MAINE AGRICULTURAL EXPLRfMEXT STATION. 73 



Mix these together and add gradually with thorough stirring, 

 enough plaster of paris to take up all the moisture. As a gen- 

 eral rule it will take about 4 quarts of plaster of paris to i quart 

 of the liquid. The exact amount, however, must be determined 

 by the condition of the powder in each case. The liquid and 

 dry plaster should be thoroughly mixed and stirred so that the 

 liquid will be uniformly distributed through the mass of plaster. 

 When enough plaster has been adiled the resulting mixture 

 should be a dry, pinkish brown powder having a fairly strong 

 carbolic odor and a rather ress pronounced gasoline odor. The 

 powder may be passed repeatedly through a sieve to aid in the 

 mixing. 



Do not use more plaster in mixing than is necessary to blot 

 up the liquid. This powder is' to be worked into the feathers 

 of the birds affected with vermin. The bulk of the application 

 should be in the fluff around the vent and on the ventral side 

 of the body and in the fluff' under the wings. Its efficiency, 

 which is greater than that of any other lice powder known to 

 the writer, can be very easily demonstrated by anyone to his 

 own satisfaction. Take a bird that is covered with lice and ap- 

 ply the powder in the manner just described. After a lapse 

 of about a minute, shake the bird, loosening its feathers with 

 the fingers at the same time, over a clean piece of paper. Dead 

 and dying lice will drop on the paper in great numbers. Any- 

 one, who will try this experiment will have no further doubt of 

 the wonderful efficiency and value of this powder. 



For a spray or paint to be applied to roosting boards, nest 

 boxes or walls and floor of the hen houses the following prepa- 

 ration is used : — j parts of keroseiie and i port crude carbolic 

 acid, po-pj per cent, strength. This is stirred up when used 

 and may be applied with any of the hand spray puinps or with 

 a brush. 



// po-pf) per cent, crude carbolic acid cannot be obtained 

 cresol may be substituted for it in this paint. 



Trap Nests. 



In all the experimental work with laying hens at the Elaine 

 Agricultural Experiment Station use is made of trap nests. In 

 1908 a new type of trap nest was devised which has proved 

 extremely satisfactory. The features in which this nest is 



