172 Journal of the Department op Agriculture. 



EGG LAYING COMPETITION. 



Report on the Second Egg-Laying Competition held at 

 the School of Agriculture, Cedara, Natal, 22nd 

 April, 1918, to 21st April, 1919. 



By T. B. Cross, Poultry Instructor. 



The second egg-laying competition, open to breeders of pure-bred 

 poultry residing in South Africa, commenced on 22nd xlpril, 1918, 

 and terminated on the 21st April, 1919. 



Site, etc. — The site, houses, and runs were exactly the same as 

 those in use in the first egg-laying competition held at Cedara in 

 1917-1918, a full description of which is giA'en in Ikilletin (Local 

 Series) No. 70, obtainable from the Librarian, Department of Agri- 

 culture, Pretoria, at Id. per copy. 



Entries. — Twenty competitors made entries of twenty-four pens, 

 each pen containing five birds. 



The competing pens consisted of : — 

 15 pens of White Leghorns. 



4 pens of White Wyandottes. 



1 pen of Anconas. 



1 pen of Black Leghorns. 



1 pen of Barred Plymouth Eocks. 



1 pen of Black Orpingtons. 



1 pen of White Orpingtons. 



With the exception of three pens of White Leghorns from the 

 Transvaal, all entries were from competitors residing in Natal. 



Generally speaking, the quality of the competing birds was not 

 nearly so good as in the previous competition ; many immature birds 

 were entered, and several did not lay for the first three months of 

 the competition. 



In the heavy breeds, particularly Black Orpingtons, birds of 

 exhibition iy\)e were included in the pen and consequently did poorly. 



The moult commenced early and was very prolonged ; this maj' 

 have been influenced by the extremely bad hatching season 

 experienced the previous year, hence the poor average records. The 

 weather during the competition was normal for the locality ; the 

 climate at Cedara is very changeable, and in summer hot days are 

 invariably followed by cold misty nights, which certainly does not 

 tend to stimulate egg-production. 



The conditions governing the competition were similar to those 

 in the former contest, viz., from the commencement of the competi- 

 tion only 2-02. eggs being accepted, but If to 2 oz. eggs were recorded. 



Feeding Menu. — The feeding menu was similar to that of the 

 first competition, wet mash being fed in the morning, green food at 

 noon, and grain in the afternoon ; flint grit, oyster-shell, and vegetable 



