10 
THE AUSTRALIAN GARDENER. 
It is but a small job to put up temporary 
perches in the sheds; any sort of old boards, 
poles or rails will do, and when one is done with 
them for the svason they can be quickly 
moved out, the sheds brushed out, and things 
made ready for winter. Iam well satisfied that 
fowls pass moulting season and reach autumn 
in much better condition when compelled to pass 
the summer nights in open sheds than when 
kept in houses, even if the houses are kept clean. 
In case one does not not have any scratching 
shed, and there are several thousands who never 
saw one, the next best thing to do is to open the 
doors and windows wide and keep them open 
day or night. Keep the floor clean by raking 
and brushing it out once a week and at the same 
time give the entire interior, walls, floors, ceil- 
ing and perches a goud spraying with some mite 
destroyer and disinfectant—something that will 
actually kill the mites, and something that is a 
real disinfectant and not merely a perfume. If 
this program is thoroughly carried out, and the 
birds given proper care, otherwise there will be 
no sick fowls, and they will come through the 
summer in fine trim for doing some business in 
the late fall and during the winter. 
I just have a letter from a man who asks what 
sort of treatment fowls ought to have in sum- 
mer to prevent them from dying off “like his 
do.’ The foregoing pointers will show him 
what he should do in the matter of housing. 
“He says his birds are kept in asmall yard all the 
time, because he has norange. In that case I 
would try to give them green food every day, if 
it can be obtained. And every day 1 would 
turn over a few sjadefuls of earth in their yard. 
There is nothing does yarded fowls more good 
than a wallow in freshly turnedearth. When 
they do not wallow, they will scratch and 
‘enjoyit just the same Half a dozen spadefuls 
a day is sufficient. If he does the digging in the 
morning before he lets them out and buries a 
little wheat, broken corn or any sort of grain, 
mixing it with a little grain, mixing it with the 
soil he turns, they will scratch all the more, and 
it will be a pleasure to him to see how they 
enjoy it 1 judge the reason his fowls die off is 
because they have nothing to do, no fresh earth 
to mix in, no pleasure of any sort, nothing to do 
bnt eat, drink and stand about, changing feet 
for exercise.— Exchange. 
Even the very commonest kind of mongrel 
poultry can be improved not only in appearance 
by the introduction of purebred male birds of 
a good type, but in two or three years a strain 
of fowls can be established that will possess - 
desirable market and egg-producing qualities. 
In order to accomplish this improvement the 
old mongrel male bird should be disposed of and 
also all birds which are not in a healthy, active 
condition, as well as hens which are over two 
ind half years old. If it is alarge flock running 
over a big range one cockerel for every dozen 
hens should be procured, but a better plan is to 
select 10 to 12 of the best hens and keep them 
with a purebred cockerel in a separate pen, and 
to use the eggs from this pen only for hatching 
One thing is often lost sight of, and that is, 
_ that the life of a bird in its natural condition is 
essentially a very active one, consequently when 
birds are domesticated part of their food should 
be buried in the earth to give them plenty of 
scratching exercise. This will keep the birds in 
_ better health than snything else beside, because 
it is Nature’s own plan for infusing life into © 
animals ond birds. 
Gapes generally attack chickens between the 
ages of six and eight weeks, and hardly ever 
after four months old. A good remedy is a 
small piece of camphor about the size of a grain 
of wheat daily. | 
oe 
seh 
Sewiee 
call and inspect their stocks. 
* Port Adelaide, 
Indian Runner Ducks. 
————> 
Where a free range can be had, this duck “is 
unequalled asax egg producer. Commencing to 
lay at an early age (between five and six months), 
it continues regularly right through the autumn 
and winter, even during the coldest weather. 
Being particularly hardy, both the ducklings 
and the mature birds thrive wherever they have 
the liberty ; in confinement, however, they do 
not succeed. This species will obtain the 
greater part of its living, being an excellent 
forager, roaming about all day in search of 
worms and slugs. Tha young ones get their 
adult plumage at about six weeks of age, and 
mature so quickly that they are ready for the 
table at about eight weeks, This is not a large 
duck, but being small in bone. has plenty of 
meat on the breast, and the flesh is of fine 
flavour. The eggs of this bird are large, con- 
sidering its size. Pure bred Indian Runners 
have a long neck; the head bronzing-green, 
with a narrow line of white encircling the base 
of the beak at its jnnction with the head: 
shoulders, bick’and breast fawn, the upper part 
of the drake’s breast being tinged. with reddish- 
brown, while that of the female is dark brown, 
the’ feathers being edged with fawn. The wings 
are white, the legs are oranye-red, and the beak 
dark green. When on the move this bird runs 
very fast, ho'ds itself very upright, and has not 
the waddle so characteristic of most waterfowl. 
In the production of market poultry one breed 
is enough, if it is the right one. Even when 
one has made every provision to keep them 
separate and confined where they belong, they 
are a source of care and trouble to the farmer 
who has many irons in the fire. With one breed 
the owner has less bother and tre fowls are 
more comfortable with large range aud less con- 
finement. 
The Simplex Incubator, one of the best in the 
market. can be procured from Mr. D. Linyon, 
Rundle-street, KentTown, S.A. 
A farmer sued a cyclist for three sh tings 
damages on account of the latter having run 
over a yuose The cyclist offered to pay two 
shillings. The judge settled the case in this 
monner :— 
“You want three shiliings, and will hand 
overthe gouse. My judymentis that defendant 
pays the twa shillings. I will pay the other 
shilling out of my own pocket, and my man 
will carry the goose to my house. In this way 
everybody will be satisfied.” 
In any undertaking where measurement is 
concerned it is most important, and in many 
cases absolutely indispensable, that the measuring 
instruments used must be correct and reliable 
This applies to incubating as well as to brewing, 
wine-making. preserving it, etc.—in fact to all 
operations where precise measurement is an 
essential factor in the attainment of successful 
_results. Success in incubating is practically de- 
pendent on the thermometer registering correctly. 
The name of Sawrrnt has been associated with 
correct measuring instruments for over halfa 
century, and Messrs, Sawtell being specialists in 
this particular branch of their extensive optical 
business,—therefore if you require instruments 
for practical use, such as thermometers, hydro- 
meters. barometers, compasses, binoculars, and 
scientific instruments of every description for all 
all purposes, you are advised to communicate or 
| Their special line 
of correct incubator thermometers at 3s 6d each 
can be recommended. Repairs and adjustments 
to all scientific instruments, grinding of sphereo- 
cylindrical lenses and spectacle making is 
executed on the premises. Address—Sawtells’, 
opticians, 67 North terrace, and Divett-street, 
Novemser 6, 1905 
Poultry Notes, 
Calling the flock of youngstors isons of tne 
important duties. Weed out the useless ones 
often. 
Many a good bird has been spoilt in the 
brooding. Neglect at that time can never be 
remedied. 
It is time an effort wasted to try to bring to 
maturity chicks that heve been hatched from 
eggs laid by debilitated parent stock. 
Never try to raise deformed chicks. 
should be killed as soon as hatched. 
Many women succeed with poultry asa busi- 
ness undertaking, but it is one requiring little 
ability. The women who succeed are of the 
kind that would gain success in the average 
business venture. 
If breeders who keep their fowls confined in 
small yards would remember that chickens must 
have grit and supply it in some form there 
would be less loss from unknown (?) diseases. — 
Better a dozen he. s that lay, 
Than scores that just stow grain away. 
Careful selection for the best layers should be 
made, so that each wasteful element is gradually 
taken away to make room for new. birds that 
produce and give good return for everything 
expended. Some poultry-keepers are too hasty 
in sending away their birds and sometimes some 
of the better birds are disposed of, and thus the 
good they might have done is lost to: the owner, 
When selecting eggs for incubation, whether 
in an incubator or under hen, choose those that 
are of good shape and uniform in size. Under- 
size eggs produce undersized chickens which are 
generally weak. Always choose eggs from small, 
healthy fowls, that have been fed properly for 
proper egg production. 
Miss Thompson, costumivre, has opened a high 
class dressmaking business at 142 Pulteney-street, 
Adelaide. This lady has a quired a reputation for 
exactitude and promptness in the execution of 
orders entrusted to her. which are ‘urned out in 
a stylish. novel, and attractive manner, Ladies 
desiring a perfect fit cannot do better than accept 
Miss ‘'hompson’s invitation to give her a trial, 
One of the recom vendations of the establish. 
ment is the reasonable rates at which the work ig 
performed, 
They 
W.H. COATS & SON, 
Fruitgrowers 
And Wholesale Exporters 
East End Market... .Adelaide. 
EXPORTERS and Importers fof Fresh Fruit 
Agents for Renmark Fruits 
And Dried Fruits 
Also for Terry’s Jains and Preserves, 
Fresh. Fruit and Vegetables 
packed and forwarded ‘to all 
parts of the State at lowest 
rates from our own gardens at 
TIronbank. i ' 
