> 
04 TWENTY-FIFTH ANNIVERSARY REPORT. 
same contrasted rations the eggs showed no difference in percentage 
of fertility; but there were fewer weak germs in the eggs and more 
chicks hatched from tested eggs from the hens fed animal food. 
No general differences appeared in the size attained by the chicks 
hatched from the contrasted lots nor in vigor of the growing 
chicks. 
Little or no difference in nutritive value of the eggs was indicated 
by chemical analysis. Preferences as to table quality of different 
lots of eggs as tested by ten families did not coincide, though general 
opinion seemed influenced favorably by the usually darker colored 
yolks and firmer appearance of eggs from hens having animal food, 
while any preference as to flavor was as a rule in favor of eggs 
produced under the vegetable food ration, which consisted of course 
almost entirely of grains and grain by-products. 
In the second series of experiments the results were again plainly 
in favor of the ration in which about 37 per ct. of the protein was 
derived from animal food. The contrasted ration in which all of 
the protein Was of vegetable origin did not seem to any extent in- 
ferior in palatability. The most noticeable difference as to con- 
sumption was with the ducklings, but while the amount eaten per 
fowl was less, the amount eaten per pound live weight was much 
greater under the ration of vegetable food. While the rations dif- 
fered little as to protein content there was, as in the first series, 
considerable difference in the amounts of ash or mineral matter, 
due chiefly to the large percentage of bone carried by the meat 
meal used. It was not evident to what extent the results were de- 
termined or influenced by this factor. 
In the third series of experiments the eoniraetenet rations differed 
little as to amounts of the several groups of constituents ordinarily 
considered. By the addition of bone ash to the one ration, all the 
organic matter of which was derived from vegetable food, the pro- 
portion of total mineral matter was made to equal or slightly exceed 
that in the contrasted ration in which about 36 per ct. of the pro- 
tein came from animal food. 
These rations were fed to six lots of chicks, two lots of duck- 
lings and two lots of laying hens, using in all about 580 birds. 
Recorded feeding was begun with the chicks and ducklings when 
about one week old and continued to the age of twelve weeks. 
The three lots of chicks having the ration with animal food 
ate more than the contrasted lots by from 9 to 16 per ct. The 
rate of growth varied a little, but on the whole was nearly alike 
