30 
THE AUSTRALIAN GARDENER. 
“April, 1910 
infected with the specify micro-parasite. 
The rosnit was positive in both cases 
and the fowls were returned to me for 
special The average 
number of red corpuscles in a healthy 
fowl is 4,000,000 per cubic millimetre 
and the average amount of hemoglobin 
68 per cent. 
examination. 
tick fever, investigations disclosed that 
the number of corpusles had sunk to 
2,800,000 per cubic millimetre and the 
hemoglobin to 40 per cent. 
Some years have elapsed since I 
indentified the parasite (Argas ameri- 
canus) when it first commenced to make 
its influence felt in Victoria, and the 
course of action that has been since 
followed to check its spread has proved 
eminently successful in confining it to 
the areas in which it was first discovered. 
A creat deal of work has been done in 
the direction of first securing its eradi- 
cation from the poultry runs of the State, 
and it is hoped that when Poultry 
Diseases Bill which has been drafted has 
been placed upon the statue-book, there 
will be provided ample power to take such 
action as will lead to the complete extir- 
pation of the pest from Victoria. 
—Victorian ‘Journal of Agriculture.’ 
How Remeene Test Brae 
od 
It is a common sight in the plaza in a 
Mexican town, says an exchange, to 
behold n stall-wonian who is selling two. 
reals’ worth of eggs, pick them up one by 
one, put one end and then the other to 
‘and hand them oyer- to the 
To the 
inexperienced onlooker it seems as if 
her lips. 
customer, who does likewise. 
they were tasting the extremities of the 
eggs. As a matter of fact, they never 
touch the egg with their tongue. The 
idea is that when an egg is fresh one end 
is distinctly colder than the other. The 
end which has the air chamber is the 
warmer of the two. The human lips are 
exceedingly sensitive to heat and cold, 
and even the novice at that form of egg- | 
testing promptly becomes a capable 
judge. If both ends of the egg reveal the 
same temperature, that egg may Le 
counted as bad, as it is a fairly good sign 
that the air chamber is broken and the 
eontents spread ‘equally within the shell. 
aN Feiss 
In the fowls that contracted | 
Poultry Farming on Small 
Holdings, 
{By H. V. Hawkins, Poultry Expert, in 
* Victorian Journal of Agriculture.’ 
(Continued from last Issue.) 
Breeding and Feeding. 
— The Breeding Pen. — 
Locality plays a most important part 
in the success or otherwise of poultry 
breeding. Badly drained, sour, or very 
stony land should be avoided; rather 
select a site having an easterly aspect, 
sloping so that the early morning sun 
may sweeten the ground, which is a great 
factor in warding off disease. All can- 
not secure sandy soil, but look for loose 
soil, and whenever possible secure the 
sandy spot. It dries ont quicker, and 
is much easier to keep clean. 
Farmers know little cr nothing about 
the breeding pen, but to my mind this is 
the key to success; The old idea of 
keeping a few fowls round the homestead 
is passing. The farmer should kuow 
something about the fowls he has, 
Before he thinks of incubating he should 
be careful to watch for the layer of 150 
to 200 eggs; hence the necessity of a 
breeding pen. A fair sized pen, say, 50 
by 20 ft., should be set apart for this 
purpose, First of all run the plough round 
making a trench of say, 10 to 12 ins. 
deep. Then place the posts, (8 ft. 
lengths) about two feet in the ground, 12 
ft. apart—good saplings barked will do. 
Before filling up the trench, run two 
rows of barbed wire all round. This 
will be a safe and will 
effectively keep out-foxes‘or wild dogs. 
Breakwind.—After this, run a batten 
round 3 ft. from the ground, to keep the 
posts straight, 
any toprail : 
investment, 
but on no account have 
it only encourages the birds 
to fly over and is also a source of danger 
The latter 
will never attempt to jump on wire 
mesh, but'if’ you give ‘them a foothold, 
trouble will begin. Use'6 ft. ‘palings cut 
in half, or, if ftrids permit’ ‘plain sheet 
where foxes are. troublesome. 
iron, These should be nailed on to the mid- 
batten ali roundthe pen, and will prov- 
ide a splendid breakwind for the stud 
birds. 
Shade and Shelter —It must not be 
forgotten that shelter is absolute necess- 
ary ina breeding pen, The temperature 
of a fowl’s body being greater than our 
own, it stands to reason that shade from 
the sun’s rays must be provided. The 
best and most quickly grown shelter 
hedge is the tree lucerne. Jt will grow 
in almost any part of Australia, and wil! 
stand drought well. The tops should be 
cut every month, the lowest part of the 
stem, throwing the shade along the 
ground, where thebirds can rest com- 
fortably from the sun and wind, 
Construction of Houses. -The 
consideration should be housing in the 
breeding pen. A small portable hous» 
is all that is required to hold only such 
birds as ure selected typical layers; or 
twelve birds will be sufficient in one pen 
no matter what breed you intend keeping 
The house should in all cases face the east 
so as to get as much sunshine as possible 
It is not necessary in this climate to build 
expensive or warm houses. ‘Tho north, 
south, and west sides should be closed in,. 
should be quite free from cracks and 
draughts, the east side alone being entire- 
ly open. The roof should slope eastward, 
and project two feet over the frontal 
uprights; this will effectively prevent an: 
easterly rain (a rare occurrence) from 
driving in on the birds at night-time, and 
will allow the rain to drop clear of the 
base of the house. A good 
plan to safegnard the floor is to run a 
small piece of spouting round the house, 
and have the downpipe placed in position 
to carry the water clear of the pen. For 
example, a portable building 6 ft. by 4 ft. 
wide, the back 5ft, and the front 4 ft. 
high, makes a serviceable house. Ten 
sheets {5 x 2) of narrow gauge galvanized 
iron will suffice, 3 sheets for roof, 8 for 
back, and 2 for each end. Having no 
floor, it is easily moved, simple to spray, 
and is almost. insect proof, 
Many make the mistake of coddling their 
fowls. Coming of the perch off a warm 
house at dawn in June, the birds receive: 
a severe shock, and very often take cold, 
which may lead to roup, the fowl’s: worst. 
enemy. An even temperature, a house 
free from draughts, a dry floor, and good 
ventilation, are requisite. 
(To be Continued.) 
nae 
next. 
