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POLITICS FOR WOMEN.

[No title]

Christmas Meat Rations.I

IEisteddfod at Cwmgorse. I

Our Poultry Column.

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Our Poultry Column. POULTRY POINTS. I With so much rain about, the poultry- keeper will have been kept busy. The birds stop in the houses a good deal even when there is an outside run, and this causes the house to become dirty quicker than where they are always kept in. Birds will run in and out when they get a chance, and the wet out- side is carried in, and with the damp air all round the litter soon becomes battered down and like cak es of manure. It is difficult to know which is best for the floor chaff is out of the question, leaves have hardly been dry enough, and straw must not be used unless damaged, and then it soon becomes too wet for the houses. All houses which are stood on the ground absorb a good deal of moisture from the soil, yet when stood upon bricks with a boarded floor, the whole can be kept per- fectly dry, in which case almost any litter will answer. For all-round use there is no- thing much better than peat moss, and con- sidering the cost of things generally, this works out cheaper than most. When kept dry it will last for two or three months, pro- viding it is raked over occasionally to prevent it .being caked on to the floor. When dry this need not be feared, and the birds work- ing amongst it will keep it moved. Of course, a dropping board should be under all perches; then the litter will last double the time, because the moisture from the excre- ments soon dries and all is scraped off to- gether. The peat moss acts as a deodoriser and absorbs all the moisture but it is naturally cleaner if the dropping boards can be scraped every other day. The laying stock should be well cared for now, because birds never suffeT so much as during cold wet weather. Cold is not so bad, and frost does not hurt, providing the rain and heavy mists- keep away. All fowls need ventilation, but with the fogs and heavy mists at night, the front shutter should be closed nearly up so that the inside can be kept as dry as possible. Most intensive keepers give only a hard grain feed, but with so much poor stuff about and the order that each man must have half each of meal and grain, it means that he must give some soft mash. Unfortunately, most of the mixture contains dust and small seeds, which should be sifted out, and then this can be used with the mash. Of course, this dust would be wasted if thrown down in the house, so that it pays to use it in the soft food. What it means is that the feed must be partly soft food, and then just a handful of grain given, which will keep them busy scratching. As we cannot get the food we wish, we must just make the most of that to hand and keep the stock going. There is a new order which allows for any kind of poultry being used this Christmas- time without a coupon. This will cover four weeks from the 18th December to 14th January, so that there should be a good sale for all spare stock of the feathered tribe. Everyone now should look round to see what stock they need not keep. It is not a time for keeping surplus birds, because the food is short, and you had better breed more of the right sort next season. Every odd cockerel should be fed up now and cleared off this winter, but be sure you reserve all you need for breeding. Before next season Comes into full swing, we shall probably get more food- I stuffs released for poultry; then the problem of raising will not be so great as it was last season, though on the whole that was not so difficult. Stin, it is the food trouble which causes so much anxiety, and has been the reason why so many folk cleared out of chicks. Once get a normal food i supply and people will soon be back again amongst poultry; hence my advice has been all along to keep on breeding and produce as many as ever you can. The demand is coming, and the supply will not be equal to it. Get the place in otder at once, and see what stock you need if any, and then set about getting it at once. Pens can be mated next month, and November is nearly through.

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OLD COLLEGE SCHOOL, CARMARTHEN.I

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I Prorogation of Parliament.

I THE PREMIER'S -WAR RECORD.…

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THE LAND iN RECONSTRUCTION.…

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