1890. J PUBLIC DOCUMENT — No. 4. 267 



an inch thick all around the eggs. This experience would 

 seem to contradict your statement. 



Dr. TwiTCHELL. I think it is, nevertheless, true that a 

 hen that is extremely fat cannot produce eggs with the same 

 regularity that she would if she were in proper laying 

 condition. If albuminous food is given to a hen that is well 

 bred, she will produce eggs ; but fat is prejudicial to a large, 

 constant and steady production of eggs. 



Question. Is it advisable to keep a hen until she is more 

 than a year or a year and a half old ? 



Dr. TwiTCHELL. It has been my custom to carry my 

 hens along until they were two years old, if they were 

 valuable layers, and kill them then before moulting, watch- 

 ing closely and studying individuals. We should never be 

 content with the average of our flock. That does not tell 

 the story at all. We must get down to individuals, because 

 there is always some hen in a flock that the rest of the flock 

 are carrying. So I would seek to know my flock, and just 

 as soon as a hen has stopped laying during the month of 

 June or July, I would market her if she was two years old ; 

 and at that time she would bring the highest price, close to 

 that of chickens, because it is just the time when chickens 

 of the largest size, broilers, are called for, and there is not 

 sufficient supply to meet the demand. I would never keep 

 them longer than that, unless they were extremely valuable 

 for breeding purposes ; and some of the breeders in my own 

 State who are making the most money change their stock 

 every year. 



Question. What would you buy for green food, if you 

 had to buy anything ? 



Dr. TwiTCHELL. I would feed cabbage, turnips, apples 

 and onions. 



Question. How about the mangel-wurzel? 



Dr. TwiTCHELL. I have never had success in feeding 

 mangel-wurzel. I have fed some, but I have not been satis- 

 fied with the result. 



Question. How often would you feed onions ? 



Dr. TwiTCHELL. I would feed a small ration of onions 

 once or twice a week. If you feed in any quantity, you 

 will taste the onion in the ego;. And there comes in another 



