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2 THE COLBORNE EXPRESS, COLBORNE, ONT., THURSDAY, NOV. 24, 1921. How I Keep My Hens Laying When Eggs Are Dear. I have found that the secret of making the chicken business pay is to get hens to lay when prices are high. When I first started I found that the problem was to get hens to lay in November and December, and so, for two years I have been giving much thought and attention to our hens during these two months. This extra effort has been decidedly profitable. At first I was not very successful, but this year I have been getting eggs which bring a premium" of five cents the dozen above market price. My plan is to raise early pullets, culling the flock carefully during November. When I find OTfoxxsQ OMe&MO ! mi M toDoTOen Trapping BY GEORGE J. THIESSEN i general satls- Agi'onomUt, 73 Adelaide St West. Toront* of our purebred White Leghorn pullets laid 21 eggs in 30 days and several other White Leghorn pullets did almost as well. I gather the eggs several times a day during cold weather, and any that are frozen or questionable are kept for our own use. By delivering our eggs, and by guaranteeing every one, I get the top price. I plan to enlarge my plant until I can market at least a case of eggs a week the year round. The care of chickens is my special hobby and recreation; I hope to make it a large, well-paying business. In the twelve months of 1920 my little flock of 60 early pullets and young hens laid 10,806 eggs. This is how my account sheet looks: pullet with close, tight pelvic bones ,j Sales--738 % doz. eggs at 48 l-3c a small dry vent, long toe nails, and; ........................ „l'ln dull comb--all hallmarks of a poor Used--162 doz. eggs at 48 l-3c 78.30 layer--that hen is branded for market Sold--10 fries............... 10.48 by putting a piece of red worsted on : Used--10 fries at $1.00 .... ■ • 10-00 k"- leg. During the holiday season is j m , $455 72 Rations for growing pigs, fattening Grain feeding of sheep during the hogs, young sows, old sows, growing j early winter months is not absolutely boars and mature boars are given in! essential where a leguminous rough-] Mogt to trap,ping ten chiefly, low this plan the following paragraphs. These ra- j age and good corn silage or roots are what to do on the ]ine Litt!e atten- ! faction for s tions are used by leading swinej available; but the best results are ob- tion is given handicaps that must be: Do not use meat ba'fs too close to raisers: | tained when a small amount of gram avoided_ since y^y are important--: dwellings. Cats and dogs are often Growing pigs: Corn one, skim-milk j is fed regularly throughout the win- probably as mucn s,0 as anything else j drawn instead of wild fur-bearers, two to four parts by weight. ter and increased just previous to __-t would be wen to consider the,! When making sets be sir .« the traps Corn five to seven, middlings one, ] lambing. Two parts whole oats and various things which the pelt hunter i work properly. Nothing is more pro-tankage one. j one part wheat bran, by measure, snou]d not do_ I yoking than to discover later that the Corn four to six, ground oats two, | make a good mixture. If some gram; First of all) a gr6at many young biggest mink in the region would have middlings or ground rye two, tankage; is fed during the winter, less will be | trappers--and some old ones too-- \ been caught had the jaws dosed when required near lambing time. Old ewes,! take <j0gs with them over the ground. ] they should. It might also be said Corn full fed, four pound tankage, especially, need plenty of i ! feed pig daily. Corn, tankag-e, and middlings or oats in self-feeder. Good forage should be used with the above rations when possible. When on good pasture, two or three pound: to bring about Protecting Plants in .Winter. This is .probably natural when thi animal is a companion. However, the scent often remains for days; something easily detected and dreaded, by minks especially. The dog is almost to dig into dens, or nose about An early blanket of , tection for ground plants and for spots where raccoons or opossums oj. corn per 100 pounds of pigs should; small fruit and flower growths, but at, may be in the habit of coming f re-give gains of from one-third to three-1 the same time Nature does not de- ] quently. This means that such places quarter pounds a pig daily. If more! spise a little artificial aid. Straw-!are useless for sets. In the case of turns, than three pound's are fed, each pig: berries, for instance, will often go: mmks, the fur-bearers of ten leave the should receive daily in addition from I through the winter without being vicinity altogether, one-quarter to one-half pound of ! mulched, but there are seasons when! Tobacco--ashes tankage or from three to eight pounds I it is very necessary. In the latter j not to be scattered gains of from \ case, it is well to wait until winter is j smoke near pli ;hat when traps are placed, the pans should not be much higher than the jaw levels. Too frequent use of fopd for bait is not wise. It has a tendency to warn the more cunning game. Never overlook an oppcKunity to study the habits of fur-bearers. Time spent doing this always pays big re- Total In addition to the above total of $455.72, I had left a well-culled flock of 60 hens, ready to begin another year's work. 1 time to get rid of these loafer hens, as there is a demand for them then at a godd price. Selling hens in November and December helps also to keep, your monthly income balanced, as you can never expect to secure as many eggs j „ , ,,r. . at that time as during the other | Kootenay Hive Case for Wintering mosths. Also, by reducing the size of j Bees. t£A flock in November and December, J_ Possibly no phase of agriculture tile better hens have more room dur-! has advanced so rapidly as that of Ing the winter months when they j beekeeping. In many lines of farming must be confined indoors. The reduc-. cur methods are much the same as tion in the feed bill helps, too. j they were a hundred years ago. With In culling our flock recently, I was beekeeping there has been a great surprised to find a lot of body lice on , evolution, and to-day utensils and a few hens. This led to a second ex- j methods are standardized throughout animation of each hen. The roosts. the whole country. Beekeepers, how-and nests were carefully cleaned, and; ever, are constantly on the lookout for treated with kerosene; then every | new and still better methods of carry-hen was powdered with sodium fluor- j hug on, and in the Kootenay Hive Case ide to kill the lace. j there is a form of winter and summer During November and December my j protection that possesses chickens are fed most carefully. Early tues and less faults than many of the of skim-milk, three-quarters to one and one-half pounds can be expected. Fattening hogs: Corn one to two, skim-milk Corn fifteen to twenty, tankage one. Corn and tankage in self-feeder. Corn, tankage, and middlings or oats in self-feeder. Old sows: Corn two, skim-thre every morning they are given milk; their houses are cleaned out, and floors covered with rakings and alfalfa hay. The hens immediately begin to scratch, and soon get up a good appetite for a late breakfast. i large windows in my hen systems now in vogue. The Kootenay Hive C provement on the double walled hive. It has been introduced in the form of a permanent hive case, and is made to take the ten-frame hive. There three inch space all around the brood houses, so that the hens scratch and j chambers and supers. Up to the top work in the sunshine. If the weather, of the brood chamber it is kept peris at all favorable, I allow them to l manently packed with moss or planei run out during the warmest part of i shavings the year round. This is the day. covered with small pieces of wood At about 11 o'clock grain is scat- to prevent the moss from falling into tered through the rakings. At present j the hive when open. Beneath th( I am feeding corn, oats, and barley.' floor of the brood chamber there At one o'clock a warm mash is set before them. This varies, as hens, like people, enjoy variety. To-day I cooked large, coarse beets, to which is added warm milk and a little bran. To-morrow I may feed small cooked potatoes. I often scatter sunflower heads among the rakings. Liberal quantities of skim milk and cool, clean drinking water are available at all At four o'clock a liberal amount of grain is fed. This is placed where they can easily get it. as hens must be well fed before retiring if you pect them to lay. Oyster shell, gravel, and a dry mash in hoppers are always I never keep a sick hen or a persistent loafer. It doesn't pay. I kill them at once, and make a post mortem. This prevents disease from spreading, and my little flock is thus kept healthy at all times. I visit my chickens at least four times a day, and observe them carefully. Chickens, like cows, respond to a kindness and attention. They flock around me and "caw-caw" in the most friendly manner. I believe that a happy and contented hen lays better. From a flock of about 50 hens and about 25 pullets, I have gathered in early December from 8 to 15 eggs a day, and our pullets ar ning to lay nicely. I pli Rhode Island Reds and 20 White Leghorns in my culled flock. I find in our cold climate, where we have many nights below zero, that our Reds lay better. Last November, however, one also a three-inch space packed moss. Th3 storeys, or "lifts," are all alike, and,"as supers are added, extra lifts are put on. The cover is similar to the ordinary cover, but is made thi eighths of a:i inch larger all around than the top of the case, while small triangular blocks nailed in each inside corner, raise it and insure ventilation This opening also affords a means of escape for bees that may have become entrapped while working over thi To pack for winter all that is nec essary is to have one "lift" above thi brood chamber packed with moss oi planer shavings. To facilitate the packing we have pillows made from moss and gunny sacks just the the story or lift. The cover added and the bees are packed for the winter. The only attention required is to keep the entrance cleared of dead bees. The bees have more winter protection in this case than in the double-walled hive, while the temperature in the hive is cooler and more uniform in summer. There is not the trouble of packing in the fall and unpacking in the spring as in the case of the ordinary double walled hive or the Ontario wintering case. It is less just begin-! expensive than the double-walled hive, to keep 40 as it is constructed largely from ship-' lap. The bees come through the winter in good shape and commence work early in the spring. Beekeepei be well advised to give it a trial as it has many excellent features. Christmas Suggestions. Old Santa is coming Ho! Ho! H< will soon be harnessing his reindeei to his sled to call by for your gifts, •o you cannot have them ready too A few gift suggestions may be welcomed by our readers. A pair of embroidered pillow cases or a cunning little lamp shade covered with bright colored organdie and decorated with a tiny bunch of yarn, ribbon or chenille flowers will be just the thing for Mother's spare room. She will love one of the new appliqued lui ! Of I bleached muslin to save her table linen and a new crocheted hug-me-tight or a lovely lavender knitted shawl all for her own self. For Father there are comfy slippers and some of the pretty line.) handkies trimmed with the colored drawn-in isket decorated old set of furs, which have been stored away in an attic trunk, and cut them over into an attractive muff and neckpiece for Jane. Be sure to cut the fur on the wrong side with a sharp r blade, and most important of all, set the muff and necker off with a bunch of hand-made flowers. Get out your paint and paint brush to enamel some coat hangers, flower pots, spool dolls, baskets, shoe trees and all sorts of things that will n.ake really attractive gifts. Sister will find the small crocheted filet squares and dainty lingerie useful for her Hope Chest and Billy w'l! think it's the "best Christmas ever" if he gets a wooly knitted greater to match his new bobsled. And for your old school frii ! what could be nicer than the love I, new book of Canadian poems which may oe had at the large bookstores for iifty cents. The verses are all written by women, members of the Toronto Women's Press Club, who call their delightful collection "Verse and Re-H verse." It is enclosed in a holly-0 bordered envelope all ready for mail-■ ing. It Makes one of the most eharm-" ing gifts imaginable. ^ell-drained land yields paying 3 crops--undraiued land produces' mort-rj gages and foreclosures. Corn eleven, tankage Corn nine, middlings two, bran one, tankage one. Corn two, oats one, alfalfa or clover hay. Corn five, oats five, tankage alfalfa or clover hay. Corn 100, tankage seven, oil meal three. Corn one, oats one, middlings one. From one to two pounds of grain for each 100 pounds live weight are sufficient for the sows during the gestation period, and from two to three pounds while suckling litters. More laxative rations may be needed than some of the foregoing. Young sows: Corn two, skim-milk three. Corn nine, tankage one. Corn nine, tankage one, alfalfa of clover hay. Corn six, oats three, tankage one. Growing boars: Corn one, skim-milk two. Corn five to seven, middlings two, tankage one. Corn four to six, oats two, middlings one, tankage one. Mature boars: Corn nine, middlings two, tankage one. Corn eight, middlings two, bran tankage one. The breeding herd should have cess to forage. The cost of feed and labor can be reduced and the healkSj -Careful and vigor of the herd its t Surplus apples, potatoes, vegetabh and other secondary commodities about the farm can this year be d verted into money. Thrift tells times like these. November is a hungry month. The nip of the frosty air reminds the body that it will soon need extra defences for the winter. The children must have plenty of the kinds of food that they should eat, so that they will not fill up on things that they must not eat. i juice--ought r the line. Even ./here the more at hand and then spread a light cov- j cunning animals travel, frequently ering of straw over the plants. Bear|causes the best sets to fail. These in mind that a thick mulch may do; small thing's, seemingly of no im-more harm than good. The Dominion; p0rtance, should be remembered by Horticulturist, Mr. W. T. Macoun, in j every pelt hunter if he wants to make his annual report recommends marsh ] the most money from his work, hay as the best for this purpose. If 1 Never use crows, hawks, buzzards straw is used it should be free from j nor similar bait when after smaller weed seeds. Raspberres are benefitted j ar.;mais. These birds are enemies; If the canes are bent over, .just before \ instead of attracting, they repel, winter sets in, and the tips held downj Avoid steel for fastenings, so far with soil. If the winters are very cold! as poSsible. This is especially true and there is little snow, it is well to | wnen after foxes, wolves, minks and cover the canes entirely with soil. I similar animals. If stakes are made, To protect the grape, the vines having do away with shavings. Newly chop-previously been pruned, should be i ped wood gives a hint of man. Keener bent down and covered-with soil a few animals are wary of the sign, days before winter sets in. They! When traps are placed have them as should be left so covered until the. nearly perfect as possible. Do not following May, as spring frosts are i visit them every day and rearrange much to be feared. In most places j the sets. It is a good rule not to dis-in this country roses need to be pro- turb methods for days, so long as they tected. Either cover the plant with remain as placed. Keep as far away soil or mound up the base with soil from the sets as possible unless it is for twelve inches or more and then absolutely necessary to handle them bend the top over until held down wren again. soil. If boughs or leaves are thrown Many hunters skin their game on over the plant thus treated to help the line. Often the carcasses are left collect the snow, greater protection aior,.g the trail. Not only does this will be afforded. In the case of climb- j have a tendency to frighten some ing roses, they may be tied down to, kinds of fur-bearers, but pi-ovides all pegs and covered with a box filled wjth food. When we stop to consider with dry leaves, the top to be water- that hunger is the best aid of all at-tight, so that the leaves will keep dry. j tracters, we see the necessity of dis-Trees are often injured by mice. To j posing of carcasses. It is well to prevent this, wrap and tie the trunks sink them in deep water whenever in building paper so that it comes close to the ground, and then place a little earth about the lower end of the paper, which need not reach a height of more than from eighteen to twenty-four inches above the base. Smut in Oats. tests have proven that ntained by smut spores which have passed the winter in the soil may attack oats sown there the following spring. Some heavily affected soil was obtained from a farm where smut in oats had been very bad and was substituted for the surface soil elsewhere to a depth of about three inches on a small plot. Hulless oats were sown in the substituted soil and in soil alongside believed to be unaffected. The result was on the substituted soil seven cent, of the oats were found to affected and on the healthy soil only-one per cent., the latter probably being due to the proximity of the other growth. Do not attempt too much. A few sets well placed and cared for bring better returns than many which are poorly arranged. Deadfalls and snares may occasionally be of value. However, in most cases they are simply a waste of time, for the beginner at least. Depend upon steel straps. They are raore effi-^j tack ary of the small traveling buyers, purchasing lots wherever they may be found. As a rule, these buyers can not pay so much as the larger houses which eventually get the furs. Select your dealer with care. Those who advertise from year to year are generally old reliable concerns, anxious to get your furs. They will pay top prices for your lots. Take pains in skinning and drying. Much money is lost by pelt hunters every year because this is not given sufficient attention. Be sure to have a sharp knife; make long cuts rather than short ones, to avoid ragged edges. With the exception of musk-rats and opossums, tails of all small game should be slit to the very tip. The bones are then easy to remove and no pocket is formed to catch grease, which" might cause tainting. Never trap too early in fall nor too late in spring. When pelts are of poor quality, sets ought not be made. It does not pay to get trashy skins that do not command much of anything when sold. Dealers, in fact, do not want them and many are doing all they can to have trappers catch only the better grade of hides. With the exception of skunks and civets, do not shoot small trapped animals. Bullet holes often mean low values for skins so damaged. For minks and weasels, stun with a smooth, round club. Drowning is often resorted to, also. The methods just explained do away, in most cases, with blood clots on the leather. When board stretchers are made, use quarter-inch pine, if obtainable. Round the edges so as not to damage the nap of the pelts. Have the forms for cased hides (this includes all the commoner pelts, except raccoons, and even these are handled the same as' muskrats and minks at times, with no great damage) so that they fit. Pull the pelts tightly and /erStri ten"; The Welfare of the Home Who is Jane's Teacher?--By Anne Goodwin Williams Who is Jane's teacher?" we asked children of the mother of a charming little eight-year-old girl. The mother mentioned the name of Jane's teacher in the public school and then together we performed some arithmetical problems to prove that "Miss Bennett" . . only one of Jane's many teachers and that her teaching hours were less than those of some of the other greatly influenced by the stories they hear and read. The mother knows--this wise mother-educator who is asked to teach domestic science, how necesary it is for her little daughter to learn helpfulness in household duties. "I can't iron big things yet but I can iron all the handkerchief's, daddy's and moth-John's and mine," said little said, that Jane sleeps! Jane with pride, from seven o'clock until seven, then! Actions are judged year she has 4,380 waking hours | according to Sent than the makeshifts i times sees employed. Do not use too large a minks. To illustrate, if the of a rabbit or muskrat is used, make | it serve eight or nine traps. The best baits in the world nevei overcome a handicap of crude methods. However, proper sets often s ceed with inferior decoys. Remove hides just as soon after i game is caught as possible. Do not let 1 several carcasses accumulate and do the work all at once. If skinning is t neglected, some of the furs otherwise should be prime, turn blue' mediate attention by the dealer as on the leather and must be classed as J received. He charges for this--n.uch seconds or lower. The reason is that more, in fact, than one can afford to after death oxidization of the tissues 1 pay for the work. In other words, it takes place rapidly and causes dis-] is economy to cure the skins before this gives the appearance of a poorly furred pelt. Never understretch, as bait for I this makes the hides undesirable for manufacturing purposes. Do not hasten curing by putting the skins in the sun or near a fire. Select a cool, dry, shady place protected from the weather, where the air circulates freely. It takes from six to fourteen days before catches are ready for market, depending upon the kind of pelts and climatic conditions. Never ship green skins. Often they spoil in transit. Even when such is not the case, they must be given im- coloration. Should the pelts be left on the carcasses too long, they will hair-slip and taint. When this is the case, they are worth little or nothing, depending upon the condition; Never interfere with another's trap or his line. It is generally understood among pelt hunters that when one has run his "path," another will not make sets too near. Should one discover a captured animal alive, kill it as you would your own, leaving it for the owner when he shows up. To fol- mding them away. Do not overlook advising your dealer when shipping him furs. Give any directions by letter, mailing- same when the furs leave your hands. This will eliminate misunderstanding, which otherwise is almost sura to Avoid trouble with fellow pelt hunters. Rather work with instead of against them. When this is do*ie, all' find trapping more pleasant and profitable. Crop Yields at the Dominion , ro°ts and the engage crops, the sec- r , „ I ond growth of red clover being ex- Expenmenta! harm. j eeptionally good. At Morden, Man., ily 1,000 of those hours are1 approval. She is, indeed, the great: Some interesting facts regarding' corn was above the average. Around school during the year. What, teacher of morals. "Slip in behind! the past season's crop conditions are Brandon, Man., crops were generally of the 3,380 hours remaining? Who [ those people so the conductor won't! to be gathered from the reports of; h«ht owing to lack of i teaching Jane, then ? She is certain- i see you," I heard a woman say to a the score of Dominion Experimental; averaging 12 bushels to" ly learning. Sometimes her play-! little boy one day as I was boarding[ Farms and Stations scattered through-j oat|5 and 1 mates are her teachers, with lessons j a crowded street car. He succeeded i out the country, sometimes helpful, sometimes hsrm- in "fooling the conductor" and in get- j of grain : ' The father's teaching hours are | ting a definite-lesson in cheating and ; wheat definite-lesi limited to Sundays and holidays with 1 in dishonor. occasional evening hour; the Sun-j Religious training, as well as moral, day School teacher may get twenty-' is part of the great task and the five hours a year, but of course, the; joyous task of the teacher-mother,-- real teacher is the mother. Every! and is it not a glad rign for future day of the year, she teaches her little' Canada that so many mothers of our daughter; even during the child's j great country are, in their hearts, un-sickness lessons continue, lessons ofriting in the prayer of "Motherhood" patience, gentleness and self-control, j so beautifully written by Eleanor If anyone were to ask of the school j Robbins Wilson? teacher that she teach music, art, • "So short a time at my command literature, domestic science and man-. These children that I. hold to r-iird, ual training, she would know it was, God give me grace to. understand, impossible. And yet, that is just what; Wisdom to guide their steps aright is demanded of the mother as an j That I may be throughout the laud, educator. - j A lamp unto their feet for light. i Music! Yes, she is teaching music! „_ , . , when she sings at her work or helps; *' short a time do small _hands clmg, Jane select good music for tie Vic With confidence of babyhood trola instead of jazz. And as she £etf n,e n,f 'dly dream the thing, arranges her home tastefully, with B«t live the noble part I should, appropriate pictures, she is often un- ™at henceforth from such moth™ consciously forming the child's taste j They shjul >™t:nctively seek good, in art. i "So short a time for my embrace, "What stories shall I read to the I For love, cheer, comfort, lullabies, children?" we kindergartners are God help .me hallow the brief space asked again and again by eager moth-[That turns to gold each sacrifice -ers who feel that ordinary "trashy"j'So surely does a mother's grace stories are not'good enough for' the Build her soul's mansion in the skies. •ley proportionately less, At Ottawa the yield I although on the Experimental Farm its were below the t"e yield of what was bushels to average, oats averaging 35 bushels to lhe acre- Indian Head' Rosthern and the acre, barlev 30 bushels, and spring Scott> Sask-> a11 reP°rt the yield of wheat 16.5 bushels. Potatoes and 8'"?n as K00(i. hut the season was roots suffered from drought. At: ™1 avorable for fodder crops. At Charlottetown, P.E.I., wheat was1 Indlan Head the yield of Marquis above the average, one field averaging! ™heat on ™evfa?"m ran f ronl 2ic™ 43 bushels to the acre; oats were I stubble to 35 bushels per acre on fal-short and thin in the straw; barleyi!°w> and in thf district 20 bushels to was almost up to the average; roots! *e acre was the average; oats in the and potatoes were good. At Kenn ille.; strict w,m <■ co bushes to the acre N.S., crops suffered from want of rain and barle/ 45' Lethbridge, Alberta, ar,d a™-less than usual, potatoes not, reports the yield of wheat in South- being much nore than half i At Nappen, N.S., short in the straw, potatoes suffered from drought, but £'rown of good quality. At Fredericton. Alberta runs on dry land from 6 re in the district to 25 ■ the mountains. Early offering severely from shoppers. At Lacombe, Alta., the NJ$C, latrplanted potatoes', gr^a'nd' <>ist,rict J^d was wheat 25 bushels; roots were 70 per cent of full yield.! ^"f-'. *0 bushels and oats 60 bushels. At St. Anne de la Pocatiere, Quebec, In Brltlsh Columbia the general yield potatoes were disappointing, but the °*fal" a"d '•°ots was fbout ™™a>> grain was of good quality. At Cap although Agassi, reports damage t-g\ Rouge, Que., the yield of gram was wheat -- below the average, but potatoes did 0 ral well and corn was a record yield. At "?0^ Lennoxville, Que, grain was ligh short in straw and potatoes were 50 to 75 per cent, of normal. At- " *•* Kapuskasmg, Ontario, rain in late' There is a market for considerably July ami early August helped grain, more baby beef than is prt luced. threshing fro; Each Farm issues ::n annual in its operations, which is ob-inable from the Department of Ag-, Ottawa, free of charge.