522 Agricultural Gazette of X.S.W. [July 2, 1920, 



Segregation of the Male Birds. 



Old fallacies die hard, and one still finds the idea prevalent that the male 

 birds should only run with hens during the breeding season. Experience, 

 however, proves that many males, particularly of the 'heavy breeds, become 

 more or less (and sometimes totally) impotent, as a result of this practice. 

 There are, of course, some more or less plausible reasons given for segregating 

 the males, but whatever may be advanced in this respect, the fact remains, 

 and all we can do is to make the best of circumstances over which we have 

 no control. 



Another practice that is growing up is to change the male birds in the 

 breeding pens frequently with the idea of increasing the vigour of the birds. 

 This also is a fallacy, except in the case of under- feeding. With well-fed, 

 healthy, vigorous birds (and no others should be used) there is no necessity 

 for this practice. Not only so, but there is the objection that pedigree 

 cannot be properly recorded when changes are made in this way. Any 

 good bird well looked after should stand right through the season naturally. 



Not Too Much Protein. 



It is not desirable that too much meat or meat concentrates should be fed 

 to the breeding stock. The balanced ration, as fed to laying hens, might 

 with advantage be somewhat widened for breeding stock. The object in 

 regard to this class is rather to produce strong eggs than to make high egg 

 recoi'ds, and it is not always that both are secured. Many poultrj'-keepers 

 feed a greater percentage of proteid matter to their breeding pens, being 

 under the impression that the more meat they give the better. This is a 

 mistake that often results in partial failure to hatch and rear chickens. 

 Any kind of stimulation is likely to produce the same result. 



All highly concentrated foods such as meat meals, &c., should be given by 

 weight. For convenience, a measure may be used, of course, but the weight 

 of the quantity that the measure will hold should be known, and should be 

 kept in mind when luaking up a ration. Guessing quantities is almost 

 certain to lead to trouble of one kind or another. Many cases of enteritis 

 occur among flocks owing to neglect of this simple precaution. The same 

 thing applies to common salt when used in excess or carelessly mixed through 

 the food. 



Almond Tkees as a Vineyard Bokder. 



Almond trees may be used attractively jis a wind screen on a vineyard 

 border. The planting of seedlings is not very satisfactory, as there is a 

 likelihood of getting a very mixed inferior lot. The better way is to raise 

 from seed and bud the young trees with good varieties. More than one 

 variety must be planted in order to ensure cross-pollination. Up to the 

 present the almond has pi'oved more suited to the country west of the 

 mountains than on the coast, although it is considered that in the drier parts 

 of the coastal districts it could be grown profitably. The country lying 

 between Campbelltown and llichmond,and any with similar climate and soil, 

 should produce satisfactory almonds. — W. J. Allen. 



