288 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE Off. Doc. 



the number of eggs used iu each one; also the percentage of fertile 

 eggs in each group, and the percentage of chickens hatched in each 

 group. Notice that we get our best results ordinarily (with just 

 one bare exception) in the percentage of fertile eggs that are laid 

 by birds that are of medium to high production rather than with the 

 birds that are either excessively high or excessively low producers. 

 It would appear, therefore, from these data and other observations, 

 that birds of low vitality do not give us good fertility or good hatch- 

 ing power because they are likely to be weak physically during the 

 breeding season. It would appear that birds of exceptionally high 

 egg yield failed to give us good fertility and hatching power because 

 they have weakened themselves by heavy laying. In one case we did 

 Hot get our good results because we had good hens that outdid them- 

 selves, and in the other instance because we had poor hens that were 

 physically weak. 



The next few slides will deal with some remarkable hens that have 

 been discoverd rather than produced, as a result qf our trap-nest ex- 

 periments. I hope to make the point clear, that in discussing these 

 very high producing birds, that you should not give us any particular 

 credit for it except as regards proper care, because, iu my humble 

 judgment, there are thousands of birds in this country exactly as 

 good as the ones here shown, only they have never been discovered. 

 They are in the flocks and doing the work; but it needs the trap nest 

 to bring them to the surface. There is a little hen (Fig. 10) that 

 laid 257 eggs weighing 29 pounds. She ate practically 110 pounds 

 of feed and gave us 72 pounds of voidiugs and laid iu one year's time, 

 over five dollars worth of eggs at market prices. That bird (Lady Cor- 

 nell) is one that ought to be perpetuated. These three birds are 

 the most valuable fowls that v/e have discovered in the flocks. They 

 are on their sixth year record. Some of these died in their fifth 

 year; but we have others of the same general group that are still 

 with us. This bird (Cornell Supreme), the best one of the lot, 

 laid 665 eggs in three years' time and laid 225 eggs in her third 

 year. These birds that died, apparently did so not because of any 

 physical breakdown, so far as we could see. Cornell Supreme 

 laid an egg the day she died. She suffocated during an excep- 

 tionally hot spell on a very sultry day two years ago, apparently 

 when in the very best of health. Look carefully at the type of those 

 three high producing birds. They are alike. I don't believe that it is 

 possible to absolutely pick out an egg type fowl and say that this 

 bird is or is not purely on account of its shape a high producer. I 

 am a firm believer in certain physical characters, as indicating pro- 

 duction. At the same time there is something inborn in the 

 bird tliat does not always necessarily show in shape, tliat deter- 

 mines her high producing power. 



