7-8 EDWARD VII. SESSIONAL PAPER No. 16 A. 1908 



EEPOET OF THE POULTRY MAISTAGER. 



(A. G. Gilbert.) 



Dr. Wm. Saunders, C.M.G., 



Director Dominion Experimental Farms, 

 Ottawa. 



Sir, — I have th? pleasure of submitting to you the nineteenth annual report of 

 the poultry division of the Central Experimental Farm. 



Among the subjects discussed are certain changes in the winter housing and 

 feeding of poultry, and which changes are calculated to increase the value of poultry- 

 keeping as a branch of farm work. Wliether "this laudable object will be fully, or 

 partially attained in this northern latitude, is for experience to decide. Meanwhile, 

 careful note of eifects from various standpoints is being made. Some results which 

 have already become conspicuous are discussed in the following report. 



A remarkable indication of poultry development is the large number of letters 

 received from numerous settlers who have made their home in the western provinces, 

 notably those of Saskatchewan and Alberta. Many of these letters contain requests 

 for a pattern of a winter house which will suitably comply with the winter condi- 

 tions of the latter named provinces. To be satisfactory these houses should be— 



(a) Cheap in construction, owing to the scarcity of. lumber; 



(b) Fairly comfortable in winter; 



(c) Dry and affording ample floor space for each fowl. 



In order to disseminate as much information, on these points, as is at present 

 available in our department, the views of a correspondent in Saskatchewan, who, has 

 given the subject careful consideration, are given in a following page. 



The alteration in methods, already remarked on, and the nature of these changes, 

 with details of the most important experimental work of the year, will be found in 

 their proper places. 



I have much pleasure in noting the successful efforts of my assistant, Mr. Fortier, 

 in conducting his part of the experimental work of the past year. He has given 

 much attention to the effect of different rations on the production of eggs during 

 winter and to the artificial hatching and rearing of chickens. During the year Mr. 

 Fortier delivered addresses at 30 different places in the province of '^uebec. 



Mr. Summers has been most careful and assiduous in collecting data relative to 

 the trap nests system, the feeding of different experimental rations, and in connection 

 with the hatching of eggs by both hens and incubators. His efficiency in the recording 

 of results is woriTiy of remark. 



Mr. George Deavy, who has for many years past been connected with this depart- 

 nfent, has been energetic in the caring for the fowls and young chickens entrusted to 

 him, and in keeping the different poultry houses and their surroundings in good order 

 and condition. 



The large increase in correspondence from all parts of the Dominion in connec- 

 tion with the work of this department has been very gratifying. It alone demands 

 much time and careful consideration. The great increase in the number of letters 

 received from the older province of Quebec, is particularly noticeable, and may be 

 taken as a fair instance of the rapid development which is taking place in the poultry 

 interests of that province. 



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