FOODS ANIMAL PRODUCTION. 467 



" (6) The laying stock slionkl have access to barn, shed, or stable to scratch in 

 wjienever circumstances permit. 



"(7) The nest boxes must be so arranged that they will be dark and not too easy 

 to get to. 



"(8) The more limited the quarters the greater the necessity of exercise. 



"(9) The more natural the conditions under which the layers are kept during the 

 close season the better lor them, the more profitable the result. 



" [In regard to the production of eggs] the experience of last and previous winters 

 confirms what has been written in previous reports, viz: 



"(1) Pullets should be hatched out as early as possible. 



" (2) The laying stock sliouldbe young,, and birds of the same age should be in the 

 one pen. 



"(3) A warm or comfortable house is more economical in tlie long run than a cold one. 



"(4) What will go into eggs in the pullets will make the hens of the heavy 

 breeds too fat to lay. 



"(5) The laying stock require amj)le room." 



The breeds whicli did the best during the cold season were the 

 Plymouth Eocks, Black Miuorcas, Andulusiaus, Red Caps, and White 

 Leghorns. 



" [For growing chicks] a splendid mash was found to be shorts, corn meal, bran, 

 bone meal, and bread and table scraps from the houses of the farm, the wliole being 

 mixed up with boiling milk or water. Where milk is in abundant sujjply it will be 

 found one of the best foods for the growing chicks or the laying hens. 



"The most rapid growth was made by a White Plymouth Rock which, hatched on 

 May 20, weighed on October 21 following 6 lbs., representing a deveJopment of 19 oz. 

 per month. This gain may not represent that made m the first month after hatching, 

 but it was subsequently made up. 



"The next best growth was made by a cross of the Langshan — Black Minorca 

 breeds, the Langshan male being used. This cockerel was hatched on May 11 

 and weighed on October 21 5 lbs. 15 oz. The Barred Plymouth Rocks came next, 

 closely followed by the Wyandottes, both White and Silver-Laced. In some cases 

 the weights were the same. 



"The White and Silver-Laced Wyandottes made about the same progress. Both 

 rej)resent a development of 1 lb. per mouth, taking the heaviest weights." 



Egg fertility {Agl. Student, 1 [ISOi), No. 1, pp. 0, 7). — On the farm of 

 the Ohio State University 40 Leghorn hens, which had previously been 

 kept without males, were placed in pens with 3 male birds February 

 18, and the j)ercentage of fertile eggs observed for 9 days after mating. 

 This increased regularly from on the day of mating to 95 per cent, on 

 the eighth day after mating. July 1 the males were removed from the 

 jiens. " The fertility of the eggs was apparently not materially affected 

 until the twelfth day after removing the roosters. . . . Unfortunately 

 the eggs were only saved 15 days, and hence it is not shown how long 

 hens must be removed from the male before all the eggs become 

 infertile." 



Some chemical consideratious [in regard to feeding], J H. Shepard (South 

 Dakofa Sta. Bui. 40, pp. l')-2-'t). — An exphiuatioii of the scientific jjrinciples of feed- 

 ing, tables of composition and digestibility of feeding stufis and feeding standards, 

 and directions for compounding rations. 



On the nutritive value of Graham bread, Bardet {Pharm ZUj., .39, p. 5.5.3; abs. 

 in Chem. Centbl., 1S94, II, Xo. iJ, p. 502). — Regards it as a suitable substitute for 



