animaTj production. 1173 



whether the iuereused e.^.u iinuhu'limi would have iin)re than paid fur the in- 

 creased cost for labor is a (itiostion for future experiments to determine." 



The highest monthly e.iii; production was noted in March, averaging 16| eggs 

 IRT hen. 



The authors calculate that the eggs produced during the year averaged $2.43 

 per hen. 



[Report of] manag'er of poultry department, W. R. Graham {Ann. Rpt. On- 

 tario Ayr. Col. and E.rpt. Farut, ,U (lixn), pp. 233-236).— The author discusses 

 the station ix)ulti-y houses, trap iiests, growing chickens, and fattening chickens 

 with special reference to the work of the department. 



When GO chickens weighing 181.5 lbs. were fattened for 3 weeks in crates 

 a gain of 70.5 lbs. was noted. The total amount of grain consumed was 249.25 

 lbs. and of milk 517 lbs. The total profit was $6.72. 



Tests at the east Prussian poultry school in Waldgarten on poultry feeding- 

 by the Hamburg- method, Wesemann (Wiirttonb. Wchnhl. Landir., IDOl, No. 

 52, pp. 931, 932). — A brief note on the substitution of other feeds for fish in 

 a special method of winter feeding of poultry practiced in Hamburg. 



Hatching and rearing- chickens, W. II. Graham {Ontario Dcpt. Agr. Bui. 163, 

 pp. 1-28. figs. 5). — Experiments which have been carried on for the study of 

 various problems connected with incubator and natural methods of hatching 

 are discussed. 



Of 1)58 eggs set in incubators 45.5 per cent hatched and of 335 eggs set under 

 hens 58.5 per cent hatched. In general, the author's observations indicate that 

 chicks hatched from hens sitting on moist earth grew best. 



Moist as compared with dry incubators showed a difference of 10.9 per cent 

 of the eggs set or 13.1 per cent of the fertile eggs in favor of the use of mois- 

 ture. 



Believing that carbon dioxid in the air might have an influence on incuba- 

 tion, whole milk, skim milk, and buttermilk inoculated with bacterial cultures 

 which would produce carbon dioxid in quantity, were used in place of water 

 in the moisture pans of incubators, and apparently when buttermilk was thus 

 used the chicks had greater vigor. The same result was not noted with whole 

 milk and " one is led to believe that the acid of the buttermilk has some action 

 on the shell or contents, hence a chick higher in vitality is produced." When 

 a proprietary disinfectant was used in the moisture pan the vitality was also 

 very good, and washing the machines with a 10 per cent solution of the disin- 

 fectant the author also considers a desirable practice. 



Lamp fumes in the incubators, according to the experimental data, decreased 

 the proportion of chicks which hatched but did not decrease vitality. 



Eggs put under hens for a week were removed to an incubator for hatching 

 and eggs started in incubators were finished under hens. Where eggs were 

 finished under hens from the nineteenth day of incubation no improvement was 

 seen in the chickens. 



" Eggs incubated one week under hens and finished by incubators gave fairly 

 good chicks, but eggs started in incubators for a week and finished by the 

 hen show practically no improvement over the eggs hatched for the whole period 

 in the machine. 



"This work appeared to indicate that the first portion of the hatch is a very 

 critical time, and every care should be given at this period." 



A comi)arison of different makes of incul/ators is reported and some general 

 data are given regarding the methods of l)rooding, feeding, and other matters. 

 It was found that with artificial brooding 11.8 iier cent of the chickens died 

 in 4 weeks as compared with 20.2 per cent with natural brooding. 



