46 



varies slightly with the different brands, but according 

 to my experience its precise composition is not a 

 matter of much importance. The essential point is 

 that this dry food is given to the chicks as their first 

 food, and that they are fed on it until they are at least 

 a montli old. They must, of course, be constantly 

 supplied with water, and also have green food. 



It will, I think, be admitted by all who have given 

 this "dry feed" a fair trial, that a larger proportion of 

 healthy chicks can be reared upon it than upon any 

 other food. In my experience, when this system is 

 adopted, it is most unusual to lose a chick which has 

 once got fairly on its legs ; while the miserable 

 *' wasters," (always crying for the food which does 

 them no good, and of which there are so often one or 

 two in a brood fed on soft food), are conspicuous by 

 their absence. (These wasters are probabl}^ in most 

 cases the victims of a chronic form of septicaemia). 

 Its only drawback is that the food proves an irresist- 

 able attraction to flocks of Sparrows, which steal large 

 quantities unless measures are taken to exclude them. 



Now, if what I have written above be compared 

 with what Dr. Creswell has said on the e^^g question, 

 and on the dangers of moist foods, it will be seen that 

 up-to-date poultry -keepers have arrived at con- 

 clusions upon these subjects which strongly support 

 those of our Editor. 



