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early chickens. Late chickens are stunted by the cold weather, and never possess 

 the vigour nor attain to the size the others do. The chickens that are put out on 

 the first grass seem to thrive the best. 



Shipment of Stock and Eggs. 



The demand for eggs for hatching during the spring season was so large that it 

 was impossible to fill all orders. At any time there can only be a limited number 

 of eggs to sell, for there are the branch Experimen'',iil Farms to supply and the chickens 

 to raise for our own purposes. On the 9th November the following stock was 

 shipped to the Brandon, Manitoba, Experimental Farm: 1 cockerel, 3 hens, White 

 Leghorns; 1 cockerel, 3 hens, Plymouth Eocks; 1 cock, 3 hens, Wyandottes. 

 Several cockerels of the different breeds were purchased by — and shipped to — farmers 

 in different parts of the country, for the improvement of their stock. As a general 

 rule, the farmers of the country inbreed from one year to another, with a loss of 

 vitality and size to their stock. 



Commencement of Winter Laying. 



The fowls were put into winter quarters on the 18th November, when the 

 weather became cold, but on the 3rd of December it became warm again and the 

 fowls were let out into their runs, and were able to be out daily until the 17th of the 

 month,when they wei'e shut in for the season. Moulting was got over early by most 

 of the stock, and they went into winter quarters in good health. Winter laying 

 began during the first week in December and continued during the winter. The 

 first breeds to lay were the White Leghorns, Plymouth Rocks, Black Minorcas, 

 Andalusians and Wyandottes. 



Diseases of Poultrt. 



Except in the case of a very valuable fowl, it is not desirable for a farmer, or any 

 one else, to lose time in attempting to doctor a sick fowl. In a case of roup it is 

 better to at once kill the bird and barn its remains, as the disease makes rapid 

 progress, and if once established in a flock is almost impossible to get rid of Roup 

 is known in its first stages by the fowl sneezing, wheezing or snuffling, sometimes/ 

 accompanied by a discharge from the nostrils. Later on the discharge becomes 

 thicker and has a very off'ensive odour. Sometimes the head swells so as to completely 

 close the eyes, the fowl refuses to eat, and eventually dies in a very emaciated condi- 

 tion. There are several forms of roup, all of which are infectious and contagious. 

 Should a fowl be running at the nostrils and escape detection the virus is conveyed 

 to the others by the sick one dipping its beak into the di-ink water and so contamin- 

 ating it. As showing the beneficial eff'ects of killirig off the affected fowls and 

 thoroughly disinfecting the premises, in a case of a very stubborn nature, the follow- 

 ing correspondence will be interesting: — 



"Saskatoon, 19th September, 1891. 



"Dear Sir, — F take the liberty of writing to you to see if you can inform me 

 what is the matter with my fowls and what is likely to cure them. The disease has 

 been amongst them for two years and we have lost from 50 to 100, and they are still 

 going. I have written to the poultry papers and tried all remedies that I have heard 

 of The first sign of anything wrong is heavy breathing. Then they commence to 

 rattle, as if breathing through phlegm. They show no sign of being sick until their 

 combs begin to turn dark. Then they appear ill, and finally die. For some days 

 before they die they smell very bad. If you could give me the needed information 

 you would confer a very great favour. 



" Yours very tiuly, 



" DAVID LUSK. 

 "Saskatoon, KW.T." 

 7p— 15t 



