296 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



poultry, breeds and strains, the local price for eggs, and other conditions affecting 

 poultry raising are spoken of, and brief notes are given regarding the experimental 

 work of the poultry department, the rations fed, and the results of incubator tests, 

 as well as data regarding the number of eggs laid during the year and the stock kept 

 at the station poultry farm. The information gained in connection with testing and 

 hatching eggs laid during the cold season is summarized as follows: 



"The generous and gently stimulating rations given to the fowls kept in cold 

 houses did not seem to affect the strength of the germs of the eggs laid by them, as 

 similar rations apparently did in the case of the hens kept in artificially warmed 

 quarters. 



"Eggs laid in early December by the hens in artificially warmed houses showed a 

 greater percentage of strong germs than did eggs laid by them later in the season. 



"Eggs laid by the same hens in early spring showed a satisfactory percentage of 

 fertility, but the weakest germs. 



"The most striking and gratifying results were obtained from the fowls which, 

 like their parent stock, had never known warm quarters. From 55 eggs laid by 

 these fowls in early spring — after laying well during the winter — 48 strong chickens 

 were hatched. In contrast with this are 17 chickens from 52 eggs laid by hens kept 

 in warmed but comparatively limited quarters. 



' ' Results were strongly in favor of the average farm conditions. ' ' 



Poultry, R. Robertson, S. A. Bedford, and A. Mackay ( Canada E.vpt. Farms 

 Rjjts. 1903, pp. 296, 337, 338, 394). — At the Manitoba farm 4 Barred Plymouth Rock 

 cockrels fed in pens a mixture of equal parts of finely ground wheat, barley, and 

 oats, mixed to a thin porridge with skim milk, gained 5 lbs. 8 oz. in 28 days, the 

 cost of a pound of live weight being 4 cts. Four Wyandotte cockrels fed the same 

 ration under the same conditions gained 4 lbs., the cost of a pound of live weight 

 being 5.25 cts. 



Brief statements are also made regarding the work of the poultry department at 

 the Maritime Provinces, Manitoba, and Indian Head experimental farms. 



The poultry industry {Maine Dept. Agr. Bui., 3 {1904), No. 2, pp. 55-81).— This 

 bulletin includes popular articles which have to dp with poultry raising and data 

 regarding the present condition of the poultry industry in Maine. 



A representative English poultry plant {Reliable Poultry Jour., 11 {1904), No. 

 6, pp. 631-635, figs. 5). — A descriptive article which discusses among other topics the 

 sale of day-old chicks and so-called live eggs — that is, incubated eggs — which exami- 

 nation has shown contain live chickens within 3 days of hatching. 



Experiments in chicken fattening, F. T. Shutt {Canada Expt. Farms Rjrts. 

 1903, pp. 256-260). — The relative merits of fattening chickens in pens and crates was 

 studied with 4 lots of 6 chickens each. In the case of the 2 lots fed in pens the 

 average gain per chicken in the 4 weeks covered by the test was 1 lb. 9.33 oz. and 2 

 lbs. 4.5 oz., the cost of a pound of gain being 6.7 cts. and 5.3 cts., respectively. 



In the case of the lots fed in crates the average gain per chicken was 1 lb. 9.66 oz. 

 and 2 lbs. 2.33 oz., the cost of a pound of gain being 6.2 cts. and 5.6 cts. The pro- 

 portion of edible and nonedible portions in the dressed chickens was recorded in 

 both cases, the proportion of dressed carcass being the larger in the case of the 

 chickens fed in crates, while the flesh of the pen-fed birds, it is stated, was slightly 

 the yellower. 



The results of the present test, it is noted, are apparently contradictory to those 

 previously obtained (E. S. R., 15, p. 176). "It is possible that the more favorable 

 temperature for the crated birds this season was the predominating factor in altering 

 the relative economy of the two systems of feeding. The question of temperature 

 appears to be one well worthy of further investigation." 



The relative value of all grain and grain-and-meat rations was studied with 2 lots 

 each containing 5 Barred Plymouth Rock cockrels, the ration of the former lot being 



