New York Agricultural Experiment Station. 121 



very weak gerais and 64 per ct. of the tested eggs hatched strong 

 chicks. Early in the season some of the egg-s from both lots were 

 much better than these average results show and later some were 

 much inferior. The cockerels used were undoubtedly responsible 

 for many fluctuations in fertility of the eggs, for there were pro- 

 nounced differences consistently following changes of the male 

 birds. 



A circumstance was noticed in the later hatches which seems 

 worthy of record for it suggests a difference in the prepotency of 

 the hens in the two lots. The hens used were thoroughbred S. 

 Combed W. Leghorns and the cockerels were pure W. Wyandottes. 

 From Lot XXI almost exactly one-half of the number of chicks 

 hatched (52 per ct.) had the single comb characteristic of the 

 female parent, while all the chicks from Lot XXII had the rose 

 comb characteristic of the male parent. Unfortunately these ob- 

 sen^ations were limited and apply only to about eighty chicks of the 

 later hatches as the opportunity was lost for observing the chicks 

 of the earlier hatches. 



No difference in the vigor of the chicks from the two lots while 

 gromng was observed. 



SUMMAHIZED DATA. 



With every lot of chicks in the first series (Lots II, IV, VI, 

 Vm and X) having a ration wholly of vegetable origin more 

 food was required to produce a pound gain than by the contrasted 

 lot (Lots I, III, V, VII, IX). On the average for the ten lots 

 about 23 per ct. more food was required. 



The two lots of laying hens, XVIII and XX, required on the 

 average about 23 per ct. more food for each pound of eggs pro- 

 duced than did Lots XVII and XIX having animal food. 



Lot B of ducklings required about 2.3 times as much food for 

 each pound gain in weight as did Lot A having the unchanged 

 ration containing animal food. 



Every lot of chicks in the second series (Lots XI, XIII and 

 XV) having a ration containing animal food required more food 



