March, 1910 
THE AUSTRALIAN GARDENER. 
29 
SSS 
Poultry Farming on Small 
Holdings. 
[By H. V. Hawkins, Poultry Expert, in 
* Victorian Journal of Agriculture.’ 
(Continued from last Issue.) 
— Preserving Eggs, — 
The method of preserving eggs by means 
of waterglass is the most satisfactory 
process of keeping them for a few months. 
Waterglass is a cheap product that may 
be secured from any chemist or store- 
keeper. It is used in the proportion of 
one part of waterglass to ten parts of 
water. The water should be well boiled» 
‘and afterwards cooled prior to mixing 
One gallon of waterglass will be sufficient 
to pack 50 dozen eggs. Large tin cans, 
or small barrels may be used to advantage 
_ in packing the eggs. Eggs should, on no 
account, be stale; the fresher they are, 
the longer they will keep. Care should 
be taken to keep the eggs so preserved in 
a cool cellar or shed with an even. temp- 
erature. 
When using preserved eggs for culinary 
purposes it is the best to puncture the 
shells on the broad end, to remove the 
accumulated gas. If this is not done, 
the egg is almost sure to crack when 
boiled. 
— Agricultural Value of Poultry 
Manure, — 
I have often wondered, when reading 
the results of egg-laying couspetitions, 
and balance-sheets furnished by agri- 
cultural students, why no mention was 
made of fowl manure. One as led to the 
conclusion that most poultry breeders 
either neglect gathering the manure daily, 
or else throw it into the rubbish heap. 
When it is remembered that each bird of 
of 8 to 9 lbs. live weight drops nearly 52 
lbs. of manure each year at night-time 
alone, and basing the average daily 
droppings at nearly one 100 lbs. per bird 
per year, what must the value of this 
manure, wasted or trodden in yearly, 
amount to? 
To geta fairly accurate idea of its value, 
Lhave had gathered daily the droppings 
from four pens, the size of each pen being 
75 feet x 25 feet. In) two of the pens 
there were eight birds, and in the other 
two seven, short grass being in each pen. 
The resu t wasas follows:—From the 
pens of eight birds, weighing 8 lbs. each, 
the manure was gathered and. partially 
dried (seven days), the weight from each 
bird averazing (during day-time), 1} 0z, _ 
and on dropping-board under perch ~ 
(night time), 2 ozs., or 46 lbs. per annum. 
It will thus be seen that the night mannre’ 
from large birds is worth at least 1s. per 
annum, This conclusively demonstrates 
that thousands of tons of fowl manure, - 
representing thousands of pounds sterling, _ 
are lost yearly in this State alone. 
Roughly speaking, the fresh manure 
is worth £2 per ton, and, when dry and 
properly stored in casks, £4 per ton. It 
will thus’ be seen that littie, if any, manure 
from live stock is so rich in fertilizers as 
* the fowl manure. 
According to an eminent authority, its 
true market value is as follows :— 
Fresh Partially- 
ar Manure. dried Manure 
Moisture 61.63 41.06 
*Organic matter and 
ammonia salts... 20.19 38.19 
Tribasic phosphate 
of lime PHY) isk} 
Magnesia, alkaline 
salts, &c. 2.63 3.13 
Insoluble  salicious 
matter (sand)... 12.58 12.49 
- 160,00 100.00 
*Containing nitrogen 1.71 3.78 
Equal toammonia... 2.09 4.59 
One thing should be born in mind, i.e., 
that lime must on no account be used in 
the runs, or houses, as lime liberates the 
ammonia, and when such is the case, its 
value as a manure is practically gone, 
The collected manure should be stored 
in an old barrel, where it must be kept 
dry, and mixed witha little sand, gypsum, 
or wood ashes, also a little soot. This 
tends toprevent the loss of ammonia 
The manure may also be placed in a tub 
of water, and allowed to stand over-night ; 
then stir and use the liquid for watering. 
Vegetables of all kinds, also flowers and 
plants, especially pelargoniums, roses, 
lemons, &c., do well with it 
The growth of the onion and tomato, 
&e., is largely increased by the use of this 
manure, and to the nurserymen it is of 
the greatest value. The vegetable acids 
are as important as protein to growing 
chicks, bo:h being an absolute necessity. 
_It is therefore an easy matter where land 
is available, fur every farmer of poultry 
to utilize to its fullest extent the valuable. 
manure referred toin growing vegetables, 
(To te Continued.) 
Simpl eX AUTRE 
t 
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