268 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Jan. 



point. A radical change in rations will throw a hen at once 

 off from her work. If any change is to be made in rations, 

 make it so gradually that her system wull have time to adapt 

 itself to the change. That often accounts for the fact that 

 hens that have been laying well will stop laying all at once. 

 We cannot control these things yet, feed we ever so care- 

 fully. 



Question. Don't you think that the oldest hens will 

 produce the strongest and best chickens ? 



Dr. TwiTCiiELL. I said that I would save the oldest 

 hens for breeding. I would not keep them after two years, 

 unless I knew they were valuable. 



Question. You spoke of giving hens green food. Do 

 you cook that food, — turnips, onions, cabbages, etc., — or 

 do you give it to them raw ? 



Dr. TwiTCHELL. I think I stated in my paper that I 

 cooked daily a kettle full or more. I said I would add 

 about three quarts of this cooked food to the ration. I 

 have always been in the habit of feeding at noon green food, 

 chopping my apples, onions, turnips arid cabbages. 



The audience desirino- to take advantase of the trains 

 leaving Fitchburg at four o'clock, the meeting was adjourned 

 somewhat abruptly at 3.45 p.m. 



