518 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE Off. Doc. 



A small brick building, ID by 25 feet, having a hollow wall, cement 

 floor, and steel ceiling has been constructed, which will undoubtedly 

 meet the requirements, for the present at least. 



In addition, two poultry houses have been constructed, each 12 by 

 20 feet and divided into two pens, each pen having a capacity of 

 from 12 to 20 fowls, making in all winter houses that will accommo- 

 date from 150 to 160 fowls. The new poultry houses are furnished 

 with scratching sheds and will be furnished with an adequate yard 

 or run for each pen. Until the present time the Experiment Station 

 has had no interest in the fowls maintained by the College, and no 

 attempt has been made to use fowls in any extended way for experi- 

 mentation, the poultry being maintained by the College wholly for 

 educational purposes. Each year, both the four year students and 

 the students in the Short Courses in Agriculture, have been given 

 from 25 to 30 lectures covering the various phases of the poultry in- 

 dustry. During the time these lectures were given they have been 

 supplemented by practical work in judging fowls, both by comparison 

 and by means of the score card. 



It is thought best to use the fowls that are now to be placed in 

 charge of the Experiment Station for educational purposes as far as 

 they may be used without interfering in any way with experiments 

 that may be in progress. 



It is hoped that in the near future some questions of incubation 

 may be taken up for thorough and comprehensive investigation, 

 which will envolve not only close attention of the practical poultry- 

 man but of the competent Biologist. While aside from the many 

 questions pertaining to incubation and the development of the vari- 

 ous classes of fowls, it is thought that many experiments pertaining 

 to breeding and feeding may be carried on at some time. 



It is now proposed to begin series of experiments on some lines 

 of poultry work that are of sufficient importance to warrant the ex- 

 penditure of considerable time and sufficient money to properly con- 

 duct the investigation. One on the line of investigation, which will 

 be taken up in the near future, possibly at once in the department, if 

 possible, is the comparative development of the young of the various 

 classes of fowls. It is to be hoped that several breeds of each class 

 may be used, in order that the average may be taken as a fair repre- 

 sentative of the class. These comparative developments are hoped 

 to include not only total live weights, but the production of flesh 

 and skeleton, both from the standpoint of total weight and economy 

 of production. 



We are sure that the work which is now made possible by the erec- 

 tion of the houses and yards already alluded to, are only the begin- 

 ning of a work of vast importance to the poultry interests at large. 



Another important experiment is being worked out within 25 miles 

 of Philadelphia, one to the west and one to the south, by which it is 

 proposed to keep and winter in open sheds facing the south, fowls 

 in a working condition. One shed is 70 feet long by 12 feet wide; 

 holding 70 chickens with no protection at all in front. The other 

 shed is 150 feet long, same width; holding 200 hens with a hinged 

 canvas windows, which is lowered at night. From both of these quar- 

 ters the number of eggs gathered has been far above the average, 

 and all the stock is strong and healthy. The winter, owing to the 

 mild weather, has not as yet proven the advisability of so radical a 



