1012 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
THE SOUTH AUSTRALIAN EGG LAYING 
COMPETITION. 
Part II. 
Breeding for Eggs. —The matter of 
breeding for egg production is considered at 
length, and Mr. Laurie considers that the 
science of doing this is on a sure footing 
in South Australia. They are exceedingly 
fortunate if this is the case, as American 
breeders have had occasion at times to 
feel that their footing upon this ground 
was decidedly slippery, the experience of 
the Maine Station at Orono, after years 
of painstaking and scientific effort, being 
a case in point. The introduction of fresh 
blood into a flock without a well consid¬ 
ered and intelligent idea of its purpose, 
and its possible effects, is considered a 
rock upon which many poultrymen founder. 
There should be no loss of vigor, stamina, 
power of reproduction, fertility, etc., if the 
scheme of breeding is scientific, says the 
report. The causes which necessitate the 
introduction of new 1 blood are want of care 
in selection and haphazard breeding. Fresh 
blood is desirable at times, as but few 
breeders are working on right lines. De¬ 
fects creep in and become fixed characters, 
then new blood is necessary to correct 
these failings. Some feature, such as size 
of fowl, size, color, shell, or constitution 
of the egg, can be quickly changed by the 
introduction of fresh blood, but the char¬ 
acter of prolific egg production is hei’edi- 
tary and fixed, and is broken up by the 
introduction of fresh blood. The hen, and 
the male bird of new blood, may both be 
from excellent laying strains, but the in¬ 
herited character of each is differently 
formed, and a junction of the two will re¬ 
sult in a segregation or splitting up. New 
blood should be introduced when required 
but should be kept separate from the main 
Hock. Mate a male bird with hens of the 
new blood which have been selected for 
the definite purpose in view. Carefully 
test the resulting pullets for a year, noting 
the various characters of each. * Those that 
prove satisfactory may, in their second 
year, be remated to a selected cockerel 
of the original strain. The first out-cross 
mating may be bred from a second and 
third year if the results are as desired. 
When the external characteristics require 
alteration, recourse may be had to recipro¬ 
cal matings, that is, by introducing new 
blood upon the male side and proceeding as 
before. 
Breeding Out Defects. —The various 
troubles of the reproductive organs, partic¬ 
ularly that weakness which results in pro¬ 
trusion of the oviduct, are considered mat¬ 
ters of great importance, as they evidence 
an inherited tendency that will prove dis¬ 
astrous if not overcome. Any pullet or 
hen known to have had any trouble in lay¬ 
ing should be discarded from the breeding 
pen. The undue use of animal food, es¬ 
pecially of green cut bone, is deprecated 
as tending toward physical deterioration. 
Careful breeding and selection with a view 
to high egg yields is not thought likely 
to contribute to any increase in these re¬ 
productive troubles. Some observations 
made by the local superintendent of the 
Roseworthy plant, in a supplementary re¬ 
port, would indicate that the matter o.f 
scientific breeding for egg production is not 
on quite as sure a footing as Mr. Laurie 
seems to think. lie says that it is very 
noticeable that some of the birds which have 
been bred from recognized laying strains are 
becoming very small and weedy in appear¬ 
ance, and it is doubtful if they are main¬ 
taining the heavy laying of their ancestors, 
lie also says that various troubles have 
arisen which point to a decided weakening 
of the constitution, and indicate that a 
limit has been reached in some systems of 
mating. lie speaks particularly of the occur¬ 
rence of troubles in the egg producing organs 
which point clearly to a loss of strength, 
and he thinks it high time that a warning 
note was sounded regarding this. Troubles 
of various other kinds are also noted, such 
as leg weakness and that apparent dizzi¬ 
ness which is usually attributed to some 
brain affection. These matters, he thinks, 
require the infusion of new and invigorating 
blood in the breeding systems. 
Results. —Among the minor matters 
noted in the report are the occurrence of 
both large and undersized eggs. Both 
these classes are becoming noticeably fewer 
in nuiqber. The prevalence of broodiness 
was about the same as in previous tests, 
this parental desire having occurred but 
once in the winning pen of White Leg¬ 
horns. In some pens, however, the same 
hen had been broody five or six times, and 
in the matter of breeding for layers this 
feature is considered of some little im¬ 
portance. The heavier breeds did not lose 
as much time from this cause as in pre¬ 
vious tests. Mr. Laurie believes that this 
undesirable character can, and should be, 
eliminated by practical breeders from their 
stock. Cannibalism is spoken of as a vice 
confined to certain strains, though all fowls 
become excited by the sight of blood, and 
will peck at and kill any fowl in which | 
bleeding is started from any cause. The 
protrusion of the oviduct from the veut 
was the most common cause of an exhibi¬ 
tion of this cannibalistic appetite. The 
general average weight of the eggs, produced 
has been maintained, and their appearance 
improved, tinted shells having practically 
disappeared. In the more important matter 
of size of Leghorns, Mr. Laurie states 
that the original Leghorns as they were im¬ 
ported from America were smaller than 
those of either the Australian nr Italian 
type, the best strains of American Leghorns 
having lost size, he thinks, in consequence 
of having been bred mainly for egg pro¬ 
duction without much regard to otner 
points. He has observed also in all other 
breeds a tendency to reduction in size 
■when selection and breeding were chiefly 
for egg production. Strains bred for early 
maturity and laying are also more apt than 
others to suffer in the matter of size, as the 
habit of early egg production tends to check 
full development. The results of this com¬ 
petition seem, on the whole, to have been 
very satisfactory to the authorities conduct¬ 
ing it. Mr. Laurie states that in America 
egg laying contests are conducted along al¬ 
most identical lines, and he considers it a 
tribute to South Australia that so many 
inquiries have been received from foreign 
sources for bulletins and other specific in¬ 
formation. The publication of their re¬ 
ports has, also, he says, resulted in a 
strong demand from India, America, and 
occasionally from England, for their world- 
famous laying stock. M. B. D. 
Flat Tea as Forage. 
What is the feeding value of Lathyrus 
sylvestris (Wagnerii) compared with Al¬ 
falfa? This pea gives a heavy crop of 
vines year after year without any care. 
The roots are as thick as those of Alfalfa, 
and go down to liardpan, consequently it 
is always a beautiful green when every¬ 
thing else is dried up. All stock is very 
fond of it, and for binding sand it would 
be hard to beat. With me it is growing 
on poor soil. G. m. p. 
Artondale, Wash. 
The common name of the legume re¬ 
ferred to is “flat pea,” and it is a Euro¬ 
pean species that is closely united to the 
garden sweet pea. It is generally consid¬ 
ered that this pea is valuable as a forage 
crop for cattle and for green manuring, 
and is very hardy and unaffected by frosts 
and droughts. I am unable to give the 
analysis of this plant, but Dr. Byron D. 
Ilalsted states that in his judgment there 
is little difference in the feeding value of 
this legume as compared with the ordinary 
Canada field pea, the analysis of which 
when cut while in bloom compares with 
fresh green Alfalfa as follows: 
Diges- Fertil- 
Total tible nutri- izing constitu- 
dry ents in 100 lbs. ents in 100 lbs. 
mat-- 
ter Crude Carbo- Nitro- Phos- Pot- 
Pro- drates Fat gen phoric ash 
tein acid 
Lbs. 
Lbs. 
Lbs. 
Lbs. 
Lbs. 
Lbs. 
Lbs. 
Alfalfa. 28.2 
3.6 
12 1 
0.4 
7.7 
1.3 
5.G 
Canada 
field pea 
in bloom! 3.0 
2.3 
5.3 
0.2 
4.5 
1.1 
3.2 
From characteristics of this plant as 
outlined by G. M. P., and as reported in 
the books,' it would seem that this pea 
would be very well suited as a forage crop. 
It is stated that the seeds in the wild 
state are to some degree unhealthful, but 
in the cultivated form it would seem that 
this quality has been bred out. 
F. c. minkler. 
HOW WE SI’ROUT OATS. 
1 use flats for the purpose made by 
nailing half-inch strips four inches wide 
into rectangles about 12 by 18 inches. This 
size is convenient to handle, and supplies 
feed for 40 hens for two weeks, if fed as 
hereinafter suggested. The bottoms of the 
flats are made by nailing side by side ordi¬ 
nary builders’ lath. I take oats sufficient 
to half fill the flat. These I soak over night 
in a common eight-quart pail with luke¬ 
warm water sufficient amply to cover them, 
the pail remaining in a warm place. 
In the morning I transfer oats and water 
to another pail prepared for the purpose 
by punching numerous holes in the bottom 
so that the water runs quickly away. The 
oats remain in the perforated pail until 
the little rootlets beging to make a mat of 
the mass. Begin, I said. If allowed to 
main in the pail too long rotting begins, 
but if not kept there until sprouting be¬ 
gins much of the oats is lost in the next 
process by drying up. Each morning the 
pail is freely soaked with lukewarm (not 
hot) water which, as before, runs quickly 
away, but keeps the mass well wetted. 
From three to five days, according to tem¬ 
perature, will serve. Light is not needed, 
and the cellar is my ordinary place for the 
pail. When the rootlets appear I turn 
the mass into the flat, spreading it evenly 
therein. The increase of bulk by swelling 
will make the flat about three-fourths full, 
and the subsequent swelling from sprout¬ 
ing will fill the flat. The flats I keep in a 
fairly warm cellar, watering them freely 
each morning. Ordinary directions say 
“sprinkle.” This will not do, as the mass 
requires much water, and the drainage will 
take care of any surplus. In about four 
to six days more the grain is thoroughly 
sprouted and ready for feeding. Feeding 
may begin' at any time after the “grass” 
is an inch high. Sprouted oats are an ex¬ 
cellent feed in Winter, but like most good 
things must be used in moderation. Pre- 
September 28, 
pared as suggested, one square inch of the 
mass (or less for small birds) is amply 
enough for each bird, and three times a 
week is often enough to feed it. I once 
seriously injured a flock by daily feeding. 
Sprouted oats, it is to be remembered, are 
a heavy feed, as well as a succulent tonic, 
and on the days I feed them, I cut out 
the dry oats from their grain ration en¬ 
tirely, and lessen all feed in proportion. 
But fed as indicated, sprouted oats will in¬ 
crease the egg yield, and maintain health 
in the flock, when other green stuff is 
scarce. hira.m van campen. 
Ohio. 
Swollen Leg. 
I have a mare that has a case of what 
the veterinarian calls purpura. One leg 
and half of breast was badly swollen and 
hard. Now, after three weeks’ treatment, 
her leg is still enlarged. Will you give all 
the information you can about it? 
Indiana. j. c. A. 
We are unable to say if the diagnosis of 
“purpura hsemorrhagica” was correct. At 
present stage turn the mare out on grass 
and see that she takes abundant exercise. 
Feed well on oats and bran in addition to 
grass and hay. At night hand-rub the leg 
and put on a soft straw or hay rope from 
foot to body. If this does not suffice, 
saturate the rope with cold water and give 
a dram of iodide of potash in water night 
and morning for five consecutive days a 
week for two weeks. a. s. a. 
Diabetes in Mare. 
Will you tell me what is the matter 
with my horse and what will cure her? 
Every time she stops she has to urinate, 
and she is getting poor. H. H. 
New York. 
There is irritation of the kidneys and 
bladder. See that all feed offered is free 
from mold. It would be best to allow her 
a run on grass for a month without work. 
If that does not suffice, give twice daily 
half an ounce of syrup of iodide of iron in 
half a pint of sweetened water as a drench, 
and if necessary increase to three such 
doses daily. Moldy or otherwise damaged 
feed is a common cause of such a trouble 
as you describe. a. s. a. 
■ 
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