668 EXPERIMENT STATION BECORD. 



Potato-fed swine compared favorably with corn-fed and barley-fwl swine. It is 

 suggested that the potato ration be supplemented with an allowance of lime. , 



Horse-feeding- experiments, It. W. Clark {Montana Hta. Bui. 95 {191S), pp. 

 57-66). — In experiments to determine the amount and kind of hay to feed 

 horses it was found that " the horses that received the smaller amount of hay 

 (two-thirds as much as they would have eaten) had more life and sweat less 

 than those that wei'e unlimited in their hay. Clover hay proved as (satisfactory 

 as timothy hay when not more than 1 lb. per day for every 100 lbs. of live 

 weight was fed. Horses doing light work can be carried through the winter 

 on 0.75 11). of hay and 0.5 lb. of grain per 100 lbs. live weight per day. Early 

 cut timothy hay was relished more and eaten in larger quantities than late cut 

 timothy hay." 



A continued study of constitutional vigor in poultry, C. A. Kooebs (New 

 York Conicll 8ta. Bui. 3-'io (JOl-'i), pp. .'i3[)-'i51, figs. /,).— -In continuing work 

 previously noted (E. S. R., 28. p. 307), two pens of yearling hens and four pens 

 of pullets. White Leghorns, were .studied. The yearling hens had participated 

 in the previous expei-iment, while the pullets were the progeny of earlier lots. 



The conclusions coiifirm those of the earlier studies. Among the i»ullets the 

 strong flfx'ks consumed more feed than the weak flocks, but produced more eggs. 

 Tlie reverse was true of the yearling hens, probably due to the presence of sev- 

 eral exceptional layers in the weak flock. The consumption of ground grain 

 and meat scrap was in favor of the flocks that produced the largest number of 

 eggs. The heaviest-producing flocks consumed a larger amount of feed, a lower 

 proportion of carbohydrates and fat to total dry matter consumed, and a higher 

 proportion of protein to carlwhydrates and fat consumed than did the others. 

 In genei'al the cost of eggs for each dozen eggs laid was less for the strong 

 than for the weak flocks. As to the number of pounds of feed consumed for 

 each dozen eggs laid, the heavier the laying the less was the consumption, 

 with one exception. 



The fertility of the eggs in all pens was high, but the percentage of eggs 

 hatched was variable. In the weight of eggs set there was not much difference 

 between the strong and the weak flocks or between the yearling hens and 

 pullets. In general the mortality among the chicks varied in proiwrtion to the 

 size of the hatch. In each comparison the eggs that hatched better produced 

 a larger proportion of chickens that lived beyond the critical period of the 

 first six Avceks. In general the advantage in low mortality was with the strong 

 flocks. From a financial standpoint the balance profit in the case of the pullets 

 was decidedly in favor of the strong flocks, but in favor of the weak flocks in the 

 case of the yearling hens, which was an exceptional flock throughout the study. 



In summarizing all flocks, including those of early studies and comparing 

 the averages of the strong with the Aveak. it is noted that the number of pounds 

 of dry matter consumed per pound of live weight averaged the same for both 

 the strong and the weak floc-ks. The strong fowls required, however, only 7.68 

 lbs. of feed for every dozen eggs laid, while the weak flocks required 8.46 lbs. 

 of feed, and difference in cost of production was nearly 1 ct. a dozen in favor 

 of the strong flocks. The strong flocks produced an average of 17.75 more eggs 

 per hen than the weak, and the actual difference in profit amounted to 40 cts. 

 a hen in favor of the strong hens. There was little difference in the hatching 

 record, but a difference of 1.4 per cent mortality in favor of the strong pens. 



From these results the advantages of selection of fowls are deemed evident 

 It is suggested that one selection only " is not sufficient to keep a flock con- 

 sistently superior. The selection of mature pullets is of more value than that 

 of partly grown chickens. Selection at the beginning of the second year is of 

 equal Importance with that in the first year. The heavier-laying hen is not 



