200 



SCIENTIFIC AGRICULTURE. 



P'ebruary. VJZ2. 



tisfactory. Egg weights have been in- 

 creased from 1.92 ounces average per 

 egg to 2.17 ounces, an increase of .25 

 ounce per egg or 3 ounces per dozen. 

 This increase in size is rather remark- 

 able for one year's breeding, but it is 

 not expected that it can be sustained 

 without very careful continued selection 

 and breeding. Selection for size of egg 

 is being carried on to such an extent, 

 that any female laying an egg below 2 

 ounces in weight is being thrown out of 

 the flock, regardless of the number of 

 eggs laid. At the same time, those hens 

 that have given a large number of high 

 producing daughters laying a standard 

 egg, and that have shown 50 per cent 

 hatchability or better are retained as 

 long as possible. 



Outcrossing and Winter Production. 



Another improvement that apparently 

 has been effected by this cross is in win- 

 ter egg production. An average of 60 

 eggs before March 1st in the pullet year 

 has been attained. Yearly production 

 also runs uniformly high in the progeny 

 of this cross, 62 daughters having prod- 

 uced an average of 210 eggs per bird. 

 High scores in these sisters for last year 

 ran 283, 277, 268, 268, 254, 251, 249, etc., 

 vtdth only three birds out of the 62 lay- 

 ing below the Dominion R. 0. P. minimum 

 of 150 eggs. 



The body weights of the above 62 pul- 

 lets at the end of the first laying year 

 averaged 6.62 pounds, while the weights 

 of the motber Oregon hens averaged 6.42 

 pounds, and their inbred daughters 6.08 

 lbs. At the present time these 62 hens 

 will he well up to standard weight for 

 Barred Rocks.* 



Promising Family Lines. 



The daughters of old Oregon 144 prom- 

 ise well, having laid 202, 188, 204 and 

 230 eggs or an average of 206, with hat- 

 chability running close to 60 per cent. 

 The eggs from the 230 egg hen weigh 2 

 ounces each, while the other three birds 

 laid eggs that weighed 23 1-2 ounces per 

 dozen in the spring of their pullet year. 



Oregon 143 gave A634 whose 12 daugh- 

 ters laid up to 268 eggs and an average 

 of 197. This family does not promise as 

 well as the above in breeding ability how- 

 ever, and may be discarded. 



From partial records it appears that 

 the pullets from Oregon 147 were better 

 average . producers than from the other 

 Oregon hens with the exception of 144. 

 Only one of these pullets, A683, has been 

 tested out as a breeder. Last year her 

 ten daughters laid an average of 218.6 

 eggs with a maximum of 283, and none 

 below 150. Eggs in this family line 

 weigh 2.18 ounces each with hatchability 

 running relatively high. Very little 

 broodiness was apparent in the first year. 



* Note: The weights of the inbred 

 daughters are comparable to the weights 

 of the 62 pullets, being taken at same 

 time and age. 



Barred Rock Hen A 683 that laid 179 eggs in 



9 months (record incomplete) Mother of 10 

 daughters averaging 218.6 aggs, none below 150. 



Nine of these full sisters make a good 

 breeding pen. They are being mated to 

 a male from another high producing, 

 non-broody line. It is hoped that brood- 

 iness will be low in the off-spring of this 

 mating, and it is reasonable to expect 

 that the higli production should be con- 

 tinued, especially since vigour .seems in- 

 tense in both sides of the family. 

 Observations About Barred Rocks. 

 C()nsidera])le variation lias Ix'cn obser- 

 ved in the type, size and color of the 

 Barred Rocks that have been bred for 



