POULTRY NOTES — 1909. 79 



of Cornell University has very kindly given its consent to the 

 Maine Experiment Station to publish these methods for the bene- 

 fit of those interested in poultry in Maine. 



In keeping a poultry plant free from lice there are two points 

 of attack : One, the birds themselves ; the other, the houses, 

 nest boxes, roosting boards, etc. For the birds themselves ex- 

 perience has shown that the best way to get rid of the lice is by 

 the use of a dusting powder to be worked into the feathers. In 

 using any kind of lice powder on poultry, whether the one de- 

 scribed in this circular or some other, it should always be remem- 

 bered that a single application of powder is not sufficient. When 

 there are lice present on a bird there are always unhatched eggs 

 of lice ("nits") present too. The proper procedure is to follow 

 up a first application of powder with a second at an interval of 

 4 days to a week. If the birds are badly infested at the begin- 

 ning it may be necessary to make still a third application. To 

 clean the cracks and crevices of the woodwork of houses and 

 nests of lice and vermin a liquid spray or paint is probably the 

 most desirable form of application. 



The original Lawry lice powder as described in the circular 

 from this Station on the subject, was made by incorporating the 

 liquid mixture of 



3 parts of gasoline 



I part of crude carbolic acid 



in sufficient plaster of paris to take up all the moisture. Since 

 the publication of the circular two unforeseen difficulties have 

 arisen regarding the practical utility of the powder as above 

 described. In the first place a great many druggists in this 

 State appear to have a deep-seated and ineradicable prejudice 

 against furnishing their customers crude carbolic acid at any 

 price. Reports have reached the Station of druggists making 

 such. utterly preposterous and absurd claims as that carbolic 

 acid is a highly explosive substance, which they do not dare to 

 handle ! In the second place difficulty has arisen over the fact 

 that there are in the drug trade three grades of crude carbolic 

 acid. Two of these are very much weaker than the other and 

 are quite useless for making the lice powder. The three grades 

 are listed as follows by a reputable chemical house. These are 

 retail prices. 



