REPORT OF MR. R. ROBERTSON. 311 



SESSIONAL PAPER No. 16 



POULTEY, 1899-1900. 



Three varieties of fowls were kept this year. These are the Barred Plymouth 

 Rocks, Black Minorcas and White Leghorns. The Barred Plymouth Rocks and Black 

 Minorcas were practically all young birds, while the White Leghorns were old birds, 

 except three of them, which were one year old. 



The pens were made up as follows : — 



No. 1. — 10 Barred Plymouth Rock hens. 

 No. 2. — 8 Black Minorca hens. 

 No. 3. — 7 White Leghorn hens. 



During the winter they were fed on a warm corn-meal mash in the morning, abcL 

 whole grain in the afternoon, the whole grain being scattered on the floor of the pens. 

 Water was before them all the time, and green ground bones and oyster shells were 

 occasionally given them. After August 1 they were allowed the freedom of the 

 fields. 



The eggs laid during the year by the different breeds were as follows : — 



No. 1.— 10 Barred Plymouth Rocks 608 



No. 2.— 8 Black Minorcas 526 



No. 3.— 7 White Leghorns 307 



The fowls now on the farm are : — 



Hens. Pullets. Cocks. Cockerel*. 



Barred Plymouth Rocks 4 10 1 2 



Black Minorcas 4 8 2 



White Leghorns 5 1 1 



BEES, 1899-1900. 



On December 7, 1899, five colonies of bees, weighing respectively, 52 pounds, 38 

 poimds, 56 pounds, 40 pounds and 46i pounds were put in their winter quarters in the 

 cellar of the superintendent's house. They were kept at a temperature ranging from 

 32° to 40° all winter, and put out on their summer stands on May 2, 1900. The light 

 weighing colony, No. 2, 28 pounds, died during the winter, the remainder coming out 

 in fairly good shape. Their respective weights when put out in May were : 42 pounds, 

 46 pounds, 37 pounds and 32 pounds, being an average of 10 pounds lighter than when 

 put in the cellar. This season was very unfavourable for honey gathering, the bees 

 only gathered enough for self-support. 



Three swarms were captured during July, one on the 5th, one on the 9th and 0(Be 

 on the 22nd. 



I have the honour to be, sir. 



Your obedient servant, 



K. ROBERTSON, 



SuperintendetU. 



