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All of the Scotch Banks take deposits and allow interest upon very small sums lodged with them. Gilbart in his "History of principles of Banking" states "The Deposit system of Banking is universally considered to be one cause of the prudence and frugality by which the lower classes of the people of Scotland are distinguished."

I see no reason why a Bank in Honolulu, adopting a similar deposit system should not produce the same moral results; nor is there any good cause, beyond the suspicion and distrust which characterise the natives, as I have already mentioned, why a well-regulated issue of £5 notes, should prove less safe here, than £1 notes have done in Scotland for more than a century. Of course, in so saying, I suppose an equally correct and discreet management. But, for the reasons which I have before stated, I consider that a Bank of Deposit, Loan, and Discount, and not of Issue, would be the safest in these Islands. R. C. WYLLIE.

REPORT OF THE CHAIRMAN OF THE COMMITTEE ON POULTRY.

To the President and Members of the R. H. A. Society.

GENTLEMEN -So much valuable information has been published on the subject of "The Rearing and Management of Fowls, and other Description of Poultry," by persons in every respect better qualified than I feel myself to be, that I fear in bringing it again before the notice of this Society, I shall be but trespassing upon its valuable time, and were it not that the climate of these Islands differs so very materially from those where this subject has been so much discussed, I should refer the members of the R. H. A. Society to the very interesting work, now in the hands of the librarian, entitled :— "Dixon & Kerr's Ornamental and Domestic Poultry," which, containing, as it undoubtedly does, the experience of many well-known Poultry Breeders, both in England and the United States, would, but for the difference of climate, seem to make quite superfluous any thing further that could be written on this topic.

In order, more clearly, to make myself understood, I will call the attention of those about to engage in breeding Fowls, to the necessity of first providing a suitable house for them, which should be on quite a different principle to those constructed in colder climates; here we have warmth, consequently with a tight roof so as to ensure dryness, we have, by building the sides of laths, so as to admit air, a cheap and suitable Fowl House. I would recommend its being divided into four partitions, say, half for roosting, the other half into three parts, one for laying, which should be provided with boxes, chalk nest eggs, and darkened, another for setting and the third for the hens and chicks to gain strength prior to being turned out into the Fowl yard.

There ought not to be any communication for laying or other fowls into the setting house, and the entrance into the laying house might either be from the roosting department, or by sliding doors from outside. The entire floor should be tiled, so that by raising the setting and laying boxes a few inches from the ground, the whole house might be washed daily, a plan which would effectually banish lice, at present the great plague of our Fowl Houses. Where this cannot conveniently be done it would be very desirable to water the entire fowl house after it has been carefully swept out, at least once a day with lime-water.

The next important consideration after having built the house, appears to me to be that of stocking it with useful birds, and this has not hitherto been found a very easy matter, at all events many with whom I have conversed seem to have had but partial success and others have been quite unsuccessful. I should infer, however, that the principal difficulty has arisen from the attempt having been made to obtain cheap stocks by sending to Kauai, or Hawaii, which on arrival here, half dead from exposure, and sea sickness, have been turned into the fowl yard, most likely into quite a different climate, the result of which has been, that in the course of a month out of one hundred head, not twenty-five have remained alive. I have found by experience that it is quite far enough to remove young birds even from Honolulu to Nuuanu Valley, and I would suggest that the house be stocked if possible from its immediate neighborhood, even if a commencement should have to be made with the common native hen, which for laying, setting and bringing up her brood is superior to any ever yet imported, although she is small and lays small eggs of an inferior flavor.

There can be no doubt but she is a native of these Islands, since Captain Cook was supplied with fowls at Waimea on Kauai, when he first discovered that Island on the 19th of January 1778.

In order to increase the size of the fowl and the flavor of the eggs, Shanghae, Cochin China, and Spanish fowls might be introduced, as well as Dorkings from England; a few Polish hens would likewise be very desirable additions, owing to their great prolificness.

It would not perhaps be judicious to have more than three coops, as it frequently happens that too great a mixture increases the weight to the prejudice of the incubating qualities, and care should be taken always to set the largest eggs; by this means the stock in the second year, would be an excellent well acclimated mixed breed, useful for all domestic purposes. It would be well to avoid setting the large Shanghae hens (excepting those of the pure white breed,) as I have invariably found them restless and disposed to leave their nests after the 14th day, whilst on the other hand, hens crossed between Spanish and Native, or Shanghae and Native, have proved excellent incubators; none can however in this respect, excel the pure Native hen.

Great care should be taken to keep the setting hens free from lice, this important object so desirable both for the comfort of the old hen, her young brood, and the man in charge of the stock, will be partially if not entirely gained, by tiling and washing the house with lime water: in addition to these precautions, I would recommend that fine lime be mixed with the straw in the box before setting the hen, and should lice appear a few days prior to her hatching the eggs, she ought to be removed with her eggs into a clean box similarly prepared, carefully rubbing her head and neck with a little whale oil, which will effectually prevent any lice she may have upon her, from annoying her head and neck, and will most probably drive them away altogether.

If however oil be used too freely it will most likely find its way down to the eggs and hermetically seal them, I have lost whole broods by using oil incautiously, but have had the satisfaction of saving the hens. Many persons adopt the plan of having rows of boxes. It may answer very well in cold climates, but here where the heat stimulates the breeding of lice to an enormous extent, it would seem desirable to have separate boxes well whitewashed, in order that when a hen has hatched her brood, the box may be removed and washed.

It will hardly be necessary for me to remind those who have paid any attention to the rearing of fowls, that the best time to raise stock is early in Spring, when the hens begin to lay. Sometimes they commence in January and continue to lay freely until the end of April, when in a great measure they cease; during these months a large quantity may be reared, and I think it will be found that chicks hatched in these months are less liable to disease, and prove finer and stronger birds, than those hatched afterwards and will be ready for the table in September, whereas those hatched during the hot months of June, July and August, frequently become sickly, and are carried off by an eye disease which those having had the advantage of the spring months generally recover from.

A great many experiments have been tried to cure this disease, without any apparent success. On examining the cancer I have observed it to contain small worms, and have frequently watched the natives wash the chick's eyes, after squeezing the worms out, but perhaps the best remedy would be to separate the sick chicks from the sound, carefully wash the cancers once a day, with any common eyewash, as sulphate of zinc, or nitrate of silver, very weak, and give them small doses of Jalap, say 6 grains each, once a day. Prevention however is better than cure, and it is the opinion of many, that a clean house, wholesome food, and cool water, with a large range having plenty of shade and grass, will in a measure prevent sickness.

Regarding the best descriptions of food for poultry, and particularly for fowls, all concur in recommending grain of some kind, and whether it be Indian Corn, Barley, Oats, Paddy or Millet, matters little, so long as any one of these can be procured at a moderate price. Any of these productions could be raised here to an extent far exceeding our necessities, but the want of energy on the part of the great landed proprietors, few of whom, it seems, are willing to rent their tracts, or cultivate them themselves, and the high price of native labor, which, besides, cannot be depended upon, compels us to look abroad for supplies which are always dear, and uncertain. Millet or brown who have land I

corn grows here in great perfection, and to those

would strongly recommend the planting of this grain, as I know of no grain which contains so much nutriment, and its long stalks make both excellent fodder and food for horses or oxen.

Indian Corn never having been lower at this port than $5 per barrel, which is far too high for feeding fowls, many have looked to China in the hopes of procuring Paddy, and in the absence of Millet, it is probably the best thing that can be given to fowls, inasmuch as it being a smaller grain than Indian corn, the same weight will he more fairly divided amongst the stock.

As to quantity much will depend upon the extent of range allowed the fowls, as well as what vegetable matter they can pick. I have been in the habit of giving my stock consisting of about 70 laying hens and some 150 chickens, from 10 to 15 pounds of Paddy per day, besides lettuces, cabbages, and the melon and other pealings from the kitchen, and as they are in excellent condition I infer I give them enough. Paddy has generally cost from 2 to 3 cents per lb.

Cool water is an essential requisite for fowls; water heated by the rays of the sun is apt to occasion disease. I would therefore suggest a self supplying machine placed under cover, where there is no stream running through the yard, which may be made at a very small cost by inverting a demijohn filled with water on a stand with the neck touching the receiver which can be made of a few tin plates, by this means the supply will be constant, the water cool and clean, and labor saved.

Gravel, lime, sand, and ashes are essential requisites in a fowlyard, and where a garden is cultivated, the manure bed should be there also, particularly if composed of stable dung.

I would here remark that sea sand has an immediate and very destructive effect upon fowls, and must therefore be avoided.

A few geese might be allowed to run in the fowl yard, but I would most certainly exclude turkeys and ducks, the former are constantly picking the young chicks, and the latter cannot defend their ducklings from the attacks of the hens and turkeys. Ducks besides are very voracious, and prevent chickens from getting a fair share of their daily allowance of food.

From seventy laying-hens, not more than an average of 30 eggs daily can be expected, and this quantity decreases gradually as summer advances, it must be remembered that some will be setting and others not allowed to sit, will not commence again for several days, it is probable that the receipts during the few summer months will be very small, but they will increase in the fall of the year.

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