Vol. IX. No. 203. 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



39 



THE UOOK OF THE GUA T. Foui tli Edition. By 

 H. S. Holmes Peglcr. L. Ljxott Gill, London. 



Tbe matter contained in this work was first published as 

 a series of articles, in The Bn:aar, Ercli<ii\rji- and Miuf. 

 The author, who it may be mentioned, is the Honorarj- 

 Secretary of the IJiitish Goat Society, was induced in the first 

 instance to publish his experience on account of the large 

 number of queries concerning goat-keeping that were con- 

 tinually received by the above-mentioned journal. After 

 the material had run through two editions in book form, 

 it was decided to revise it and bring it up to date for a third 

 edition. This was done in 188.5. Since then, a marked 

 advance in goat-keeping has taken place, and the general 

 literature on the subject has been considerably enlarged, so 

 that it has become e.\pedient to issue another edition (the 

 fourth), and it is in the form of this that the book is at 

 present under consideration. 



Although the contents of the volume are not actually 

 arranged in sections, they can be classified in order under the 

 following heads: introduction (t'hapter I): origin of the go.at, 

 and its varieties (C'iiapters II to TX); selection, breeding and 

 rearing of goats (Chapters X to XV); the products and uses 

 of the goat (Chapters XVI to .\XIII); the goat at shows 

 (Chapter XXIV); the British Goat Society (Chapter X.W); 

 goats and disease (Chapters X.Wf, X.WII); the removal 

 and prevention of growth of horns (Chapter XXA'III). It is 

 completed by the inclusion of a good index. 



Taking these sections in order, the introduction makes 

 suggestions for the more frequent keeping of goats by cotta- 

 gers in England, and for the larger use of goats' milk. Atten- 

 tion is drawn to an interesting table which shows that, accord- 

 in" to statistics. Spain is the largest goat-keeping country in 

 Europe, while (Germany, France, Italy, l!us>ia, Grtece and 

 Austria come next, in order. 



In the section which deals with the origin of the goat 

 and its varieties, the first chapter (Chanter II) gives an 

 interesting account of the early history of that animal, both 

 from the geological and archaeological [mints of view. The 

 succeeding chapters, having fur their subject the varieties 

 of the goat, contain carefully presented particulars of the char- 

 acters of these, and the usefulness of the matter is increased 

 by the inclusion of a number of good illustrations. 



The chapters on selection, breeding and rearing treat of 

 these important subjects in a very thorough manner. The 

 contents are well arranged under subheadings, and are pre- 

 .sented with the certainty of one who is an authority in 

 respect of the matter with which he isdei.ling. The .sections 

 on the buying of goats, the selection of breeds, housing, 

 pasturing and feeding are worthy of s[)ecial attention. 



The greater part of the information given in connexion 

 with the products yielded by the goat is naturally concerned 

 with the milk. Careful attention is given to the subject of 

 milking, and several interesting facts are adduced in rela- 

 tion to the milk yield of the goat. In comparing goat's 

 milk with that from the cow, several points that are to the 

 advantage of the former are brought forward, and it seems 



that the poimlarit}- of this would be much ini'rea«ed if the 

 product were more often presented with more attention to 

 cleanliness and care in milking. The other products that 

 ;ire considered are butter, cheese, flesh, hair, .'■kin.s, horns and 

 .-•uet, and the way in which the facts concerning these are 

 dealt witli makes interesting reading. 



Of the remainder of the book, that part which treats of 

 the goat at shows is of the greatest interest to readers in the 

 West Indies. The subject is presented both from the side of 

 the e.xhibitor, and of the organizers of shows, and the 

 portion which goes into the question of judging should be 

 specially useful. 



The book itself is produced in a handy and attractive 

 form, and its contents form matter that can be read easUy 

 and w'ith pleasure. The illustrations are good, and, altogether, 

 the work can be recommended for perusal by all who are 

 actively interested in the rearing of goats. 



THE ILLUSTRATED POULTR Y RECORD. Edited 

 by E. T. Brown. Brown, Doh^on it Co., lAd., London. 



As was stated in the introductory article of the first 

 number, this is the first sixpenny monthly journal, connected 

 with the poultry industry, to be published in England. The 

 article went on further to say that the first aim of the journal 

 is 'to help that industry along its upward path', and that it 

 will be imperial in its sympathies ' in that poultry-breeding 

 throughout the British Empire will always occupy a promi- 

 nent place'. 



Some idea of the scope of the journal is given by 

 a consideration of its table of contents. After the introduc- 

 tory article and an account of the chief happenings of the 

 month in the poultry world, there follo-.vs an interesting 

 and useful series of leading articles, each written by a special- 

 ist in the subject with which it deals. Following an 

 illustrated section which strikes a personal note in regard to 

 some of those who are well known among persons specially 

 interested in poultry in England, there are articles which 

 treat of exhibition.s, hints for amateurs, e lucational matter.^, 

 poultry production, and marketing. The next sections are 

 devoted to colonial news and foreign note.s, and the journal 

 is completed by four other sections which include hygiene 

 and disease, clubs and societies, note-S from correspondents, 

 and an interesting supplement. 



Most of the articles have a general interest to poultry 

 keepers, no matter in what part of the world they may be 

 read, for many of the main princii)les of poulfrj'-raising have 

 a world-wide application. They will be all the more accept- 

 alile in that they are written in a broad spirit and that they 

 contain nothing that is merelj' dogmatic. The section in 

 which colonial news appears has its special interest, and there 

 would seem to be room for widening the scope of this by 

 the provision of a larger number of direct contributions from 

 the colonies them.selves. 



Accounts have appeared, from time to time, of the 

 organization and working of the better known poultry clubs, 

 and the descri[)tions of them are of interest. Added to this is 

 the fact that such descriptions would be o\ great use in the 

 event of its being deemed expedient to adopt .similar organi- 

 zations in the West Indies, and they contain matter for 

 encouragement in that they often show what were the small 

 beginnings from which many of those bodies sprung 



The way in which the journal is produced should be 

 a source of .satisfaction, both to those who have the work of 

 its preparation and to those for whom it is designed. The 

 size of its pages permits of the use of a readable type, and the 

 quality of the paper on which it is printed gives the best 

 facilities for the production of its many good illustrations. 



