Vol. XVII. No. 431. 



THE AGRICFLTURAL NEWS. 



339 



liiongoose are noticed, and attacks of insect pests 

 experienced, and then the feeling is that the mon- 

 f:oose should be exterminated. 



The situation Ln Grenada is shown by letters from 

 the Colonial Secretar}- and the Agricultural Superinten- 

 dent, to the eflfect that the mongoose was not a pest in 

 that Colon}', and that there were no laws or Ordinances 

 dealing with its control. These letters were in reply 

 to a letter addressed in 1917 by the Trinidad Govern- 

 luent to the Government of (Sreaada and to the 

 Governments of other West Indian Colonies as to the 

 status of the mongoose, and the steps being taken to 

 control it. 



The introduction of the mongoose into these 

 islands has very seriously upset the balance of nature, 

 and it is likely that the introduction of the rat did the 

 same. These two animals now form such a part of 

 the faunistic economy that the complete extermina- 

 tion of either one would be likelj' to cause as great an 

 upset in the balance of nature as their introduction 

 has done. Exterminate all the rats, and the mongoose 

 would be likely to reflect the new condition by 

 increased ravages on other sources of food. Exter- 

 minate the mongoose, and the rats would without 

 doubt soon become as serious pests as ever they 

 ■were in the past. 



It appears to be quite certain that the mongoose 

 has influenced the abundance of ground-nesting birds, 

 and of insectivorous animals such as toads and lizards, 

 and that rats have taken to nesting in trees in order 

 to escape from them. Perhaps the rat, now that it climbs 

 to escape the mongoose, is more destructive than for- 

 merly to the eggs and nestlings of iViany of our tree- 

 nesting birds. 



In all these ways the mongoose may be said to be 

 responsible for the decrease in the natural enemies of 

 the insect pests attacking our crops; but it must be re- 

 inembered that there were serious insect pest epidemics 

 in the West Indies before the introduction of the mon- 

 goose. 



The problem of rat and mongoose control involves 

 the question whether this shall be in any way the duty 

 ot Go\ ernment, or shall be left to private energy and 

 titerprise. The course taken by the several Govern - 

 luents, consisting in paying a bounty for rat carcasses^ 

 was not eminently successful in the control of rats. 

 After long years of such effort the mongoose was intro- 

 duced to aid in the matter, 



The evidence appears to show that both the rat 

 and the mongoose can be controlled on any given prop- 

 erty and in any given district by individual effort. If this 

 is so. concerted action of individuals over large areas, 

 or throughout an entire colony, would reduce this 

 undesirable animal to small numbers. 



It would appear, then, that the first step in such 

 control would be individual action, concerted and 

 unified through the At'i-icultural Societies or similar 

 bodies.. When the efforts of individuals are carried as 

 as far as they can be, the Government may be 

 asked to help in matters of advice and assistance in 

 regard to poisons, traps, and methods to be employed 

 tQ extend and increase the effect of the work of the 

 individual. 



THE BENEFIT OF ADDING FRESH BUL- 

 LOCKS' BLOOD TO FOWLS' RATIONS. 



Many experiments undeitaken in various Experimental 

 Stations in ibe United States have amply proved that when 

 an addition of animal food, rich in protein, is made to the 

 ordinaiy food rations of laying hens, there is marked increase 

 in the number of eggs they produce. Such additions as 

 meat, mi'.k, dried blood, etc.; invariably lead to a gre.\ttr 

 production of eggs. 



Following out these results, Dr. Rafael de Castro and 

 Senor Pedro Benitez ^uirch have recorded in the Ret-isia d« 

 Ai:ricultara, CommcrciD y Trabajn, August 19 1 8, the 

 result of an experiment carried on by them in Cuba, as to 

 the effect on the egg production of hens, obtained by adding a 

 certain portion of raw bullocks' blood to the daily ration. 



Two lots of thirty liens and six cocks each, of the 

 single comb White Leghorn breed, were placed in separate 

 enclosures, marked 1 and '2. 



Both lots received daily a ration consisting of 4 lb. of a 

 mixture of oats, crushed maize, sun-flower seeds, and barley, 

 but for this was substituted, after the fifth week, the same 

 weight of food composed of 2 parts of maize to 1 part cf 

 oats. In addition to this, lot No. 2 received 2 B). of fresh 

 bullocks' blood mixed with their corn, this blood being 

 brought daily from a slaughter-house. Both lots were 

 supplied with as much water as they would drink, and wsrt 

 given from time to time equal quantities of fresh gardet; 

 stuff, and also equal quantities of calareous grits. The 

 rations were placed daily in feeding boxes at 3 p.m. 



The experiment was begun on February 3, and continu- 

 ed until April 6, a period of nii e weeks, with the following 

 results. 



The total number of eggs produced by lot 1 was -^iSO, 

 while lot 2 produced 6f<2 eggs. 



The cost of the food df each lot was §1-1 -t-S, and in the 

 case of lot 2, an additional 40c., the cost of the blood. That 

 is to say, this additional tOc. produced \Tj1 eggs. 



It is not to be wondered at that the experimenters claim 

 that they have clearly inoved that the addition of a certain 

 portion of fresh bullocks' blood to the daily ration of layiug 

 hens increases largely their egg production, and this at a "rifi- 

 int: cost, because the sub?fnnce may be obtained cheaply and 

 e.i^ily in any place in the neighbourhood of a slaughter-house. 



