No. 7. DEPARTMENT OF Ai&RICULTURE. ' 315 



cost is mauv times greater than their real value. We prefer to 

 compound our own feeding stuff and save money thereby. 



The loose condition of the bowels, resulting from high feeding, can 

 be corrected by the use of charcoal. Charred corn is ideal. Make 

 it black. This applies with special force in winter feeding. 



Whether it pays to feed for winter eggs is a debatable question. 

 While we have had success along this line, we question whether it 

 is, -on the whole, profitable or advisable to follow up the work. 

 We find more clear gain at 15 to 18 cents during warmer months 

 than at double these prices during the winter season. Hens forced 

 during the winter will lay less eggs during the warm season. 



To produce winter eggs, the hens must have warm quarters and 

 plenty of room. These things, together with the costly feeds and 

 the ceaseless round of labor, tend to make the profit from winter 

 eggs small, especially with large flocks. Recent experiments at 

 some of the stations confirm these opinions. Our present method 

 is to select, at the approach of winter, a few of the more promising 

 birds as winter layers, giving them the best of attention, while 

 the remainder are carried through the cold weather as cheaply 

 as it is consistent with their comfort and health, having them in con- 

 dition to be forced to their fullest capacity during the warm season. 

 The winter care, if eggs are the object, should approach, as nearly as 

 possible, summer conditions. Much more feed is required to main- 

 tain the hens during cold weather, and it is often difficult to induce 

 the hens to consume enough extra feed to produce eggs. Variety 

 is essential. Plent}^ of animal meal or beef scraps, various by- 

 product feeding stuffs, corn, wheat, oats, especially cooked wheat 

 and oats, green vegetables (table beets are best), warm water or 

 milk, grit for fowls and keepers, some exercise, a lot of "gumption," 

 all used in combination with patient effort, brings eggs in winter. 

 We have conducted some experiments in forcing an early moult, 

 and conclude the practice is unprofitable. While we succeeded in 

 moulting the hens at the time desired, the hens thus treated laid 

 no more eggs than those untreated, and we lost the eggs the treated 

 hens would have laid during August and September. Plenty of 

 oyster shells, where the hens have access to them, insure good shells 

 on the eggs. 



Getting the best prices for the eggs produced is another part of 

 the subject. 



The CHAIRMAN: The next thing in order on the program is by 

 Mr. R. D. Barclay, on "Bee-Keeping." 



The following synopsis was presented: 



