Oct. 2, 1920.] Agricultural Gazette of N.S.W. 747 



of the operator to maintain proper temperatures, and to thin out the 

 chickens to numbers that have been found to be sound practice in I'earing, 

 as advocated in these notes from time to time. 



Those who are desirous of seeing thousands of chickens run binder good 

 conditions and where good development is being obtained, would do well to 

 visit Hawkesbury Agricultural College during this and the next three 

 months — particularly during this month while there are large numbers of 

 youngsters in the brooders. 



Red Mite. 



With the advent of warm spring weather, red mite will become active, 

 and unless prompt measures are taken to exterminate or keep the pest under 

 control, there is likely to be considerable loss in egg production and 

 probably deaths among the birds. 



When birds are seen to look anaemic or their combs turn dark, or when, 

 perhaps, a general run down appearance of the whole flock, with a falling off 

 in egg production is noticed, red mite may be suspected. The perches 

 should be examined — particularly underneath and under the ends that rest 

 upon cleats — when small red insects will often be found in such numbers as 

 to give them the appearance of a semi-liquid substance falling to the floor. 

 These are the suckers, full of the blood that they have extracted from the 

 hen during the previous night. In addition to these visible signs of blood 

 suckers, there may be swarms of small grey insects. Those are the same 

 insects but in a different stage. In this stage they will be found in almost 

 any part of the poultry house'nests and, in bad infestations, even up in the 

 rafters of the building. The cast skins and excreta will be present in the 

 form of white masses at the entrance, or about cracks and crevices of the 

 woodwork. 



There are two ways effectually to rid the poultry houses of this pest 

 — -(1), by spraying the houses with kerosene emulsion, and (2), by painting 

 roosts, etc., with blue oil or wood preserving oil, sometimes known as crude 

 kerosene or kerosene tar. 



How to make the Emulsion. 



To make kerosene emulsion, bring to boiling point 1 gallon of soft water 

 and dissolve in it 8 ounces of soft soap ; remove from the fire and add slo-wly 

 1 gallon of kerosene, stir briskly for ten minutes or more until the oil is 

 thoroughly incorporated with the soap water, and appears like thick cream ; 

 then add this mixture slowly to 10 gallons of soft water, stirring all the time. 

 Smaller quantities can, of course, be made in the same way. 



Rain water stored in tanks, water from the metropolitan water supply, 

 that from most water-holes, and river water in general, is suitable for making 

 kerosene emulsion, but brackish and hard waters are not suitable for the 

 purpose. 



If a quart of wood preserving oil (often know ainong poultrymen as 

 " kerosene tar ") is added to the emulsion in [)lace of a quart of kerosene it 

 will be found more effective, but the objection to the use of the wood- 

 preserving oil is its tendency to soil the feathers of white fowls. 



