No. 2. 



Boiled Food for Poultry. — Stucco Wash. 



67 



To the Editor of the Farmers' Cabinet. 

 Boiled Food for Poultry- 



giR^ — It is customary for some poultry-men 

 to cook the different grains which they use 

 for fattening poultry, and this they do by 

 boiling, continuing the process until the mass 

 swells, and becomes so soft as to break the 

 envelope, by which each grain is surrounded, 

 conceiving that such food is better for the 

 purpose, and the use of it far more economi- 

 cal than the dry grain. Now, whether this 

 idea is or is not correct, still it is of import- 

 ance to know the difference of expense be- 

 tween the two, and interesting to ascertain 

 whether more or less of it is eaten than of 

 that which has not been submitted to the cu- 

 linary process. To discover this, I find that 

 Mons. Reaumur caused four pints of each of 

 the six grains following to be boiled until 

 they were well bursted, and he found that the 

 increase of bulk of each sort was as follows : 



4 pints of oats, after boiling, filled 7 pints. 

 4 do. barley, do. do. 10 do. 



4 do. buckwheat, do. 

 4 do. Indian-corn, do. 

 4 do. wheat, do. 



4 do. rye, do. 



Kice was not tested, but swells much more 

 than either of the above : it is seldom, how- 

 ever, used for the above purpose. 



On experiment, it was found that poultry 

 were not uniformly partial to boiled grain, 

 although occasionally a preference was shown 

 for it; nor did it appear that they entertain a 

 decided partiality for one species over that of 

 ever}' otiier; wheat, however, being some- 

 times preferred and rye disapproved of; it 

 therefore follows, that we might make choice 

 of that grain which happens to be most plen- 

 tiful or cheapest, always excepting rye, which 

 must not be used unless other sorts cannot be 

 had. 



Other experiments were made, to a.scertain 

 whether there be any economy in feeding 

 with boiled grain, and this was done by 

 knowing, first, how much dry grain sufficed 

 for one or more fowls, and then boiling the 

 same quantity, and trying how much in that 

 state would suffice for a meal ; the result was 

 as follows. Rye, although so very consi- 

 derably increased by boiling, instead of being 

 more satisfying, becomes less so, more of it 

 being consuaied when boiled than when dry. 

 Oats, although increased by boiling nearly 

 one-half, are not, on this account, more satis- 

 fying for poultry, whicli, if in two days they 

 will consume four pints of dry oats, will, in 

 the same period, eat seven pints when boiled ; 

 so there is no economy in the additional 

 trouble. Mowbray is of the opinion that oats 

 scour, although they are supposed to prom.ote 

 laying, and are in many places used for fat- 

 tening. Buckwheat swells still more than 



oats by boiling, but poultry will consume four- 

 teen pints boiled, in the same space of time 

 that four would be sufficient, and it is thought 

 to be an unsubstantial food. But Indian-corn 

 is more profitable when boiled than raw, the 

 saving being one-third, or near it ; while the 

 fowls which ate two pints of Barley in its 

 dry state, consumed but three pints of the 

 boiled grain ; therefore, as ten pints of boiled 

 barley are produced from four pints of dry 

 grain, the experience in dry barley is to that 

 of boiled, as ten-fifths to six-fifths, or as ten 

 to six, or five to three ; amounting to a sav- 

 ing of two-fifths by giving boiled instead of 

 dry barley : thus it is far more profitable and 

 effective when boiled than raw, and, if fed to 

 the poultry while warm, it will hasten mate- 

 rially the period of laying, promoting in a 

 high degree the health and thrift of all kinds 

 of poultry. Wheat, as shown in the above 

 table, increases in bulk on boiling, nearly the 

 same as barley ; and these experiments go to 

 show that the use of boiled wheat, barley and 

 Indian-corn is a matter of economy, while on 

 the contrary, in the boiling of oats, rye, and 

 buckwheat, you have the loss of fuel, time, 

 and trouble, out of pocket. 



These things are worth remembering, espe- 

 cially at the present time, when the fattening 

 of poultry is carried to so great a length, our 

 steam-boats and rail- ways requiring such quan- 

 tities to feed their passengers, poultry being, 

 in so many ways, the standing dish of their 

 public tables. For the Jceeping of poultry 

 before fattening, no food is at all to be com- 

 pared to boiled potatoes, mixed with a small 

 portion of boiled barley, the process of which 

 is very much expedited, if the grain is broken 

 in the mill before cooking ; but in that state 

 it will require stirring while boiling, to pre- 

 vent it from burning. 



It is found, by actual experience, that there 

 is no saving in the substitution of bran for 

 grain ; some persons take the trouble to boil 

 this, but it does not even increase its bulk, 

 and not at all its quality. Two measures of 

 dry bran, after boiling, will not go so far as 

 one measure of boiled barley, thus showing a 

 striking difference in favour of barley, even 

 in point of economy. S. 



Stucco Wash. 



Six quarts of clean lime, slaked in boiling 

 water, 2 quarts of salt, 5 gallons of water — 

 boil and skim, then add one pound of copperas, 

 and |lb. pot or pearlash, gradually, and four 

 quarts sifted wood-ashes — colour to taste or 

 fancy : applied while hot. 



2d. Clean, fresh-burnt lime, same as above, 

 -]^lb. burnt alum, powdered, 111), sugar, 3 pints 

 rice flour, made into a jelly, lib. clean glue, 

 first dissolved — 5 gallons water : will retain 

 its brilliancy for a century. 



