io28 Summary of Agricultural Experiments, [march, 



instead of mash for the evening meal, mash being fed in the morning. 

 Pen No. i received no charcoal, Pen No. 2 had charcoal in a trough, 

 and Pen No. 3 one-fifth charcoal in the mash. 



Table No. 2. — Geese. 



Pen. 



Number 

 of Geese 

 in pen. 



Weight at 

 14 weeks 

 old. 



Weight at 

 16 weeks 

 old. 



Weight at 

 18 weeks 

 old. 



Increase 

 in 



4 weeks. • 



Increase 

 per head 

 in 4 weeks. 



No. I 

 (no charcoal). 



} 6 



lb. oz. 



50 0 



lb. oz. 

 56 8 



lb. oz. 

 59 2 



lb. oz. 

 9 2 



lb. oz. 

 1 8 



No. 2 

 (rough charcoal). 



} < 



49 10 



60 4 



65 8 



15 H 



2 10 



1 No. 3 

 ! (charcoal mixed with 

 the food). 





50 2 



62 0 



66 12 



16 10 



2 12 



The charcoal fed to both ducks and geese was burnt wood, broken 

 fine. 



Poultry-Keeping for Egg Production (Aberdeen and N. of Scotland 

 Coll. of Agr. Bull. 14.) — The object of this experiment was to ascertain 

 the extent to which poultry-keeping for egg production could be profit- 

 ably conducted by farmers, cottagers, crofters, and cottars. With this 

 aim in view, eight flocks of White Wyandottes, each consisting of nine 

 pullets and a cockerel, were purchased, and also two similar flocks of 

 White Leghorns. These varieties were selected in consequence of their 

 high reputation for laying qualities, and they were obtained from the 

 most reliable sources of utility fowls. 



Eight of these flocks or colonies were distributed on farms and kept 

 on the colony system. The fowls were accommodated in movable 

 houses, and had unrestricted range. The remaining two flocks were 

 kept under conditions applicable to the fowls of cottagers and suburban 

 poultry-keepers. Their range was restricted, and situated chiefly among 

 shrubs and trees. 



A separate report is given for each colony showing the number of 

 eggs for each month during the year over which the experiment 

 extended, and the price actually obtained for them. In the hatching 

 season those conducting the experiments had a demand for eggs for 

 setting, and they sold them for this purpose at 3s. 6d. a dozen, as a 

 rule. The average' number of eggs per hen for the year was 150*8, 

 the maximum being 175 and the minimum 117. The average excess 

 of price actually received for eggs over cost of food was 145. o^d. per 

 hen. Had all the eggs been sold at the same rate as those sold in 

 Aberdeen, the excess of the price over cost of food would have been 

 io5. per hen. 



The Wyandottes did very well, the average number of eggs ranging 

 from 150 to 175 per hen, and they continued to lay right through the 

 moulting period. The Leghorns were not so satisfactory, but it is 

 thought that they may do better in future as they become acclimatised. 



