104 Repokt of the Depabtment of Animal Husbandky of the 



none of these lots were so good for hatching as eggs from some 

 hens having practically free run, nor as eggs from some other 

 niatings of birds kept confined. No general differences were 

 apparent in the average weights attained by the chicks hatched 

 from eggs from the several contrasted lots, nor in the vigor of 

 the chicks while growing. 



There was some difference generally in the size of the eggs in 

 favor of the lots having the animal food. But little difference in 

 the nutritive value of the eggs was found by chemical analysis. 

 Such differences as were found will be later considered in con- 

 nection with other work. The shells were generally heavier o^ 

 eggs from those birds having the animal food ration. Twenty 

 tests of the table qualities of the eggs were made by ten different 

 families. Preferences did not all coincide. Eggs from Lots 

 XVII and XVIII were on the average about equally preferred, 

 while a nearly unanimous opinion favored eggs from Lot XIX 

 over those from Lot XX. Opinion seemed to be influenced fa- 

 vorably by the generally darker colored yolks and firmer consis- 

 tency of the eggs from hens having the animal food. When a 

 preference in regard to flavor was expressed it was nearly always 

 in favor of the eggs produced under the vegetable food ration. 



SECOND SERIES OF EXPERIMENTS. 



In another series of experiments two lots of chicks were fed 

 for nine weeks and four lots for eleven weeks. Two lots of 

 ducklings were fed for nine weeks and two lots of laying hens 

 for seven months. The contrasted feeding, as in the former 

 experiments, began with the chicks and ducklings when they 

 were one week old and continued until they were ten or twelve 

 weeks old. The same conditions existed in regard to manage- 

 ment and accommodations. 



RATIONS IN THE SECOND SERIES. 



One ration for chicks and hens consisted of wheat, corn and a 

 mixture. No. 3, composed of 27 parts by weight of corn meal, 



