56 



the hen befdre the fowl leaves the roost; as soon as the fowl begins to move 

 it makes off. It lives during the day in crevices and under the roosts; cleats, 

 loose boards, cracks, knot-holes, etc., make admirable hiding places. At dusk 

 the.v come forth in search of the fowls. They are very prolific. 



T]ir itch mite produces scales on the legs and, as mentioned above, it also 

 attacks the comb. The first appearance on the comb is little white points or 

 scales, and the comb skin is not pure red but brown. The disease sometimes 

 seems to stand still for perhaps a month, but all of this time the mite is at 

 work. The base of the comb becomes swelled and is full of little burrows. 

 The feathers of the head stand straight out and die, then, curling u]i. they 

 imbed themselves in the flesh and result iu the swelling called the itch. On 

 the feet and legs this mite is also very active. The scales drop off or f(jrm in 

 knots; a crust forms beneath the .scales and the feet and claws smell badly. 

 '■ Scaley leg" is nothing more nor less than an excessive state of the work of 

 the '■ itch mite." 



Remedies. 



Isolate tlie affected birds. Then treat by using a solution of 5 per cent, 

 creolin and bathe the affected parts, applying it about every two weeks. 

 Cle.\nuness of Hen Houses. 



I emphasise this point, and the individual who aims ror success must 

 insist ui)on it. A good system is to wash the hen houses witli boiling water 

 about three times a .year — spring, midsummer and fall. ThiMi whitewash with 

 hot lime nud 7, per cent, carbolic acid. Dry the house by fumigating well with 

 sulphur. Put coal oil in the cracks and on the roosts. Lee's In.sect Killer is 

 good, as is also Persian Insect Powder. 



To kill the vermin it is necessary to smother them. They breathe through 

 tubes in tlieir sides. Dust or a strong odour will close these tubes and hence 

 effect their death. So, then, it will be understood that the fowls mu.st always 

 have access to a dust bath, and the jilace in whidi they roost should smell 

 strongly of some tar extract.— B. C. Bulletin, .Yo. JO. Diiiilniiii. 



THE TliF.ATJllO.VT OF WOIXDS. 



Ry .1. L. Burns. V.S., Acting Chief Inspector of Stock of Wcst(>rn Australia. 



.Judging by the large numbers of incpiirios from correspondents and others, 

 there ainiears to be a good deal of ignorance as to the correct method of treat- 

 ing wounds and other in.iuries of a similar de.scrii)tion ; and it is with the 

 object of endeavouring to helii in this direction that the following remarks 

 are offered, which are ))rimnrily intended for farmers and those in tlie bush 

 in contact with animals, who are mostly out of reach of professional assist- 

 ance. 



There are iieojile who think that in dealing with questions of this sort the 

 use of highly technical language is necessary; but this is a mistake, and the 

 constnni use of which merely tends to mystify. If we are to understand each 

 other, pl.iin Erglish will be the best; and on the present occasion we shall. 



