T40 The Ti.lvstkaied Bock of Poultry. 



which it is not wished to increase in size, the changing it at the proper time for raiv bone will 

 produce all tlie desired effect. 



In this place, also, it will be best to discuss the question of the benefit to be derived from the 

 use of condimental or "prepared" poultry foods, as advertised by various manufacturers, at prices 

 ranging from 20s. to 353. per hundredweight. There can be no doubt, according to our own 

 experience and that of most breeders, that the occasional and judicious use of stimulants or 

 spices is of the greatest service. On very cold or wet days they often have a marked effect in 

 preventing or obviating ill effects, especially in early broods. The rationale of such use is obvious, 

 being strictly in the nature of medicine rather than of food ; but when the vendors go further, and 

 recommend the constant use of their nostrums, it becomes necessary to examine the question 

 differently; and we feel obliged to remark that the promises usually made in the laudatory 

 circulars issued are simply self-destructive or contradictory. Thus, when it is said that a certain 

 stimulating food often causes laying at the age of four months, we can readily believe that ; and 

 when it is said that it increases the size of the birds, we can at least understand, though we can 

 hardly believe that ; but when it is said — as it is said in a pamphlet before us — -that it does bot/i, 

 every practical breeder will see at once that the very early maturity first spoken of must of 

 inevitable necessity dcta'ioratc the ultimate size of the bird, though very probably early size may 

 be to some extent increased. Accordingly, we have never but once seen a testimonial from any 

 eminent breeder in favour of the constant use of these foods, except his birds were either pheasants 

 or small varieties of fowl, in which condition and early maturity were of more importance than 

 size. That exception was in the case of a first-rate poultry-man, whom we have already quoted 

 with pleasure in these pages, who bred Asiatics, and who published a very favourable account 

 of his experience in one of the poultry journals. We ventured at the time to hint that he would 

 probably change his mind, and wish by-and-by to withdraw his testimonial ; and meeting him 

 again some time after, he informed us that we were quite right; that the food was first-rate for 

 "forcing on" birds, or for small varieties; but that this very quality did, as we predicted, quite 

 prevent the ultimate growtli of his Asiatic fowls, and that he had now in consequence entirely 

 discontinued its use as a regular diet for his fowls. 



As regular diet, therefore, these foods cannot be recommended ; besides which there is the 

 important consideration of cost. One which has been perhaps the most extensively advertised 

 costs 30s. per hundredweight ; and as good oatmeal for feeding purposes can be bought 

 almost always for 15s., and other good meals for little more than los. per hundredweight, the 

 difference is really enormous. In treating of similar foods as prepared for cattle, Mr. Lawes has 

 some valuable remarks in the Journal of the Royal Agricultural Society, from which we may 

 extract a few sentences with benefit : — " It will be clear," he says, " that these manufactured foods 

 cannot substitute any of the necessary constituents of our ordinary stock foods any further than 

 they themselves supply them. So far as the mere supply of alimentary constituents is concerned, 

 a mixture of [various ingredients] can provide these at one-fourth to one-fifth [in our case one-half 

 to one-third] the cost of the specially-made artificial foods. Such food cannot therefore be relied 

 upon as staple articles ; the virtues which they really do possess over and above those which could 

 be. secured at one-fourth [one-third to one-half] the price are confined, therefore, to the action on 

 the health and digestion of the animals of the small amount of stimulating and carminative seeds 

 which they contain. In fact, so far they are sauce or medicine rather than food." He then gives 

 an experiment in pig-feeding, which showed no advantage in favour of the "prepared" food, over 

 food iudiciously mixed at one-fourth of the price. Mr. W. C. Spooner, of Southampton, also 

 remarks on this subject, admitting that as stimulants the foods may be and indeed often are 



