506 



beets was tbe iiiii)ortaiit dill'eieiicc between the two crops in this 

 experiment. 

 The effect on fowls of initkogenous and carbonaceous 



RATIONS, I. P. EOEEKTS, M. AGE., AND J. E. lIlCE, B. S. (pp. IG'2-IGO, 



iUiLStratcd). — On July 2, 1889, 10 Plymouth Kock bens, 1 year okl, and 

 as nearly as possible of uniform size, were selected from a tlock of 35. 

 At tlie same time 10 chickens, hatched from the same hens mated with 

 a Plymouth Itock cock, were similarly chosen. The chickens were 

 about G weeks okl, healthy and vigorous and of nearly the same size. 



After a preliminary feeding trial of 25 days the hens and chickens 

 were each 8ei»arated into two lots of 5 each and wore fed 125 days. 

 Lot 1 of both hens and chickens were fed a nitrogenor.s ration consist- 

 ing of one third part wheat bran* one third part wheat shorts, one third 

 part cotton-seed meal, and 2 parts skim-milk. Lot 2 were fed a 

 carbonaceous ration of cracked -corn and corn dough. Both lots 

 were given a small amouut of green clover as long as it lasted, and 

 afterward cabbage. The details of the experiment are given iu notes 

 aud tables. 



Etjgs laid and gain in ireiyht — 7ie«s. 



Lot T. — Nitiogoniiiis . .. 

 Lot II. — Ciii l)uu;u;i oiia . 



Live wi'i^rlit. 



July 26. 



Powids. 

 23. 53 

 2.3. fiC 



Nov. 27. 



Pounds. 

 2L31 

 22.00 



Lo.ss. 



PoinuU. 

 2. 22 

 L55 



No. of 

 effjrs laid. 



Wcifcht 



of cgnx 



laid. 



Pounds. 

 8.25 

 2. 'j2 



Average 

 weiglitof 



Ounces. 

 L67 

 1.80 



Gain ill 



■weisflit, 



iucludiui' 



Poundg 

 C. 03 

 1.3() 



Gain in live wcifjht— chickens. 



It will tliiis be seen tb;it while both lots of hens lost weight during the expeiinieut, 

 the loss was slightly greater with those fed nitrogenous food, but these produced by 

 far the most eggs. 



The chickens fed on nitrogenous food just abotit doubled iu weight, while those 

 fed carbonaceous food only added about one third to their weight. » * * 



At the end of the exjierinient little difference could be secu iu the hens of the two 

 groups, but the two lots of chickens were iu striking contrast. While the chickens 

 fed on nitrogenous food were large, iilump, healthy, active, aud well feathered, the 

 chickens fed on a carbonaceous ration were iu general utuch smaller, sickly, aud iu 

 several cases almost destitute of feathers. Two of them had perfectly bare backs 

 aud so ravenous were they for llesh aiul blood that they began eating one another. 



The eggs laid by the nitrogenous-fed hens were of small ^ize, having a disagreeable 

 flavor and smell, watery albumen, an especially small, dark-colored yolk, with a, 

 tender vitelline membrane, which turned black after being kept several weeks, while 

 the eggs of the carbonaceous-fed hens were large, of fine flavor, of natural smidl. 



