i8o 



Poultry Fattening. 



[JUNE, 



plants are pulled up, and the land employed for some years 

 for some other crop. A case is recorded in which the pest 

 again attacked clover sown after an interval of seven years 

 between the clover crops, the later crop being so badly infested 

 that it had to be ploughed up. 



6. In dealing with red clover and trifolium, Kirchner suggests* 

 that red clover when attacked may be replaced by lucerne or 

 sainfoin. 



Description of Plate. 



A. — Orobanche minor, 



B. — 0. minor, the inflorescence grown out. I, bract; 2, calyx and pistil; 

 3, corolla laid open; 4 and 5, anthers (1 to 5 enlarged); 6, seed, natural size; 

 7, seed, enlarged ; 8, fruit of Trifolium pratense, natural size ; 9, the same enlarged ; 

 10, seed of Trifolium pratense, natural size ; 11, the same enlarged. 



POULTRY FATTENING. 

 Cecil L. Byrne. 



The following notes on fattening fowls have been com- 

 municated to the Board by Mr. Cecil L. Byrne as a continuation 

 of his article on poultry fattening which appeared in this 

 Journal for May, 1906, Vol. xiii., p. 73. 



Overfeeding. — -Many people overfeed during the trough- 

 feeding period, and also make the food too solid ; the 

 result is that the bird gets what they call in Sussex 

 " clung," i.e., the food is not digested. One indication of this 

 is that the bird sits huddled up in the pen, while other signs 

 are cold feet and the very blue and distinct appearance of the 

 veins in the shanks, showing congestion of the system and 

 bad circulation. The remedy is to reduce the feeding in such 

 cases at once, otherwise the bird will probably die. An entire 

 fast for one day may be necessary and then decreased feeding. 

 A bird will only increase in weight from digested food. 



When trough-feeding is commenced the food should be thin 

 enough to be able to be poured out of the spout of a can, and 

 not stiff like porridge. The food may be a little thicker on 

 the third or fourth day. On no account must the birds be over- 

 fed during the first few days, but they must be gradually induced 

 to take more. They are invariably feverish at first from 



Op. cit. p. 204. 



