1 Jay., 1900.] QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. 25 
“potash ‘94 per cent. This latter sample was valued at 41s. 8d. per ton at 
American prices ; but if the value be calculated at the present market price of 
-commercial fertilisers in Adelaide—nitrogen 12s. per unit, phosphoric acid 2s. 
per unit, and potash 6s. per unit—it would be about 35s. 6d. per ton. All these 
-calculations are theoretical, being based on fowl droppings carefully prepared, 
-and must not be taken as the values of fowl dung under ordinary conditions. 
Considering that the fowl manure under average conditions in Australia is 
-either mixed with soil, litter, or other impurities, and that it is often lessened in 
value by rain, fermentation, or otherwise through lack of care, it is probable 
‘that the average value is not more than 10s.a ton, 
It will be seen from these figures that, although fowl manure is not as 
valuable as many people think, there is an immense waste of most valuable 
manure going on, with little or no attempt to prevent it. According to the 
New York Experimental Station reports, each fowl will, on an average, produce 
about 6d. worth of high-class manure if it be properly cared for. Therefore 
-every blocker or farmer with 100 fowls may save from their manure more than 
equal in money value to half a ton of superphosphate, although, of course, it 
differs in its manurial constituents. 
BEST DUCKS TO RAISE. 
Ar the Hawkesbury College, New South Wales, a number ot experiments have 
‘been made in connection with the raising of poultry for table purposes and for 
export. The experiment with ducks resulted as follows, and shows that the 
American Pekin is probably the best for table purposes and for export, although 
costing $d. more for food :— 
Live Weight —__ Cost of Food, 
Hight Weeks Old. 
Pekin (Aylesbury) pair 
Pekin (American) pair 
Pekin (English) pair 
Rouens, pair ... 
Indian Runners, pair 
Muscovy, pair 
Aylesbury, pair 
No mw ONS 
CAPONISING COCKERELS. 
- Maxy people are doubtful as to whether this operation is useful or not. My 
“own experience in the matter has been but a very limited one; at the same 
time I am surprised that any farmer should fail to see the advantages of 
caponising. Hirst and foremost, it allows of birds being held longer when the 
market is dull. How often it happens that one accepts any price offered for the | 
cockerels rather than be forced to keep them in the yard worrying the hens 
-and ill-using the chickens. Once they are caponised, they can be held till the 
market improves, and that without being any great inconvenience or expense to 
‘the owner. Again, a capon can be eaten at eighteen months or two years of 
-age, and he will be as juicy and tender asa cockerel of seven months, whereas a 
cockerel of eighteen months is fit only to be stewed down for broth. As 
regards the performance of the operation of caponising, I cannot do better than 
-append an article which appeared first in the Queenslander some years ago, and 
has gone the rounds of most of the oultry journals since. It is by far the 
best article I have ever read on the Siliee the directions being so plain and so 
well expressed that any child might follow them. 
What I would like to see is a good caponiser in each district, who for a 
consideration would go round from farm to farm every three or four months and 
caponise all the cockerels. Any young fellow with a taste for surgery could 
