408 EXPERIMENT STATION RECOItD. 



It is stated that dipping liorses has been suceessfull.^- practiced and is followed 

 jiy freedom from ticks and skin diseases. 



Farm poultry, with the results of some experiments in poultry houses 

 and fattening chickens, AV. R. Graham (Ontario A(/r. Vol. and Expt. I'anti 

 Bui. Ijl, pp. 40. pijs. >.')). — The rearing, feeding, and management of chicks are 

 discussed on the basis of station experience. The rearing of market fowls, 

 housing poultry, the use of trap nests, construction of fattening crates, the use 

 of the cranuuing machine, dressing and shipping i)Oultry. egg preservation, and 

 related topics are also spoken of and some experimental work is In'iefly sum- 

 marized. 



The effect of different housing conditions upon egg production is shown by 

 the fact that during January, Febriiary, and March some 50 hens kept in a 

 warm house laid 946 eggs, while a similar lot in a house with a cloth front 

 laid 1,092 eggs. The hens in a cold house laid 1,021 eggs and those in a house 

 with movable windows 1,0.35 eggs. During the same 3 months of the preceding 

 year the hens in the warm house laid 607 eggs, those in the house with cloth 

 front 718 eggs, in the house with movable window's 819 eggs, and in the cold 

 house 1,074 eggs. 



According to the author, " every hen should be allowed at least sq. ft. of 

 floor space. Each bird of the Plymouth Rock, Wyandotte, and such breeds, 

 requires about 9 in. of perch room ; Leghorns, etc., about 8 In. ; and Brahmas 

 10 in. Roosts should be made low^ or near the ground. There are several rea- 

 sons for this. Fowls of the heavier breed can not fly high, and those of the 

 lighter breeds frequently injure the soles of their feet in jumping from high 

 perches." 



In the author's experience, " the best results are obtained from keeping 20 to 

 25 birds in a flock. Some succeed with 60 to 75 in a flock, but these are the 

 minority." 



As regards egg production of different breeds, it was found that 13 Plymouth 

 Rock hens laid 693 eggs, the average cost per dozen being 6.02 cts., and during 

 the same time an equal number of Andalusians laid 8.34 eggs, the cost per 

 dozen being 5.34 cts. 



In general, hens over 2 jears old, the author points out, are seldom good layers. 

 " Leghorns, Minorcas, etc., are sometimes good during their third and fourth 

 years ; but, generally speaking, the Rocks and such fowls are of little or no use 

 as layers after the second year, being much inclined to become excessively fat. 



"For summer egg production the lighter breeds of late-hatched pullets of the 

 heavier breeds are best. Do not expect a hen that has laid well all winter to 

 lay exceptionally well during the summer." 



Wet and dry feeding and other similar topics are considered. As regards prac- 

 tice at the Ontario Agricultural College, it is stated that for the last year or 

 two mashes have been little fed, such materials being very largely replaced by 

 sprouted grain. " So far as we can see at the present time, the sprouting does 

 not improve the feeding qualities of the gi'ain very much, with the exception of 

 oats. The palatability of oats is increased considerably. We have made the 

 oats equally as palatable by soaking them in warm water about six hours. At 

 the present time our plan of feeding is to feed whole grain in the litter in the 

 morning, using about one to two pounds for twenty birds, the latter amount 

 when they are la.ving heavy ; at noon feed mangels, clover hay. and meat food 

 in the winter time. If we have no meat, a small quantity of grain is scattered in 

 the litter on the floor. In the summer time no grain or feed of any description 

 is given. At night they are fed all the sprouted grains, either oats or barley, 

 sometimes wheat, they will eat. During very cold weather in the winter they 



