228 EXPERIMENTAL FARMS. 



RATIONS. 



During the past year careful consideration has been given to, and observation 

 made of, the effect of varied rations in producing eggs in the different seasons. Per- 

 haps closer observation was made during the winter season — the period of artificial ex- 

 istence — with the object of producing eggs, at as little cost as possible at the time when 

 they are highest in price. The substance of these observations will be found in the 

 following pages. It is obvious that the cheaper the cost of production the greater will 

 be the margin of profit, and if we can have this cheap food easily available, 

 so much more beneficial will it be to the farmer and poultryman. It may be like going 

 over old ground to discuss the subject again, but it is one of very great importance, 

 and in which every year makes some important difference and all in the way of ad- 

 vancement. Again, more importance attaches to the subject, because the procuring of 

 a cheap and effective egg-producing food, for winter use, has lately engaged the at- 

 tention of leading scientists and practical poultrymen in Great Britain and this con- 

 tinent to a greater extent than ever before. Among the leading authorities in England, 

 who have given the subject their attention during the past twelve months is Mr. R. 

 Warrington, a chemist, who says in an article on " poultry and poultry rations " in the 

 Agricultural Gazette of London : — " The winter production of eggs and the rearing of 

 early spring chickens, so that the highest prices may be realized in each case, is not 

 made the subject of careful study. " 



The Hen an important factor. 



And in order to make good his contention he gives the following figures. He 

 says : — " A good cow may produce in a year six times her weight of milk, with a 

 calf in addition. If we take the cow as weighing 1,000 lbs., we have in the 

 salable product about 800 lbs of dry matter, containing 36*8 lbs. nitrogen. 

 Hens of good laying breeds, weighing 1,000 lbs., will in the same time lay 6,000 

 lbs. of eggs, the contents of which will include 1,404 lbs. of dry matter contain- 

 ing 120 lbs. nitrogen. " In corroboration of this statement, Mr. M. G. Gillikins, an- 

 other authority, shows in a table prepared by him that taking the Hamburg hen as a 

 layer of 200 eggs per annum, that she will in that number of eggs lay 6-40 times her 

 live weight. He puts the Spanish and Leghorn next with 190 or 150 eggs each, or 

 4-22 times their weight. "This goes to show, " he says "that in the year of their best 

 production, viz., the second year, the best laying breeds will furnish five to six times 

 their weight in eggs. " Thus we have two good authorities arriving at the same con- 

 clusions, which go to show that the hen is being recognized by leading authorities as 

 an important factor in agriculture. Returning to Mr. Warrington and how to feed 

 the hen, he says : " that since cows milk is much richer in nitrogen than the carcass of 

 an animal, so the food supplied to cows should be of a specially nitrogenous character. 

 The argument ", he says, " has still greater weight in the case of the hen, as we have 

 seen that her production in the same.time from the same body weight contains three 

 and a quarter times as much nitrogen as that of the cow. " It will be interesting to 

 consider some of the best egg producing rations within easy reach of the farmer. 



DIFFERENT FOODS. 



Rations within easy reach op the Farmer, the Dairyman and Market Gardener 



What should be aimed at, and what has been sought after in the poultry depart- 

 ment is to have an effective and cheap ration. What is required is a well balanced 



