EXPERIMENT STATION WORK 
The Australian laying contests are quoted in the present vol- 
ume. They outclass anything else in the world along that 
line. 
In England, Ireland and especially in Denmark, the govern- 
ment, or societies encouraged by the Government, have done 
a great deal to develop the poultry industry. Depots for mar- 
keting and grading are maintained and the stock of the farm- 
ers is improved by fowls from the government breeding farms. 
The Story of the “Big Coon.” 
With apologies to Joel Chandler Harris, I will tell a little 
story. 
Uncle Remus was telling the little boy about the “big coon.” 
It seems that the “big coon” had been seen on numerous 
occasions, but all efforts at his capture had failed. One night 
they saw the “big coon” up in the ’simmon tree, in the mid- 
dle of the ten-acre lot. All hands and the dogs were sum- 
moned. To be sure of bagging the game, the tree was cut 
down. The dogs rushed in but there was no coon. 
“But, Uncle Remus,” said the little boy, “I thought you said 
you saw the big coon in the tree.” 
“Laws, chile,” replied Uncle Remus, “doesn’t youse know 
dat it am mighty easy for folks to see something dat ain’t dar, 
when dey are lookin’ fer it?” 
When scientific experimenters entered the poultry field 
about fifteen years ago, they found it swarming with old 
ladies’ notions. For everything a reason was given, but these 
reasons were derived from the kind of dreams where that 
which pleases the human mind is seized upon and search is 
made to find ideas to back it, not because it is true, but 
because it “listens good” to the dreamer. The first duty of 
the scientist was to banish these will-o’-the-wisp ideas that 
lead to no practical results. 
For ilustration: Round eggs were supposed to hatch pullets 
and long ones cockerels. Eggs will not hatch if it thunders. 
Shipped eggs must be allowed to rest before hatching, the 
drug store was the universal source of relief when the chick- 
ens became sick, and red pepper and patent foods were the 
egg foods par excellence. These things, thanks to the scien- 
tist, are no longer believed or regarded by well read poultry- 
men, and instead his attention has been turned to matters 
having a more happy relation to his bank account. 
182 
