BUREAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY. 85 



POULTRY INVESTIGATIONS. 



POULTRY BEEEDING. 



In the poultry breeding experiments at Beltsville hens of the fol- 

 lowing varieties are being trap-nested so as to keep records of pedi- 

 grees and of individual egg production : White Leghorns, Buff Leg- 

 horns, White Plymouth Eocks, Barred Plymouth Rocks, Rhode 

 Island Reds, White Wyandottes, cross-bred hens, and mongrel farm 

 hens. Of these a few hens are being trapped for their third year, a 

 considerably larger number for their second year, and over 300 for 

 their first year. During the spring about 70 matings were made, with 

 the idea not only of carrying on the lines of breeding already started 

 but also of trying new combinations for the purpose of increasing 

 egg production and fixing, if possible, high fecundity in certain 

 strains. These efforts have been mainly along the lines of concentra- 

 tion of the blood of some of the better producing lines and indi- 

 viduals, selection on the basis of performance only, and selection 

 based on early production. In addition studies are being made of the 

 effects of mating birds of poor production. In connection with breed- 

 ing for egg production, the compilation of data regarding the be- 

 havior of certain characters in inheritance and of certain factors 

 associated with egg production is being continued. 



A line of work has been undertaken in which typical farm mongrel 

 pullets are being mated to pure-bred White and Barred Plymouth 

 Rock males for the purpose of seeing what can be accomplished in 

 the way of grading up the mongrel flock to greater uniformity in 

 both appearance and product. The effect upon egg production of 

 this system of grading up is also being studied. 



About 1,000 chickens from the various matings are being reared 

 with which to continue the lines of breeding already undertaken. 

 Weekly weights of some of the growing chickens of the different 

 breeds are being kept for the purpose of comparing the rate of 

 growth and of establishing some basis as to what constitutes normal 

 growth. 



Decided progress has been made during the year in the cross- 

 breeding work. Quite a number of chickens hate been obtained 

 showing good white plumage, yellow legs, four toes, and solid red 

 ear lobes. Some of these individuals approach closely to the type 

 desired. 



COMMUNITY BREEDING OF POULTRY. 



The community poultry-breeding efforts which were started last 

 year have met with much favor. In 1915 this work was carried on in 

 only one State (Virginia) at three points, with approximately 100 

 members. At the close of the fiscal year community poultry-breeding 

 centers existed in three States (Virginia, Kentucky, and Tennessee) 

 at 18 points, with 389 members. The general idea is for the poultry- 

 club members of a community to select and keep only one breed or 

 variety of chickens, for the purpose of making the poultry products 

 of that locality more uniform in character, strengthening the com- 

 mon interests of the poultry keepers, and enhancing the reputation 

 of the community as a poultry center. In most cases the Barred 



