1 Nov., 1902.] QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. 331 
FEEDING POULTRY. 
Change of diet now and then is very beneficial to poultry. For the most 
part, fowls receive very little variety of food; day after day and week after 
week the same allowances of the same kind of provender are given. In time 
the appetites of the birds get a bit jaded, and in consequence there is a diminu- 
tion of the egg yield. Sticking to one or two kinds of food only also deprives 
the birds of certain alimentary elements which they require, for most foods, 
while rich in one particular element, are often deficient in others which are 
quite as necessary for the wellbeing of the birds. Itis never wise, for instance, 
to feed on barley-meal in the morning and barley, as hard grain, in the evening. 
The two meals of the day should be essentially different. Barley-meal in the 
morning might go with heavy oats in the evening, or ground oats in the 
morning with wheat in the evening, and so on; but it does not do to make 
changes every day or two—keep to one line of feeding for three weeks or so, 
and the birds will thrive all the better. And if they have an unlimited grass 
run, do not be afraid to give an occasional feed of maize. Under such con- 
ditions they will relish it, and it will do them good. A good biscuit-meal, if it 
can be got cheap, forms a capital change for the morning meal. 
After chickens are afew weeks old, a feed of groats in the evening is very 
beneficial. They are very nourishing and easily digested, being free of the 
outside husk. Those who have not hitherto used them in chicken-rearing. 
should give them a fair test this season, and prove their value for themselves. 
CANNING AND CRYSTALLISING PINEAPPLES AND CUMQUATS. 
The canning of pineapples is practically the same as that of any other 
fruit. Peel, slice, or cut into dice, pack in cans, and add syrup. ‘The density 
of the syrup depends on your trade, and will average about 4 lb. sugar to 1 
gelion rain water. Cook from 15 to 20 minutes. To put up cumquats in 
eavy syrup, first boil in fresh water until the fruit is soft, but still firm enough 
to keep its shape. Throw away the water, which is very bitter. Put the fruit 
in a heavy syrup, and boil till ready, but slowly, so as not to break the fruit, as 
it should be whole. 
To Orystallise.—In the case of pineapples and cumquats: First bleach the 
fruit by placing it in boiling water. Next put it into a low strength syrup, and 
heat to boiling pou, Let it remain in this syrup for 24 hours. Thenincrease 
the density of the syrup by 10 per cent., and again heat to boiling point, leaving 
it as before for 24 hours. Increase the density of the syrup daily by 10 per 
cent., always bringing the fruit to the boiling point till it is strong enough 
to crystallise in cooling. When in this state, the fruit is taken out and 
dried slowly in iron trays. Pack in air-tight tins. Tins are the best for 
this climate. The crystallising of cumquats and pineapples is very similar to 
the crystallising of lemon and citron-peel. In bleaching the fruit, care must be 
taken not to allow it to become too soft. In fact, the bleaching is the most: 
difficult part of the work. 
