon as
they have outlived their usefulness
and replace them by well-matured pul
lets in the fall.
If it is believed practicable to hatch
and rear a few chicks, this can best
be done with hens. If it is desired
to purchase and rear a few day-old
chicks and no hens are available for
the purpose, it is possible with little
trouble and expense to construct a
tireless brooder, which will serve in
place of the hens.
It would be well for the beginner
to obtain from the Department of Agri
culture or from State agriculture col
leges, publications on hatching and
rearing.
To Destroy Mites.
In tests of a large series of Insecti
cides conducted by entomologists of
the United States Department of Ag
riculture, It was found that a few
thorough applications of crude petro
leum to the interior of poultry houses
will completely destroy mites.
can always select a standard breed
better adapted to their locality and
their purpose than any nonstandard
stock they can procure, and having the
further advantage of reproducing true
to type.
GRAIN SORGHUMS FOR FOWLS
Blackball Kafir Excellently Adapted
for Purpose ? Readily Fed With
out Crushing.
(Prepared by the United States Depart
ment of Agriculture.)
All poultry raisers should become
more familiar with the value of sorg
hum grains, especially the. Blackhull
kafir, as a feed for hens. They are
excellently adapted for this purpose as
the grains are nutritious, and in size
they are small enough so that they are
readily fed without cracking or crush
ing.
An investigation made in 1908 show
ed more than 100 firms engaged in the
manufacture of over 200 brands oi
poultry feed. Figures furnished al
that time by 33 of these firms showed
an annual output of about 30,000 ton?
of these products. Approximately one
third of this quantity, or 10,000 tons
consisted of the seed of Blackhull kafir
This was used mostly in mixture with
other grains, such as corn, wheat
screenings, etc. It probably is a safe
estimate that kafir or other grain
sorghum seed forms fully 25 per cent of
the prepared poultry feed sold in this
country.
Tht're is a steady demand for these
grains in the manufacture of poultry
feed. When the crop in this country
has been short, similar varieties have
been imported from as far away as In
dia and China. The poultry industry
is steadily increasing in this country,
it is probable that kafir grain would
form a still larger proportion of the
total poultry feed manufactured if it
were always available at satisfactory
prices. This avenue should not be neg
lected.
Keep Chicken House Clean.
Mites are the little red spider-like
parasites that are found in the house
and live off the hens at night. Control
them by cleaning the house regularly.
Paint the roosts and spray the walls
of the house with kerosene oil or one
of the coal-tar disinfectants.
Practice of Soiling.
The practice of soiling Is especially
good on the dairy farm where the quan
tity and quality of green sumnvr pas
ture cannot always be relied upon.
LIBERTY BREAD NOW A FACT.
Law Regulating Same Went into
!!
Effect Sunday. Hotels Must Not
Serve Bread that Does Not Con- |
tain at Least 20 Per Cent Cereal
Substitutes.
.!
Raleigh, Feb. 24. ? Liberty Bread
becomes a fact today. Beginning to
day no bread may be sold by bakers,
or served by hotels, restaurants,
boarding houses and other public eat- j J
ing houses us^ng three barrels of
flour per month that does not contain
at least 20 per cent of cereal substi
tutes along with wheat flour. Any
bakers, hotels, restaurants or other
eating houses who refuse to follow
the order of the Food Administration
or who have not secured license to ! \
operate will be compelled to close.
The cereal substitutes that will be j |
most generally used by bakers will be
corn meal, edible wheat middlings and
shorts and barley flour. Rye bread
may be baked by itself but rye is nqt
included in th list of cereal substi
tutes. Whole wheat graham flour
containing approximately 25 per cent
of middlings, shorts and bran is re
garded as the ideal combination be
cause it is already mixed and our peo
ple are familiar with the product.
The Food Administration has amen
ded the baking regulations so as to
provide for the baking of a three
quarter pound loaf which may be
baked singly or in twin form. Its
manufacture is subject to all rules
governing the other loaves, its weight
simple adding an additional loaf size.
The new loaf must not vary more
than three-quarters of an ounce in
weight above or below three-quart >rs
of a pound. The price of this loaf
should be relatively lower than the
price of the pound loaf, and will sell
most generally at 8c.
I . Sirs. Bt'ttie Thornton Westbrook.
I The subject of the article Mrs. Bet
tie (Thornton) Westbrook was born
'July, 20, 1869, and died February 20,
j 1918, being- 48 years and 7 months
old. She professed faith in Christ
J and joined Pleasant Union Disciple
! church when about 13 or 14 years old
and remained a member till death.
.From what we have learned of her
'she was a very industrious and faith
ful wife and mother, and also a
J woman that possessed a real living
faith in Christ, having expressed her
self previous to her death as not fear
ing to depart this Kfe. She and her
husband, Mr. Stephen Westbrook, of
Benstonsville, N. C., worked hard and J
made very marked progress in the i
financial line; but she, we trust, has
(gone to enjoy a richcr, better and a
glorious state. Surviving her to
mourn her death is her husband,
Stephen Westbrook; five sons, Leon,
'Norman, Harvey, Aldon and Wilbcrt,
and two daughters, Mrs. Cora Lang
ston and Miss Clarsia, all of Bcntons
ville; and three brothers, Mr. C. A.
Thornton, of Bentonsville; Mr. S. E.
Thornton, of Oneals township, and
Mr. G. E. Thornton, of Smithfield, and
many relatives and friends. We trust
j their loss is her gain.
The funeral services wei*e conduct
ed by the writer from the home in the
i presence of many sympathisers, and
I the interment made in the family
j cemetery.
To the bereaved we extend our
! sympathy and for them pray that
they may be comforted, kept and
finally meet ground the throne of
God.
T. W. SI LEU.
Death of a Child.
Julia Gale, the little four-year-old
daughter of Mr. and Mrs. I). A. Price,
died at their home February 2, 1918,
j after three weeks' illness and was
i buried at the family cemetery. All
was done for her that loving hands
: could do, but to no avail. She was
'exceptionally bright for one of her I
age and seemed conscious till the
an e!s called her home. May God's j
comforting Spirit be with father and (
mother in their sad bereavement and I
l help them to meet little Julia in
' heaven.
I A FRIEND* 1
Birthday Party in Kenly.
Kenly, Feb. 22. ? On Tuesday after- J
noon, February 19, 1918, from 4 to <! j
o'clock, Little Miss Miriam Edgerton i
entertained twenty-eight of her little
friends at her home on Maxwelton
Heights in honor of her eighth birth- j
day. The guests were received at the
door by the little hostess and ushered
into the parlor where they enjoyed
music on the Edison for awhile, after ,
which they played games.
They were invited into the dining ;
room where dainty refreshments
were served.
Little Miriam was the recipient of .
many lovely gifts which she thorough- j
ly enjoyed and appreciated.
The time for departure came all ,
too soon and the little folks went
away saying, "The best time I ever j
had."
We have on hand Tw > Car Loads nice Buggies.
Well selected stock of Furniture.
Biggest Stock of Dry Goods we have ever carried.
Give us a call and let us show you our goods.
Do not effect us? We have our Guano houses
full, so come to see us today for?
Come and come quick, there may come
a time when Fertilizers will not move freely,
but we can supply you today. See us at
Smithfield and Four Oaks, N. C.