Jone 15, 1906 
THE AUSTRALIAN GARDENER. 
and get hot water for mixing his soft foods. If 
a full feed of grain is fed to the Lirds in the early 
morning, as is often the case, hunger may be 
satisfied, but as a 1ule egg production and 
health are not stimulated, By adopting’ the 
scratching-shed system all these troubles are 
saved. 
. The last thing at night aiter the birds are on 
the roost a supply of grain should ke scattered 
and raked in to the scratching material. Eaily 
in the morning the busy farmer or the bed- 
loving paity may rest. in peace with the know- 
ledge that each scratching shed is the scene of 
much satisfactory activity. Keep the litte: clean 
avd allow no accumulaticns of droppings, and 
you will find eggs in abundance and'disease a 
stranger. In fine weather the door remains open 
so that the birds‘can prospect’ the yards or 
farm when the grain in the shed is tinished—at 
midday give a supply cf green food and see that 
the drinking water is fresh and clean. s 
Half an hour before roosting time the birds 
nay haye their soft food or mash, in which may 
se mixed bonemeal, meat, soup, cut green bone, 
milk, or aily variations and additions to the:b:ll 
of fare. Where a supply of grain diet is adopted 
the afternoon meal should be about an hour or 
an hour and a half‘before sundown, so that the 
Lirds Jaye time to get.a fair fced.. In any care 
the best results accrue where the birds are kept’ 
scratching all day, but not esting too much. 
Their condition can be ascertained by handling 
at night. . : ’ 
Those who/have not iried this method are 
advised to select’ two equal numbers of ‘their. 
average hens and pullets. \ Place’ one half-in 
yards und treat by the ordinary method, and 
provide the other half with scratching sheds, 
Unless a perverse fate has selected ail the drones 
the scratching shed lot will be a long way to the 
front at any period uf the year. Do not forget 
‘that a plentirnl supply of hard grit, as an aid 
‘to digestion, is! essential to success: under any 
system, and also that laying heus must have thé 
elements in their food wherewith to produce 
eggs and also to provide tho shells, 
‘ , _,Hatehing. | ' 
Despite opinions to the. contrary, the advice 
I have given for many years is to hatch early, . 
and those who have layiug hens and ducks should 
mate them.up.and hatch out.a good. lot before. 
the very cold weather comes. Since reliable 
incubators and brooders have become available, 
the old trouble:about broody hens has vanished. 
‘In addition, the practice of early -hatching has 
resulted in obtaining pullets which have been 
laying all*the summer, and: with: certain breeds 
are now providing a supply of broody hens for 
those who prefer the natural to the artificial 
method. In well-regulated yards, as the male 
birds haye been separated from the hens for 
some time, they should be in good buckle, and 
should ensure a high percentage of fertile eggs 
and vigorous chickens. 
. Disease. 
Unfortunately, as considered probable, there 
has been great'mortaiity due to internal diseases, 
such as chicken cholera, due to similar organisms. 
Treatment is extremely difficult, as when the 
trouble is noticed the disvase is generally too 
far advanced. 1t cannot be tvo strongly empha- 
sised that this class of disease is due to want of 
care during the hot months with regard to drink- 
ing water und water vessels and general cleanli- 
ness. Until these facts are realised and acted 
upon there will always be these heart-breaking 
losses. All drinking vessels should be freque.tly 
scalded, or, if of earthenware, pl ced on the fire, 
so as to desteoy the disease germs which are 
generally present 1 am sure that the use of 
smutty wheat and damaged grain generally is a 
Source of much disease, as I have invariat ly 
’ others. 
noticed trouble resulting from the use of such 
foods. 
It is hoped the-recent rain and. change of 
weather generally will check the disease. But, 
as the rainy season is at hand, no time should 
be lost in thoroughly cleaning all yards, and, 
where possible, hoe, dig, or plough the surface, 
s0 as to bury the contaminated soil, 
Apply lime around roosting houses and gate- 
ways or wherever the birds congregate. lf quick- 
lime is used for this purpore the birds must not 
le allowed access to it until well slaked, Quick- 
lime if eaten by fowls generally kills them, 
owing to its corrosive nature... Any hollows or 
depressions should be filled up, otherwise if 
water gathers it will te pclluted, and fowls have 
an extraordinary penchant for such to their detri-~ 
ment. Keep a careful watch for colds and act 
promptly, as sugg:sted in “The Poultry~ 
Manual.” ; f 
Purchasing Poultry for Export. _ 
In response to a request made by the Utility 
Poultry Club, the Hon. the Minister of Agricul- 
iure 1ecently agreed to purchase 300 chickens 
and duchlings, if, passed by, the poultry expert 
as suitable for export. The price agreed to be 
paid to the owners was sixpence per lb live 
weight. It was stipulated in a circular issued 
by the Utility Club that the birds were to be 
young and in plump condition. 
Very few birds have been passed as suitable, 
and while a fair number were sent in'to the 
Produce Depot, it is very, evident that those 
breeders who‘sent them have little, if any, idea 
of the requirements of ‘the case.- Considering 
the number of local breeders who are. deeply» 
interested in-the progress of the industry, and 
who csnsider, themselves, masters.of all pertain- 
ing to the business of poultry, raising, the lack 
of goud Uirds Is Surprising. ‘here is, of course, 
the knowledge that our local markets are ill 
supplied, and on that account many breeders 
are satisfied with the prices they. obtain locally. 
Still, when a committee, representing a..body... 
of breeders, asks for assistance, and strengthens 
its case by a:promise’of some 200 suitable birds: 
from,membets of the club, one might reasonably 
expect that at least these birds would be sub- 
mitted for examination: 
While some breeders may be able to properly 
fatten:théir young birds,| it is patent that the 
majority either cannot do so, or else do not know 
what constitutes a fleshy or meaty bird. It is 
largely a question of proper feeding, but there 
is nv doubt certain classes. of birds lend them- 
selves more readily to the fattening process than 
The game cross has been consistently 
advocated since the first issue of the journal of 
this Department. 
The first lot of birds at the Depot »hich were 
passed for export were crossbred Indian Game— 
Buff Oipingtons. The next lot were crossbred 
Malays. The latter, although fine birds, were 
very yellow, and trifle leggy ; otherwise excellent. 
A la:ge proportion of our Wyandotts, Orping- 
tons, etc., have been bred for egg production, 
and there is no doubt that the laying type is not 
the best for table bird production. 
Attention must be also paid to the flesh- 
producing type of any breed if it is to succeed 
as a tuble bird breed. 
Our advice on this subjéct is to select long- 
keeled, square, prominent-breasted hens, low oa 
the les, and fine in quality, and well grown. 
Mix tl ese with typical Indian or Old English 
Game males, and the progeny will, with fair 
attent.on, give satisfactory results. The Malay, 
altho: gh it gives great weight and plenty of 
meat, 1s not equal in many respects tu these 
two. X 
Simplex Incubator 
D. Lanyon, 
RUNDLE Srgzer, 
KENT TOWN, 8.4 
There is something tobe said: in excuse for 
the poor quality of the numerous ducklings 
submitted. It was invariably found that/ they 
were some wé. ks too.old, and alsy in. process of 
moulting, and thus had already lost.considerable 
flesh. Certain weights are stipulated as the 
minimum, but it must be observed, that, while.s 
chicken or duckling may be of the:required:. 
weight; or even, in. excess of it, still: the bird 
may be so deficient in’ breast meat as ‘to be: 
quite unfit:for export. Only the birds suitable 
can be sent; any others would bring discredit 
upon us. 
Poultry as Change of Diet . 
Poultry should enter into our orditiary diet 
to.a much greater extent than it does) not only: 
asa welcome change, but on health grounds, * 
which any medical man willl explain. Several 
breeders who turn out re: lly first-class, well- 
grown, meaty chickens aud ducklings, complain 
that their customers object.to pay a fair price, 
less as a rule than ordinary butchers’ meat. 
Tt:is an unfortunate fact. that many people 
have no ‘knowledge of. the difference between 
prime and inferior poultry, and have but one 
thought, and;thatis cheapness. -This trouble is 
not confined..to those who. have, perhaps, to, cut. 
their coats according to.a limited supply’ of cloth, 
- Others notisimilarly situated are imbued with 
main ideas of cheaphess. 
Unless one acuepts the argument that a 
tough old fowl will keep the consumers (we. 
cannot say diners) longer. occupied, there: can , 
be no proof ;thatisich a bird is cheap, . If one. 
wants a pleasant, change of diet, and a.profitable. 
one, then one must deal in young well fattened 
birds, 3 i bis 
On the other hand many complain that! they 
cannot obtain the best class of poultry, although. 
quite willing. to pay the. price, .It is quite 
evident that the method of disposing of. poultry. 
needs.alteration. It is in this direction that 
associations of breeders can do most valuable 
work, . “Efe ; pet 
. Judging Table Birds, wer 
The following was tho’standird to which ‘the 
birds at the Table Bird Show’ in Sydney were 
recently, judged :—Sizs. 15; quantity of breast” 
weat, 40; straightness of keel, 10; fineness of 
bone, 10; general evenness of appearance, 15; 
color of skin, 105. total, lu. anita 
The late Mr Lewis Wright’: proposed’ ihe 
following scale of points: —Size or’ weight; 20; 
straight breast, 10; length of body, 15; breadth: 
of body, 5; eveness of flesh ant freedom from - 
fat, 15; skin and color, 15; firesss: of buna, 10; 
touch, 10; total, 190. 
¥I 
