POULTRY EXPERIMENTS. 



8i 



€very week. The lOO birds eating the mangolds averaged lay- 

 ing 63.9 eggs each, during the four months. The 100 birds 

 mating the clover, averaged 59.6 eggs during the same time. 

 The slight difference between the yields of the two l(3ts can 

 hardly be regarded as indicating greater value for the mangold 

 ration. 



The vigor and apparent healthfulness of the two lots were 

 equally good. In the general feeding both mangolds and clover 

 are used daily. Formerly it was thought necessary to steam, 

 or wet the clover with hot water in order to get good results 

 from it. It is now cut and fed dry, in the bottom of cement 

 iDarrels, cut off about ten inches high. About 5 pounds are 

 eaten daily, by 100 hens, with very little waste. Apparently as 

 good results are gotten from it as when it was scalded ; the 

 labor of preparation being very much lessened. 



Time Required to Establish Fertility in the Eggs oe 

 Hens When First Mated. 



Fifty Barred Plymouth Rock hens, one year old, that had 

 iDcen laying well throughout the preceding winter and spring, 

 •and had been kept away from male birds since they were 12 

 weeks old, were mated with cockerels and their eggs incubated, 

 to determine how soon after introducing male birds into pens 

 of virgin hens, the eggs may be sufficiently fertilized for incu- 

 iDating purposes. 



1 



Table showing the results of incubating the eggs from ^0 hens 

 during the first 7 days of mating. 



