THE GALLINACEOUS TRIBES 



241 



spring from the soil like mushrooms, only to 

 disappear almost immediately. To what must 

 we attribute this disappearance ? To disease 

 and the imprudence of breeders. The countries 

 that have suffered most from these diseases 

 are Germany, parts of Belgium, and the Neth- 

 erlands. So far, America has felt the scourge 

 less than other lands, for the good reason that 

 in importing fowls from other countries she 

 has taken precaution to secure only the best 

 and most healthy individuals. 



Disease may be controlled by keeping the 

 poultry yards and houses extremely clean and 

 by watching them incessantly, for vermin will 

 make their appearance. It is easy to get rid 

 of lice, the worst enemy of fowls, by rubbing 

 their wings and hind quarters with petroleum. 

 The birds must also be made to take sand 

 baths. If lice are not attacked and conquered 

 in time, great harm may result. Hens thus 

 affected cease to lay, and will languish and 

 die ; while the chicks, which suffer even more 

 from this pest, will share the same fate if 

 prompt and efficacious measures are not taken. 

 When lice appear breeders sometimes think 

 that they are dealing with another disease, 



space to discuss here the treatment of other 

 maladies, but much will have been done to 

 prevent or to cure them if the advice we have 

 now given be followed. Many of the diseases 



A Hen with Young Ducklings 



are caused, and all are aggravated, by the 

 presence of lice, and the surest way to keep 

 poultry in good health is to fight the disease 

 in the germ. 



One has only to take a walk through 

 the markets of any large city to have 

 an idea of the great proportions of the 

 American poultry trade. 



XI. Ducks 



Every country has its specialty. 

 Thus there are some in which the 

 raising of ducks in vast numbers is 

 practiced, and that in a veiy lucrative 

 manner, because the supply never 

 equals the demand. 



Breeders of ducks know well how 

 to conform to circumstances, and as 

 it is easy to dispose of ducklings that 

 are from eight to twelve weeks old, 

 they never let them grow a day older, 

 A Ladder for the H.m'.ies j^s they can get no more profit by 



Photo J. T. Newman, Berkhampstead j^jj^g g^ -pj^jg businCSS is especially 



but inspection is sufficient to undeceive them, lucrative when done systematically with a good 

 Cleanliness alone will save the breeders much breed in the neighborhood of large cities or 

 loss and vexation. We have not sufficient towns, provided sufficient space can be had. 



