POULTRY. 



195 



on pullets against 4c on a yearling 

 hen. Hatch the Rocks between 1st of 

 April and 10th May; Leghorns, 20th 

 April to 24th May — not earlier and not 

 later than these dates. Early matur- 

 ity gives good records from the trap 

 nests, but if too early the birds ma- 

 ture too rapidly and lay heavy in 

 August, moulting in October-Novem- 

 ber, and egg production ceases. If too 

 late, pullets do not thrive well and the 

 cold weather catches them and they 

 will not start laying until late Janu- 

 ary. (December eggs pay best.) 

 Mating the Birds. 



Better results are obtaiued by mat- 

 ing yearling hens to cockerels, than 

 by mating pullets to cocks. The first 

 is irreparably weakened through the 

 pullet year and will never give maxi- 

 mum results. Don't 'breed too young. 

 This applies equally well'in poultry as 

 in other branches of live stock. For 

 setting purposes yearling hens are the 

 producers. 



Rations Recommended. 



Dry mash, 200 lbs. bran, 100 lbs. feed 

 or low grade flour, 100 lbs. commeal, 

 100 lbs. beef scrap, 100 lbs. St. Law- 

 rence brand gluten meal, and 33 lbs. 

 bone meal. For wet mash use the 

 same ration. Grain is fed in litter at 

 3 o'clock in the afternoon and one-half 

 in litter when, birds are on th'» roost. 

 Moist mash at noon. Grain food at 

 11 o'clock. The most suiitable house 

 in Mr. Clark's experience for laying 

 hens is a shanty roof affair, 7 feet In 

 front, 5 feet at back, and 16 feet by 

 17% feet in area. This accommodates 

 about 75 Rocks. The front is glass 

 and canvas. Twenty-seven square feet 

 of canvas or opening to 100 hens. The 

 sides and ends are tar papered, bat- 

 tened, and boarded, leaving an air 

 space between the studding. — L. N. 

 CLARK. 



Standard Varieties of Turkeys. 



There are six varieties of turkeys 

 raised in Canada. They are as fol- 

 lows: Bronze Narragansett. Buff, 

 Slate, White and Black. A non- 

 standard variety is the Bourbon Reds. 

 Turkeys originated in America, and 

 were imported into Europe by the 

 Mexicans. Are hard to raise, a pecu- 

 liarity being that one copulation at 

 beginning of season renders fertile all 

 the eggs In the ovarium. Hens weigh 

 10 to 12 pounds; cocks, 15 to 25 

 pounds. This Is average; many times 



they are grown many pounds over 

 these weights. 



Standard Varieties of Ducks. 



There are twelve standard varieties 

 of ducks raised in Canada, some of 

 them on a small scale, as follows: 

 The White Pekin, White Aylesbury, 

 Colored Rouen, Black Cayuga, Col- 

 ored Muscovy, White Muscovy, In- 

 dian Runner, Gray Call, White Call, 

 Black East India, Crested White, and 

 Blue Swedish. Of these varieties, the 

 first seven are considered profitable 

 to raise; the two varieties of Calls 

 and the Black East India are Ban- 

 tams, and are bred more for the 

 showroom; the Crested White may be 

 considered as almost purely orna- 

 mental while at present but little is 

 known of the Blue Swedish In this 

 country and the United States. 



White Pekin Ducks. — Very large, 

 and excellent layers, averaging from 

 100 to 150 eggs in a season. Non- 

 sitters, easily raised, and mature 

 early. The standard weight of the 

 adult drake is 9 pounds; adult duck, 

 8 pounds; young drake, 8 pounds, and 

 young duck, 7 pounds. 



Colored Rouen Ducks. — Profitable 

 on the farm, hardy, prolific. Eggs not 

 BO large as the Pekin, diverse in color. 



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