222 



EXPERIMENTAL FAmrS 



2-3 EDWARD Vll., A. 1903 



It is quite possible that the cost per pound of increase would have been somewhat 

 lower in the case of the White Wyandottes if the test could have been made with two- 

 months old birds, as in the other pens. 



The White Indian Game, generally speaking, is small and can scarcely be con- 

 sidered a marketable table bird, though they have the good quality of putting flesh on 

 the breast, and further, the meat is much esteemed for its flavour by some. It was for 

 these reasons that they found a place in this experiment. 



WHOLE versus finely ground GRAm. 



To ascertain the comparative values of whole grain and meal — the composition of the 



ration being the same in both cases. 



This experiment was conducted with two sets (6 in each) of Barred Plymouth Rock 

 cockerels all of which were of the same age, about twelve weeks old at the commence- 

 ment of the test. The special feeding trial lasted six weeks. Pens with runs as already 

 described were used. The ration for both lots of chickens consisted of : — 



Oats 4 parts ") 



Barley 3 " > Protein ratio 



Meat meal 1 " ) 1:3-94 



Skim-milk 



For one set of chickens the oats and barley were fed whole ; for the other set 

 these grains were first finely ground. The same amount of skim-milk was fed to 

 each pen, being used in making the mash in the case of the birds fed on ground meal, 

 and given as a drink to the chickens getting the whole grain ration. 



Table III. — Whole vs. Finely ground Grain, with Barred Plymouth Rocks. 



Though individualism or variation among the members of a pen in thrift is to be 

 observed here as in all other experiments, the difference in favour of the ground feed is 

 well marked. The two last columns of Table III. (gains in six weeks and average "-ain 

 per chicken per week) furnish emphatic and readily understood data, on this point. 



