Deficient as Egg Producers 45 



The development of either is largely held to be a 

 matter of food and constitutional vigor, although 

 some investigations tend to show some differences 

 between egg production, a reproductive function, 

 and other useful qualities that previously had not 

 been given so careful consideration. This is dis- 

 cussed more fully in the chapter on breeding. 



The relative importance of meat production and 

 egg production in this country is continually becom- 

 ing more widely separated as the price of food and 

 labor advances. The importance of egg production 

 is steadily advancing faster than that of meat pro- 

 duction, just as the dairy interests of the country 

 are becoming of far greater importance than the 

 beef interests. 



This condition has a tendency to cause undue 

 claims to be made for the meat breeds as to egg 

 production. Those about to purchase fowls to be 

 used as foundation stock for a flock should not be 

 misled by any claims that breeders of meat breeds 

 may make as to the profitable egg production of 

 their fowls. 



While some breeds or varieties of large fowls, 

 notably the Light Brahmas, are good winter layers 

 while young, yet it is not to be inferred from any 

 records these fowls may have made that they are 

 equal to some of the Mediterranean breeds as 

 economical egg-producing machines, when the entire 

 life of the fowl is taken into consideration. The 



