ANIMAL PRODUCTION. 181 



Continuinu; early work {K. S. R., 13, p. 277) on the different nietliods of pi'eservin^ 

 et^'iTP, the following conclusions are drawn: 



"The common salt solutions without hme, Ixith 1 per cent and 2 per t'ent, caused 

 the eggs to have a more marked and disagreeal>le odor, especially on cooking. All 

 the eggs in the 2 per cent fluid were unusable. Vaseline-covered eggs were not quite 

 as well preserved as those simply in lime water. The paraffin-covered eggs were 

 decidedly inferior to those simply preserved by lime water. The eggs dipped in a 

 solution of permanganate of potash were decidedly bad, showing that the claims for 

 this much-vaunted chemical are without foundation. In summing up the conclu- 

 sions, we feel justified in repeating the statement that saturated lime water is a most 

 effective preservative. We can further say that it is a cheap, easily prepared, and 

 pleasant fluid to handle. The addition of a small amount of salt (not exceeding 1 

 per cent) apitears to be an advantage, but a larger amount — even 2 per cent — of salt 

 is decidedly detrimental to the quality of the preserved eggs." 



Report of cooperative experiments with egg- preservatives, W. R. Graham 

 {Ontario Agr. aiid Kept. I'liioii Rpt. 1901, pp. 31-33). — Comparative tests of the 

 merits of different egg preservatives led to the following conclusions: 



"Where eggs were put up in ordinary salt, the evaporation was equal to 33 per 

 cent of the contents of the egg. Where the eggs were greased this was reduced to 25 

 per cent. There is no evaporation of the egg with the water-glass or lime solution. 

 Three per cent of the eggs put up in salt were bad, but where the eggs were greased 

 there were none bad. In the experiments with water-glass, one to five, the eggs 

 scored 44 out of a possible 50. Where the water-glass was one to seven, the eggs 

 scored 43.2 out of 50. With the lime and salt solution the eggs scored 40, and in the 

 lime water they scored 41. The eggs put uj) in salt scored 37, and the greased egg 

 put up in salt scored 38." 



Poultry, R. Robertson, S. A. Bedford, and A. Mackav ( Omadd Kept. Farms 

 Rpts. 1901, pp. 367, 368; 427, 428, 310). — Brief statements are made concerning the 

 poultry kept at the Maritime Provinces, Manitoba, and Indian. Head P^xperimental 

 Farms. At the Manitoba Farm the average cost of a pound of gain in a test cover- 

 ing about a month was 3.66 cts. with Light Brahmas and 4 cts. with Plymouth Rocks. 

 Four Light Bralimas fed oats and skim milk for 20 days gained 8 lbs. and 5 ozs., at a 

 cost of 3.7 cts. per pound. The same number of Light Brahmas fed mixed grains 

 gained 7 lbs. and 7 ozs., at a cost of 3.9 cts. per pound. 



The digestibility of maize by chickens, S. PARAscHTscnuK {Jour. Landtr., 50 

 {1!>0^), X(i. 1, }ip. 15-32). — Four experiments on the digestibility of maize by chickens 

 are reported. The urine and feces were collected separately, this being rendered 

 possible by a surgical operation, which is described. It was found on an average 

 that the coefficient of digestibility of maize was as follows: Organic matter, 89.21; 

 protein, 92.5; fat, 83.43; crude fiber, 62.40; nitrogen free extract, 91.76; mineral 

 matter, 43.35. In one of the tests, which covered 3 days, the average amount of 

 nitrogen consumed per day was 1.22 gms. ; the amount excreted in the urine 

 0.830 gms., and in the feces 0.120. 



The intestinal bacteria of chickens, M. Rubner {Centhl. Bakt. u. Par., 1. Aht., 

 30 {1901), Xo. 6, p. 239; ILjg. Jiitnd.^rliau, 12 {1902), No. 9, p. 448)'.— X l:)acteriological 

 study of the intestines and dejecta of young chickens. The dejecta of newly hatched 

 chickens were sterile. Bacteria appeared after 2 days. 



The value of intestinal bacteria in nutrition, II, M. Schottelius {Arcli. Hyg., 

 42 {1902), No. 1-2, pp. -^6'-76') .—Continuing earlier work (E. S. R., 10, p. 885), the 

 author reports experiments which lead to the conclusion that intestinal bacteria are 

 necessary. Chickens hatched under sterile conditions and fed sterile food lived from 

 10 to 30 days onh^, yet they ate regularly and produced an abundance of feces. 

 Similar chickens grew rapidly after they were fed cultures of Bacillus coli gallhiarium, 

 the bacillus which is a})parent]y the first one to make its appearance in the intestinal 

 tract of normal chickens. 



