to live stock interests and to which human beings are not liable, have been thought worthy of special legislation in many states.

Texas cattle fever, pleuro pneumonia, the scab disease of sheep and other infectious diseases have been placed under Government control to protect stock owners. Are not raisers of turkeys and poultry equally entitled to protection? They are equally liable to loss in this way. We believe that the time is not far distant, when a very rigid live stock inspection will be carried out in each State, and that it will be considered just as necessary to inspect poultry. Although this work of investigating serious diseases of poultry is the legitimate work of a State Live Stock Commission, rather than that of an Experiment Station worker, until some provision is made for such inspection, the head of the Poultry Division may be able to investigate some of the most pronounced cases, and would like to be informed of all serious outbreaks of disease among poultry of any kind, that may occur in any part of the State. Such information will at least furnish data as to the necessity of adequate measures for the control of poultry diseases and may be of use in the framing of suitable laws.

PRECAUTIONS AGAINST DISEASE.

Purchasing birds here and there in making up a flock, may bring all sorts of diseases and parasites together, thus infecting a place at the start to such an extent that it is hard to get rid of them. Each new bird should be thoroughly examined for disease of any kind and treated for lice before being allowed to run with others. A few days quarantine is very desirable. Do not buy birds showing the slightest trace of disease. Avoid all that are suspicious, for a mild case of disease may introduce a serious trouble. Keep your flocks away from those of your neighbors, as a single infected fowl or turkey may infect a dozen or more different flocks, if allowed to run with them on common ground. Isolate your own stock from that of others as completely as possible. Do not feed uncooked offal. Entrails of animals are liable to contain parasites and germs of

disease that will affect fowls, therefore should be long and well cooked before being fed to any living thing. Do not feed milk from cows that are suspected of having tuberculosis. Do not allow persons having consumption to expectorate where they are. Every fowl which dies from any cause should be subjected to post mortem examination. Persons making such examination should make sure that the skin of their hands is not cut or abraded. This would make them liable to receive infectious matter that might result in blood poisoning. All instruments used in post mortem examinations should, as well as the hands, be afterwards cleansed in a solution of some antiseptic, like carbolic acid. By such examinations a disease may be discovered before it becomes very prevalent. It is best to sacrifice inferior and sickly specimens as they are usually the first to become infected and are apt to become disease breeders. Carcasses of diseased birds should be promptly. buried, deep under ground, in a location remote from the haunts of fowls or animals, or better still, boiled or burned, that the infectious germs may be destroyed. Coops or buildings that have been occupied by them or the ground where they have lain, should be thoroughly sprayed or drenched with a solution of copperas or carbolic acid.

The great benefit in doctoring fowls whose worth is but a few dollars, lies principally in the preventive treatment of large numbers at one time. An early diagnosis of a disease makes this possible.

POULTRY STATISTICS OF THE NEXT STATE CENSUS.

Next year the State Census will be taken. The poultry statistics taken with the census have been in the past rather incomplete. It is very desirable, indeed very important, that statistics relating to all branches of the poultry industry should be collected. The public should know the magnitude of the business in this State, and whether as is often claimed, the money invested and products sold really do exceed those of any other live stock industry, and we would express the hope that the Commission having this mat

Capons, first crosses, and Geese. Experiment Station Exhibit at the Winter Show of the R. I. Poultry Association.