285 



EXPERIMENTAL FARMS 



2 GEORGE V., A. 1912 

 EXPERIMENTAL WORK OF THE YEAR. 



The experimental work of the year commenced on the close of the fiscal year 

 March 31, 1910, when the following breeding pens were made up, viz. : — 



Pen 



No. 



Varieties. 



16 

 18 



20 

 26 



32 



33 

 34 

 35 

 36 



House No. 1. 



White Plymouth Rocks 



ii ii H 



ii Leghorns 



Males. 



Females. 



House No. "2. 



White Leghorns , 



Barred Plymouth Rocks . 



House No. 3. 



Buff Orpingtons. 

 Black Minorca-;. 



Unhealed — Cotton Front House. 



Buff Orpingtons 



Other Unheatcd Houses. 



White Wyandottes 



Barred Plymouth Rooks. 



1 cock . . . 

 1 cockerel. 

 1 cock .... 

 1 ■. 



1 .. .... 



1 cockerel. 



1 cock. 

 1 „ 



White Wyandottes 



1 cockerel. 



1 



1 cock .... 



1 ,. .... 



1-1 hens. 



13 pullets. 

 28 hens. 



14 pullets. 



hens and pullets. 

 5 pullets. 



15 hens and pullets. 



22 hens. 



21 ii 



29 ., 



28 pullets. 

 20 



EGGS SOLD FOR HATCHING PURPOSES. 



As in the springtime of previous years, there was a greater demand for eggs for 

 hatching than could be supplied. In many instances, eggs were doubtless purchased 

 by farmers, but the great majority of orders were not received from them. It is to be 

 regretted that such should be the case, for the eggs sold from the carefully mated 

 breeding stock to be found in our Division, and the extremely moderate price placed 

 on them, viz. : one dollar per setting, offer exceptional advantages for procuring pure 

 .bred foundation stock. 



NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL INCUBATION. 



The following table shows the results of hatching eggs by hen and by incubator. 

 A strong point in favour of the incubator is that it is always ready and affords oppor- 

 tunity for the early hatching of chickens where it is desirable and convenient to do 

 so. The hen is not apt to prove an early sitter unless she has been a steady wiute] 

 layer. If she begins to lay only in springtime, she is apt to lay her full quota of eggs 

 before exhibiting the broody instinct, and that is usually too late in the season to have 

 early chicks of the heavier varieties, such as Plymouth Rocks, Wyandottes, etc. Thp 

 moral is obvious to those who prefer to use the hen as an early hatching medium, and 

 that is, to have her a steady layer during winter. The fact that eggs are usually of the 

 highest value during the winter season is another strong reason why farmers should 

 have their hens laying during that period. Some interesting particulars in regard to 

 hatching operations will be found in the following table : — 



