104 ANNUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



'I'lie work of ostal)lishin<r a new breed is progressing satisfactorily. 

 The white phiniage and yo^o^Y logs and skin are now well established. 

 The four toes aie also (luite lirmly established, as less than 5 per 

 cent of the chicks show live toes. The ear lobe is not yet definitely 

 fixed, altliough ch)se to ;")() per cent of the birds of this year's hatch 

 show Solid rod lobos. There is still a considerable variation in type, 

 but greater uniformity is shown each year. 



In the experiments in grading up mongrel flocks by the continued 

 use of puiobrod males the fourth generation has been produced. The 

 Barrccl IMynioutli Ivock grades all show good uiiiforni liarrod Rock 

 color and are quite uniform in type. The*White Plymouth Rock 

 grades do not all show pure white, although a large proportion of 

 them shoAv typical White Plymouth Rock type and color. A gain 

 of more than 2 pounds a head over the original mongrel weight has 

 beeii obtained. 



PUKSKKVlNd EGCiS. 



Kxperiments in pre^ierving eggs have been conducted in the last 

 two years, testing different strength solutions of water glass, lime- 

 water, and various commercial preparations. The best and most 

 .economical results have been obtained by using 1 part of w\ater 

 glass to !) parts of water. Just as good results have been obtained 

 with limewater as with water glass, and in many sections limew^ater 

 is much less expensive. When salt was used with the limewater the 

 results were about the same as without the salt, shoAving no advant- 

 age in using salt. None of the commercial preparations, all of which 

 -called for smearing the eggs with the preparation, gave results that 

 were at all satisfactory. When the water-glass and limewater solu- 

 tions w^ere kept over and used )>igain for the second year the eggs 

 kept comparatively well, but not so vvell as in fresh solution. In 

 .most cases the old solutions were not in good enough condition to use 

 again after they had been kept one year. Under usual conditions it 

 does not appear advisable to use the water-glass or limewater solu- 

 tion again for the second year. 



In testing containers the best results were obtained with stone 

 crocks, but the water-glass solution was perfectly satisfactory in well- 

 galvanized i-ecoptaclos, such as garl)age cans or ash cans. Limew^ater 

 corroded the galvanized rece])tacles and gave satisfactory results 

 only in the earthenware crocks. Wooden kegs and other wooden 

 containers did not give satisfactory results with any of the solutions. 



The interest in j^reserving eggs has been very marked during the 

 last two years, and a very large number of leaflets giving directions 

 for preserving eggs have been distributed, indicating that a great 

 many families are preserving eggs for home use to help keep down 

 the cost of living. 



SOUTHWESTERN POULTRY INVESTIGATIONS. 



The work with ostriches at the branch experiment station at Glen- 

 dale, Ariz., has been continued, but on account of the limited interest 

 in ostrich-feather production this work has not been extended. 



Trap-nest and pedigree work with chickens is being carried on at 

 Olendale with stock from Beltsville. Information on the hatching. 



