The complete Indian housekeeper & cook

0. Insects, to get rid of. — Place live charcoal in an earthen dish on the floor of the house, when empty ; sprinkle over it red pepper and sulphur. Close all doors and opening.s, leave for two houi-s. ()r, bike water j pint, common salt (J oz., strong sulphuric acid 4 pint, black oxide of manganese 2 oz. Mi.x in an earthen pan, and leave as above. Ibis evolves chlorine gas. 7. Roup. — Separate any bird showing signs of heavy cold in the head, as it may be rouj), which is most contagious. Give half a giaiii of blue vitriol (jiilii tooti/td) in meal once a day. Sponge away' all mucus, and anoint nostrils and mouth with 'carbolic oil, ten diops to the ounce. If very bad, blow the oil down the nostrils by means of a quill. Some of the I'olatile powders sold by poultry' fanciers are very good for this disease. 3. Ticks, to remove. — Iluli the bird ivell with kerosene oil, re- jieating the operation next day. These pests are generally found under the ii'ings. 9. General Hints. — Camphor is a great stand-by with fowls, and a bit as big as a pea should he administered on the first symptom of diilness. Ihe golden rule of fowl-yards, however, is this, “Give the birds plentij oj green food and they will doctor themselves." CHAPTER X DOGS Most people leave their dogs to the tender mercies of the sweeper, whose intentions may be good, but whose ideas are certainly limited. A ncM'-comer will always be astonished to see even rough- haired dogs given a wadded coat at night, and, stranger still, taken out to exercise with it on in the morning. Some people defend this practice, and the writer has heard those who ought to know say that the variations of the climate demand it. Yet the variation is nothing compared to that experienced by an English dog, who leaves a warm fireside to plunge into a snowdrift outside. The fact is, it is not the variation of the climate, but the draughty houses, that gives inflammation of the lungs to Indian dogs. A dog loathes a draught. You will often see a dog in an English room get up and deliberately move himself from the draught of door or window. In India he is often tied up in a whirlwind, or worse still, is fastenetl up in the shade, as a sequence to a hot race in the sun after horse or dogcart. Give a doo- freedom, and you will find he Avill invariably choose a snug corner, preferably under a table or bed ; therefore, if you deny him freedom, give him comfort at least. The writers can only say that after having kept dogs of all sorts and conditions in India for twenty-one years, the wadded coat ov j /tool still appears to them not only useless, but hurtful. Certainly, a long-haired dog never has such a good natural coat when he is given an artificial one, as without it. On the other hand, a certain amount of care is necessary not only to keep the dog from chill, but from the sun also Therefore, during the heat of the day, even in the cold weather, it is kindest to keej) your favourite tied up. Kindest in many ways; for during the busy hours a dog may roam 125 126 The Complete Indian away unobserved, to come back, with an equally unobserved bite, which may bring on hydrophobia. Therefore, keep your dog as much in your sight as possible.