1 Juyz, 1899.] QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. . 445 
drops of creosote (oil of tar) that is in a good-sized bottle, then applied with a 
feather or camel’s hair brush to the top of the head and under the wings; this 
is done mostly with chickens when the large louse, misnamed the “ chicken tick,” 
is suspected. They are said to cause the death of many young chickens in parts 
of New South Wales; but though I have frequently found them in Queensland 
on old and sick fowls, I never saw them on chickens. They greatly resemble 
the louse found on wild fowl and on wallabies, though a little smaller than the 
latter.—Australian Tropiculturist. 
EGGS AS FOOD. 
Srx large eggs will weigh about 11b. As a flesh producer, 1 1b. of eggs is 
equal to 1 lb. of beef. About one-third-of the weight of an egg is solid 
nutriment, which is more than can be said of meat. There are no bones and 
tough pieces that have to be laid aside. Practically, an egg is animal food, and 
yet there is none of the disagreeable work of the butcher necessary to obtain it. 
IS POULTRY-FARMING A SUCCESS? 
TERE is much controversy on the question of poultry-farming pure and simple. 
We have endeavoured on more than one occasion to show that the keeping of 
good, well-bred poultry on a farm is a source of considerable profit, but we have 
yet to hear that any attempt at poultry-farming as a separate business has been 
successful in any part of Q 
have failed. There must be substantial reason for such failure. A contributor 
to Home and Farm holds the opinion that poultry-keeping on a large scale will 
pay. He says :—What is to prevent the farmer increasing the capital mvested 
in poultry just as he increases the capital invested in pigs, cattle, farm machinery, 
and everything else that is followed on the farm? Supposing that he raises 300 
or 400 hens, if he does not care to go into it more largely. ‘There is not a farmer 
who cannot raise 400 hens, and maintain and keep them upon his farm without 
any serious neglect to the other branches of his farm interests. If he should 
raise enough to devote his entire time to it, it would probably pay him better 
than anything else he could engage in. There is not a farmer who cannot raise 
400 laying hens, and maintain them throught the year by proper care and 
managment, having his hen-houses scattered around in different places, and they 
should turn him out a profit of about £50. This result can be achieved by 
letting the fowls go entirely as they please, but with a comparatively limited 
amount of care and attention these figures can be reached. You have nothing 
else on the farm that will pay the same figures on the amount invested, and by 
the same care and attention. 
Again, we find contrary opinions held by experts in the old country. 
The Agricultural Gazette, London, publishes a letter from Mr. W. B. 
Tegetmeier, who denounces poultry farms not only as failures, but as actually 
non-existent in Great Britain, Ireland, France, or Belgium. On the other 
hand, another authority, Mr. K. B. De La Bere, publishes figures which go to 
show that by keeping poultry in large numbers a profit may be made, whilst by 
keeping some 20 head a profit of 10s. Ld. per head per annum can be made. 
Mr. Tegetmeier, under the head of “ Poultry in Large Numbers,” says :—In 
reply to a query in your last on keeping poultry in large numbers, there is 
inserted a very remarkable answer. In the first Pave itis stated that the system 
of keeping fowls in large numbers upon groun which is rented for this object 
alone is to be deprecated, and that its success would be doubtful. The writer 
of this reply states that he does not know of any case where it has been profit- 
able, and that poultry-farming must be combined with something else to ensure’ 
success. With these statements I perfectly agree. I have been for half a 
Gl 
ueensland. Many have tried it, but all appear to 
, 
