DAIRY FARMING DAIRYING. 1111 



Poultry division report, D. D. Hyde {New Zealand Dept. Agr. Rpt. 1902, pp. 

 127-134, pis. 4, .figs. 2). — Brief statements are made regarding the poultry at the dif- 

 ferent New Zealand experiment stations. The export trade in poultry and eggs, 

 especially with England and South Africa, is discussed at some length. 



Profitable poultry farming, F. C. Hare {Canada Dejit. Agr. Comr's Branch, Poul- 

 try Dlrwion Bid. 6, n. ser., 1902, jtp. 47, figs. 37). — Poultry raising, dressing, marketing, 

 poultry diseases, and other subjects relating to the poultry and egg trade are discussed. 



Experiments in artificial incubation {Queensland Agr. Jour., 12 {1903) No. 2, 

 pp. 117, lis) . — The tests reported show the need of moisture in the air of incubators 

 and the desirability of adding it if removed too rapidly. 



"The fatal effect of a rapid evaporation is to be found in the drying of the inclos- 

 ing membrane of the eggs, or, in other words, the membrane covering the ovum 

 becomes too dry to take up enough oxygen to suffice for the development and vital 

 activity of the embryo, for while most animal membranes allow the exchange of car- 

 bon dioxid and oxygen to be effected with perfect ease, offering no serious impedi- 

 ment to the passage of either gas, dry membranes are impermeable to gases. 

 Although the drying of the covering membranes often cuts short the development of 

 the enil)ryo, and the germs die at different stages of incubation, this most frequently 

 takes place from the above cause from the seventeenth day to the end of the term, 

 the greatest number dying about the eighteenth or nineteenth day." 



The spoiling- of liens' eggs preserved in ■wood ashes, H. Svoboda {Ocsterr. 

 Chem. Ztg., 5 {1902), No. 21, pp. 4^3, 484)- — From experimental data the conclusion 

 is drawn that wood ashes are not satisfactory for preserving eggs. It was found that 

 when eggs were thus preserved the ash content was increased. An analysis of the 

 ash of such eggs is reported. 



The history of geese, J. J. McCue {Queensland Agr. Jour., 12 {1903), No. 1, pp. 

 40-43). — In this article, which is quoted from Station, Farm, and Dairy, the author 

 describes the principal breeds of geese, including the black and white goose and the 

 cereopsis goose, which are Australian varieties. 



Ducks, G. Rogeron (Les canards. Paris: J. B. Baillihe <.i- Son, 1903, pp. VIII -\-, 

 435, ])l. 1). — Different sorts of wil<l and domestic ducks are treated of, as well as the 

 general subject of duck raising. 



DAIRY FARMING—DAIRYING. 



Feeding trials with cows, J. L. Hills ( Yermont Sta. Rpt. 1902, pp. 273-318+ 

 XXXVIII). — This is the fifth year in which feeding experiments have been con- 

 ducted along the same general line. Tests to compare low, medium, and heavy grain 

 rations, to determine the feeding value of apple-pomace silage, and to ascertain the 

 extent of experimental error in feeding trials made in previous years were repeated, 

 and new trials were conducted to study the feeding value of malt sprouts, dried 

 ])rewers' grains, and gluten meals of high and low protein content. The work is 

 leported in detail and summarized, and an appendix contains the tabulated data. 

 The trials covered a period of 24 weeks and included 50 cows. Each trial lasted 28 

 days, the conclusions in every case being based upon the results ol)tained during the 

 last 18 days. 



A comparison of 4, 8, and 12 lbs. of grain was made with 26 cows, with results 

 essentially the same as previously obtained (E. S. R., 14, p. 78). An increase in the 

 grain ration increased the yield of milk and butter, but not in proportion to the 

 amount of grain fed. Changing from a low to a medium grain ration increased the 

 yield of milk 9 to 13 per cent, and changing from a medium to a high grain ration 

 did not increase the yield over 3 per cent. The quality of the milk was not materially 

 affected. The dry matter in the low grain ration made iiroportionatel> more milk 

 and butter than the dry matter in the medium ration, and the same was true when 



