V)76 EXPERIMENT STATION REf'ORD. 



Poultry, II. Raby {Oraiii/c h'ircr Coloinj Itcpt. Ai/r.. Ami. h^pt., 2 { IBOo-G) , 

 PI). 87-97. ////. 1). — Infoniiatioii is suiuinarized resiirding the ixiiiltry kept, the 

 nuinber of eggs pi-odueed. and the nicthods of raising and feeding chickens fol- 

 lowed at the (Jrootvlei Experimental Farm. 



In the author's opinion the most satisfactory metiiod (if feeding i)oultry for 

 market under local conditions is to confine them in crates in a pai'tially dark- 

 ened fattening shed, which should give j)rotection from wind and be well ven- 

 tilated. During the first ?> days of the continement the fowls should he fed* 

 sparingly, hut afterwai'ds given .all they will e;it :; times daily and be supplied 

 with an :ibundance of grit and water. About U! days are re(iuired to feed the 

 birds for market. 



In a feeding test in which 1"_*2 birds were fed under these conditions from 

 7 to 24 days the average weight at the beginning was .'3 lbs. 9 oz. and the average 

 gain 1 lb. The calculated profit per head v.-as 27 cts. " It was found during the 

 course of the feeding period that the rate of gain became less after the second 

 week and ceased to be profitable when Ki or 17 days had passed. Fifteen days 

 on full feed appears to be the most suitable time for fattening." The feed con- 

 sisted of maize n)eal, bran, and ground oats with the coarse husk sifted out 

 2:2:1 made into a stiff batter with water. "Skim milk should be used in 

 ])reference to water when it is available." 



Portable houses for poultry are considered desirable and the (■t)nstruction of 

 such a house is briefly descriix'd. 



Success in egg culture, II. \'. Hawkins (Jaiir. Dipt. Ai/r. \ iiforio. .'> {1!)()7), 

 7\o. 1, pp. It. 12). — A brief account of a successful attempt to keei) ducks for 

 egg i)roduction. The total number of eggs produced by :'>!>(> ducks and 50 fowls 

 in () months was ;>4, Still. 



Report on small poultry stations, D. F. Laurie (.four. Dcpt. Af/r. ,So. Aiist.. 

 .10 (191)7), Xo. 7. pp. -'i.il-'i3()). — A brief note on the aims, present condition, 

 and work accomplished at the six small demonstration poultry plants recently 

 established by the South Australia Department of Agriculture. Five of these 

 stations are for the study of egg production and one for the production of table 

 birds. 



The sale of undrawn and cold storage poultry, E. M. Eckard (Vliicayo 

 <'liii.. 2(1 (1907), \(i. 1, pp. .'>-S). — The author has studied the condition and 

 appearance of chickens when kept for U months in cold storage, and also the 

 l»acteria of the intestines and related questions. 



" Bacteria normally inhabiting the intestinal tract are not destroyed by cold 

 storage, neither are the eggs of the blowfly. These bacteria and maggots 

 develop during the rise of temperature that takes place after removal from 

 cold storage before they are killed by heat. The bacteria pass through the 

 walls of the Intestines into the i)eritoneal cavity and liver, while the poisons 

 formed by the bacteria are more penetrative and pass deeper into the muscles. 

 That these products of bacteria, c-alled ptomaines, are i)oisonous is shown by 

 their effect upon the guinea pig even in small amounts. These poisons are not 

 destroyed by heat as are the bacteria and i)roduce the looseness of the bowels 

 after eating this class of food. In large amounts this poison results in vomiting, 

 sevei'e intestinal pain, collapse, and even death. This is known as ptomaine 

 poisoning, and for it there is no known antidote." 



The author's report is preceded by a general discussion of cold-storage 

 products and especially of cold-storage iioultry, in which it is pointed out that 

 when chickens ai"e kei)t undrawn for a long i)eriod the fluid portion of the 

 intestinal contents may pass into the adjacent flesh to the injury of the ciuality 



