230 EXPERIMENTAL FARMS. 



artificially with what she can pick up for herself while running at large. If grain is 

 constantly fed the first intimation given will be an egg laid with a thin shell. This is 

 a hint that there is not enough egg shell forming material in the ration, or in other 

 words that your ration is not well balanced. It is also noticed that if your stock is 

 composed of Asiatics such as Brahmas, Langshans, Cochins, &c, &c, that they are get- 

 ting too fat. And if the hint is disregarded, the egg shells will become rapidly thinner, 

 until an egg is laid without any shell at all. Sometimes eggs with thin shells, or with- 

 out shells, are laid as the result of too much " stimulating," such as the inordinate use of 

 red pepper, or condition powders " warranted to make hens lay." 



Clover Hay. 



Mr. P. H. Jacobs, a chemist and poultry breeder, who has given the subject a 

 good deal of study, says : — " One hundred grains of lime are needed to make a strong 

 shell on each egg, and as 1,000 lbs. of wheat or corn contain less than a pound of lime, 

 the hen cannot get the lime she requires to make a strong shell. We actually require 

 a ton of wheat to furnish iirne enough for ten dozen of eggs." The same authority says 

 that there is thirty times as much lime in white clover as there is in the same quantity 

 of wheat, and twenty-eight times as much in red clover. He goes so far as to say that 

 clover will supply "all the lime the hens require." While the latter statement cannot be 

 fully endorsed by experience in our poultry department, there can be no doubt that it is 

 an excellent ration while used with others. It is first cut into half-inch pieces by clover 

 cutters, and steamed during the night by placing it in a pail and throwing boiling water 

 over it ; covering the pail and leaving it until morning. The laying stock in our 

 poultry-house did not take to it when given to them by itself, but eat it readily when 

 mixed with shorts and bran, and which without doubt, made a splendid and effective 

 morning ration. While on this subject it might be as well to quote the statement of 

 the late Mr. F. A. Mortimer, of Pottsville, Pa., who kept over 2,000 pure-bred fowls, 

 and who said two years ago in regard to clover "that had he known of the clover hay 

 food for hens, four years ago, (1888), he could have saved $1,000 and that since he 

 began to feed it that he got more eggs and found fewer sick hens." Mr. Mortimer is 

 credited with being one of the most scientific feeders of his day. Another authority 

 also, a chemist and editor says : — " There is no ready substitute for clover hay as a 

 poultry food. It is not only rich in nitrogen, lime, sulphur, phosphoric acid, magnesia 

 and soda, but also abounds in potash and carbon. Balanced ivith a small quantity of 

 grain, the heat and warmth of the body is secured, and the elements of egg production 

 provided. It is easily digested and avoids over-fattening, the great scourge of the 

 farmer and poultryman." 



Observation has led to the conclusion, that while wheat is undoubtedly the best 

 all round, or best balanced grain food, that if fed entirely alone produces fat rather 

 than eggs, particularly in the case of the heavy breeds, but when balanced with red or 

 white clover hay is a good egg producer, and both have the merit of being easily 

 obtained. 



Cow's milk, while not in great abundance on every farm is generally so with dairy- 

 men. It is a good food for poultry, skimmed, sour, or in the shape of buttermilk. 



Vegetables are in good supply on almost every farm, and particularly so with 

 market gardeners. So we have among our well balanced foods articles of diet within 

 easy reach of the farmer. 



Cut Green Bones. 



Not many years ago the orthodox rations for laying stock were grain, vegetables, 

 gravel to grind up the food and lime to make shell, with an occasional warm mash in 

 the morning. Now the three great factors in egg production are cut green bones, green 

 food with grain in moderate quantity, and exercise. The recognition of the poultry de- 

 partment, as an important revenue-producing branch of agriculture, has led to the study 

 of the best means to produce the egg, or, fatten the chicken at the least possible cost, 



