206 



THE IRRIGATION AGE. 



fed, cleared 2| cents per fowl during the 

 year on the cost of food. Pen 4, repre- 

 senting egg production under the most fav- 

 orable conditions, cleared, during the year 

 $1.26 per fowl; this would have been in- 

 creased considerably had the eggs laid be- 

 fore the experiment began been counted. 

 In the one case there was a profit on feed 

 of 5 per cent; in the other, 203 per cent. 



The percentage of fertility was highest 

 with the early hatched pullets and lowest 

 with the old hens; though the results are 

 not conclusive. The fertility of eggs aver- 

 aging five days old was 300 per cent higher 

 than of eggs averaging twenty-two days old. 



The results noted above were secured 

 from what was considered a good ration 

 fed alike to all pens. Practically the same 

 ration was fed throughout the year. The 

 conclusions, therefore, must not be accept- 

 ed if a different ration is used. 



The results seem to indicate an average 



capacity for a Leghorn pullet of 200 eggs 

 per year, with intelligent care and feeding. 



No advantage was discovered in crossing 

 the Brahma and Leghorn. 



In answer to the question "Is there 

 money in hens?'' the Bulletin of the col- 

 lege claims that to give a correct answer 

 you must take the results of fowls under 

 the best possible method. That is, if un- 

 der the best style of treatment and under 

 favorable conditions, your poultry does not 

 pay, then the question may be truthfully 

 answered in the negative, but it would not 

 be fair to draw your conclusions from poor 

 methods and unfavorable conditions. The 

 ideal pen of the lot, pen 4, at the station, 

 showed that for 62 cents worth of food 

 the pen produced eggs worth $1.88 per 

 fowl, making a profit op the investment of 

 $1.26. These results will vary, of course, 

 with the cost of food and price of eggs in 

 different localities. 



