Z66 EXPERIMEyTAL FARMS 



_ 7-8 EDWARD VII., A. 1908 



Eggs Laid from November 1, 1905, to March SI, 1907. 



1905— 



November 355 



December 954 



1906— 



January 1,393 



February 1,349 



March . . 2,799 



April ■ ■ 2,786 



May 2,206 



June , 1,690 



July 1,381 



August 563 



September 236 



October 53 



Total number 15,765 



November 138 



December 967 



1907— 



January 1,561 



February 1,773 



March 2,415 



Total number of eggs for 17 months 22,619 



DISEASES OF POULTRY. 



A number of inquiries were received during the year as. to the nature of ailments 

 affecting poultry in different parts of the Dominion. Remedies were suggested and 

 advice given which were considered suitable to the exigencies of the various cases 

 described. Several postmortem examinations of birds which had died from symptoms 

 of infectious and contagious diseases were kindly made by Dr. Higgins, Pathologist, 

 Biological Laboratory, during the year and much valuable information as to cause 

 of death received. 



BUILDING UP HARDY AND PROLIFIC EGG-LAYING STRAINS OF FOWLS. 



WARM VS. COLD HOUSES. 



The work of building up prolific egg-laying strains of fowls — with a view to their 

 being hardy and good egg-layers during the winter season of high prices — was con- 

 tinued during the year. This work was commenced in the month of January, 1904. 

 As aids in securing desired results, trap nests and unheated houses — with scratching 

 shed attachments — were called into requisition. This work is one of the greatest im- 

 p'ortance and is unavoidably slow. The progress so far made is certainly satisfactory. 

 In some instances as will be seen in the tables following, better egg-laying results 

 have been undoubtedly secured, while in other cases the advantage of the iinheated 

 house (with its cold but fresh air, as compared with the warm one), is made evident. 



The first table shows results from 12 Barred Plymouth Rock pullets kept in a 

 warm house. Table No. 2, immediately following, gives results from a similar num- 

 ber of hens kept in an unheated house. A comparison between the two tables is full 

 of import to all who are interested in this line of work. 



