ANIMAL PEODUCTION. 179 



Poultry experiments, C. Curtice {Rhode Island Sta. Rpt. 1902, pp. 333-373, pis. 

 S). — Changes Avhich have been made in the location of the poultry houses and in the 

 plans for poultry work are described, and experiments with different kinds of incu- 

 bators under a variety of conditions are reported, part of the experiments being 

 made in connection with the regular work of students at the agricultural college. 



In some of the tests differences were observed in the percentage of eggs hatched in 

 different tiers of incubators, and this point Avas further studied to determine the 

 effect of inside and outside temperature. It was found that the temperature inside 

 the different tiers of incubators varied much less than the outside temperature. In 

 some cases the largest hatch was obtained in an upper tier, in others in the lower, 

 but in the author's opinion the increase in the percentage of eggs hatched could be 

 directly attributed to more heat. The data obtained in the experiments, he believes, 

 "show that too little heat arrests development. There seems to be no indication 

 that an increase of heat to the amount used in these experiments kills the chicks 

 in the later stages. The conditions found indicate that the majority exhausted their 

 vitality in reaching the jiarticular stage where death ensued, and that more heat 

 favored further advancement." 



The author states that, considering the year's work as a whole, only moderate suc- 

 cess was obtained as regards the proportion of eggs hatched. "As a rule, the low 

 percentage of efficiency in incubating eggs in winter has been ascribed to the condi- 

 tion of the winter egg and the hen; that is to say, it is claimed that the winter 

 embryos have less vitality than the spring embryos. The winter experiments show, 

 however, that, while no entire lot of hatches was extra good in any month, there 

 were some in all of the months that were good, and in fact much better than the 

 average for any month. This indicates that the hatching is at greater fault than the 

 eggs. In other words, until more miiformity is obtained in handling machines of 

 the same make, set in the same room at the same time, we must consider the weather 

 and incubator conditions before complaining of the eggs." 



Various problems connected with poultry hatching are discussed, and brief notes 

 given regarding the l)roods tested and the post-mortem examination of chicks which 

 died within 2 or 3 weeks- after hatching. Some experiments have been begun 

 for the study of "blackhead " in turkeys, and it is proposed to continue the work. 



Poultry, R. Robertson, S. A. Bedford, and A. Mackay {Canada Expt. Farms 

 Rpts. 1902, pp. 261, 262, 302, 355). — Brief statements regarding the poultry kept at 

 3 of the Canadian experimental farms. At the station for the Maritime Prov- 

 inces a large percentage of the chicKs hatched with incubators and under a hen died 

 at the pipping stage, especially in the case of the early hatches. 



Report of cooperative experiments in poultry work, W. R. Graham ( Ontario 

 Agr. and Ilrpt. Union Rpt. 1902, jtp. .37-39). — A T)rief report with discussion of 

 cooperative experiments in hatching eggs with incubators. 



The preservation of eggs, F. T. Shutt ( Canada E.rpt. Farms A';>/.s. 1902, pp. 

 216-218). — The relative merits of different methods of preserving eggs was tested in 

 continuation of previous work (E. S. R., 14, p. 180), the materials used being satu- 

 rated lime water, with and without common salt; sodium silicate (water glass), 

 common salt, permanganate of potash, calcium chlorid, and magnesium chlorid. 

 As in former years, the best results were obtained with the saturated limewater. 



"This fifth season's work with egg preservatives furnishes further corroboratory 

 evidence of the value of limewater. Of the solutions experimented with, it has 

 proved the most satisfactory. It is certaiidy equal to water glass in effectiveness 

 and is to be preferred to this much advertised preservative on the grounds of 

 economy and ease of jireparation. . . . The solubility of lime at ordinary temper- 

 atures is 1 jiart in 700 i)arts of water. Such a solution would be termed saturated 

 limewater. Translated into pounds and gallons, this means 1 lb. of lime is sufficient 



