ANIMAL PRODUCTION. 473 



Of the total number of eggs laid, 91,115, 76.46 per cent graded as large, 

 weighing over 2 oz., 23.43 per cent as medium, weighing from li to 2 oz., and 

 0.11 per cent as small, weighing under 1^ oz. 



Of the 554 hens examined as to weight it was found that the light and 

 medium birds proved themselves more pi'olific than the heavier types. 



The real money in eggs, H. A. Roberts {Country Gent., 79 (191 Jf), No. 7, 

 pp. S16. 317). — A flnaiuinl account of a 2.(XM)-hen plant, having a total invest- 

 ment of $10,000. Pure-bred and high-grade White Leghorns are used. The 

 average yearly egg production claimed is 144 eggs, the feed cost per hen per 

 year $1.54. and all other expenses $1.06, making a total of $2.60, or 2I9 cts. 

 per dozen of eggs. The average net price received was 36 cts. per dozen, thus 

 making a profit of $L72. The manure was valued at 25 cts. per hen, making 

 the total yearly iiroflt per hen $1.97. 



The availability of the nitrogen of cotton-seed meal and of beef scrap for 

 chicks, B. L. Hartwei.l and E. A. Lichtenthaeler {Rhode Island Sta. Bui. 

 156 (19U), pp. 219-282, pis. 2, fig. i).— This bulletin contains the results of eight 

 experiments which conclude the study previously noted (E. S. R., 25, p. 676) of 

 the value of different protein concentrates in the growth of chicks. A com- 

 I)arison was made of the two protein concentrates, beef scrap and cotton-seed 

 meal, both being fed on an equal nitrogen basis. 



A pepsin-pancreatin extract made from one of the lots of cotton-seed meal 

 had no harmful effect upon rabbits and hens to which it was fed. The basal 

 ration in these experiments was so deficient in protein that a considerable 

 amount of this ingredient could be added in the concentrates without supply- 

 ing enough for the maximum growth of the chicks. Hence under these condi- 

 tions the amount of protein was the main factor in growth, and since the non- 

 protein constituents of the feeds were usually in such liber:il amounts the pro- 

 tein was probably mainly efficient as a source of nitrogen rather than as a 

 source of energy. 



It was demonstrated that for the growth of young chicks it is more im- 

 portant within reasonable limits for the amouut of protein to be sufficient than 

 that it be associated with a definite proportion of carbohydrates and fat, or in 

 other words that there be a definite nutritive ratio. Analyses of the cooked por- 

 tions of chicks showed that between the ages of about 4 to 15 weeks the chicks 

 retained about 18 per cent of the nitrogen consumed during that period in the 

 medium protein rations, in which case there was no unnecessary waste of 

 nitrogen. In the majority of cases there was a larger gain in live weight per 

 gram of nitrogen fed in case of the beef scrap than the cotton-seed meal lots, 

 but this is not deemed significant under the conditions. 



It is concluded that if " the constituents of bone are supplied, there appears 

 to be no reason why cotton-seed meal n)ay not be used to furnish a considerable 

 portion of the protein required by chicks, especially if a moderate consump- 

 tion of food is satisfactory to the feeder. If the most rapid growth is desired, 

 !"egardless of the amount of feed consumed, beef scrap will be found more 

 satisfactory since the chicks consumed more of the beef-scrap ration when 

 allowed to have all they would eat and made a more rapid growth in conse- 

 quence. When limited to the same amount of nitrogen, however, the gains 

 were not very different whether cotton-seed meal or beef scrap formed a promi- 

 nent part of the rations." 



Rich-colored yolks, C. L. Opperman {Country Gent., 79 (1914), No. 9, pp. 

 432, 433, fig. 1). — Three lots of 40 white Leghorn hens each were fed as follows : 

 Lot 1, yellow corn, bran, gluten meal, beef scrap, 9:6:4:2; lot 2, wheat, bran, 

 wheat meal, beef scrap, 9:6:4:2; and lot 3. wheat, yellow corn, bran, wheat 

 meal, gluten meal, beef scrap, 4^ : 4| : 6 : 2 : 2 : 2. In this test all eggs from pen 



