Nov. 1, 1900.1 THE TROPICAL AGRIOULTUKIST. 
327 
about 1 to li cwt. to their weight when 
purchased, but the steers not having added an 
ounce, in spite of their improved condition 
and appearance. " Facts are things that 
winna ding." 
POULTRY BREEDING IN BELGIUM. 
The " poulet de Bruxelles " has a very wide- 
spread reputation not only among gourmets, but 
among all vvlio have had the good fortune to 
travel upon the Continent and partake of it. 
The difference in quality between the fowl above 
mentioned and one of the same age and size of 
the ordinary variety is shown by the fact that 
the first is sold in nearly all the markets in 
Belgium at double the price of the other. For 
example, a young poulet de Bruxelles which 
would be considered about the size sufficient for 
a meal for two persons is sold for about 4s., 
whereas one of the ordinarj^ variety can be pur- 
chased for between Is 8d and 2s 6d. The ex- 
cellence of the fowl seems to depend, as far as 
can be ascertained, on the careful manner in 
which the sittinpr hen is treated, the cleanliness 
obserred about her, as well as the careful feed- 
ing of the young chicken until sufficiently deve- 
loped for eating purposes. The United States 
Consul-General at Antwerp says that whether 
or not the methods pursued in Belgium differ 
from those followed by careful breeders in other 
countries it is impossible to say. The choice of 
eggs for setting purposes is considered a matter 
of great importance, and the freshest obtainable 
are almost invariably used. The best breeders 
seldom take eggs older than eight days for rais- 
ing the best quality. Care is taken that the eggs 
fiven to one hen should be of the same age. 
he eggs when collected are kept at a very even 
and medium temperature until given to the hen, 
and are turned daily. This is done to prevent 
the yolk, which is lighter than the white of the 
eggs, from adhering to the top of the shell. The 
eggs chosen for the purpose above mentioned 
are also of an average size, those above medium 
being rejected, as they often contain double 
yolks. Eggs received from a distance, and con- 
sequently exposed to more or less shaking, are 
allowed to stand a day or two before being put 
under the hen. Great care is also taken that 
the eggs should be perfectly clean. The nest 
is prepared of straw or cut hay, perfectly clean, 
dry, and odourless. As a rule, 
THE SITTING HENS 
Ave placed in corners where the greatest quiet is 
obtainable, and are not exposed to great light. 
When so situated they are not distiyrbed for any 
other purpose than the placing before them of 
their daily supply of food and water. As the 
hen leaves the nest at least once a day to search for 
food to take exercise, etc., care is taken to place 
her food and water within reach of the nest, in order 
that the time that she is off the eggs may be 
materially shortened. When the young bii-d is 
hatched it retains in its body part of the yolk of 
the egg from which it was produced, which 
suffices to nourish it for the first twenty-four 
hours, during which period only warmth is re- 
quired, which is furnished either by the mother 
hen or must be afforded by a warm cloth, in case 
of the necessity of awaiting the hatching of the 
rest of the brood. The food first given can be 
varied, but must be made up of ingredients con- 
taining large quantities of nitrogen, as this is re- 
quired for the formation of the tissues. It is 
necessary, in fact, that the food should be com- 
posed of matter resembling in character an egg, 
together with milk. It is customary to mix with 
tbe food eggs, milk, and the blood of earth-worms, 
field-worms, and that of a commoner variety of 
lish ; also to introduce, for the formation of bone 
certam quantities of phosphate of lime, found in 
sjrain and flour. In the early days flour is Gene- 
rally given on account of the facility of its di"-es- 
tion, grain being substituted as the birds besinto- 
sam strength. Wheat-flour is generally used 
The gram given is wheat, rice, millet, buckwheat 
and Indian corn, raw or cooked. Cooked potatoes 
are also often given as a change of diet. It is 
customary to vary the grain diet as much as pos- 
sible, and to administer it mixed. The food ordi- 
narily employed is made up as follows. Hard-boiled 
eggs and wheat flour are mixed in milk, a little 
water beuig added. To this paste is added a small 
onion finely cut up, together with lettuce when 
green food is scarce. The mixture is usually quite 
stiff, as food which is too moist is considered 
harmful for the young brood. After the first few 
days a small quantity of whole grain is mixed into 
the paste, but if rapid development is desired, 
the simple paste should be continued alone. Great 
care is taken to keep the young brood in a dry,' 
warm locality, which precaution, together with ' 
the proper food, prevents inflammation of the in-' 
testines, and similar troubles. As a rule the birds 
are cooped up on wet days, and allowed to run about 
as much as possible only in fine sunny weather. 
In winter a more generous diet is given to enable 
them to withstand the cold. The daily ration of 
grain for the fowls is from 21 to 4 ounces.— 
Journal of the Society of AH.% Sept. 14. ' [ 
^ 
PLANTING IN HA WAIL 
ONE OF THE NEW PLANTATIONS. 
A recent ride throngh the Olaa and Puna districts 
of Hawaii shows rapid changes, which a few years 
ago would have been deemed impossible. The clear, 
ing off of stones, shrubbery and forest trees, which 
formerly gave the impression that the land was a ' 
swampy jungle of little value for farming or cane 
growing, is a task that cannot be accomplished in a 
day. Sugar cane will grow in almost any part 
of Olaa, without irrigation, and apparently with less 
labor expended on it during growth than in most other 
districts of Hawaii. The company has already 
cleared off a large area, some of which has been 
planted with cane, so that at this date perhaps 2,500 
acres are growing, not in one tract, but in irregular 
fields. Some of this will be used for seedj and for 
replanting, where fields require it. Cane grows here 
very rapidly and rank— both good qualities in a new 
plantation, where rapid progress meets many draw- 
backs. The company has a heavy task before it in 
putting the land in good shape and condition including' 
roads, which are too often hard to keep in good re-: 
pair. Still, with a powerful mill, abundance of labor,' 
and the best varieties of cane adapted to the various- 
elevations, which can only be learned by trial, Olaa 
will eventually prove a bonanza to those interested 
in it.— Planters' Montlbj for August. 
BRITISH CENTRAL AFRICA. 
THE NEED FOR A KAILWAY. 
The small community of Europeans who reside 
in the British Central Africa Protectorate, and 
to whose enterprise is due tiie remarkable pro- 
sperity of that outlying part ot the Queen's 
dominions, have for several years been appeal- 
ing to the Home Government (says a writer in 
the Scotsman) to help them with the construc- 
tion of a railway. The railway has been surveyed 
some time ago. It is to connect the lower Shire 
River with Blantyre in the Shire Highlands, and 
then go on to Lakg Nyasa. The traffic along thia 
