156 HATCH EXPERIMENT STATION. [Jan. 



that fat is less important than has been judged as the result 

 of some of our earlier experiments. Among the various 

 grains, cleaned rice, as put upon our markets, contains least 

 fiber, and rice is known to be the most digestible of all the 

 grains. It is perhaps these pecularities of this grain which 

 account for its apparent good effect on the egg product. 



The nutritive ratios in the food combinations used in the 

 different experiments of the past year have been as follows : — 



For the rations where wheat is compared with corn with 

 animal meal as the source of animal food : for the wheat 

 ration, 1 : 4.46 ; for the corn ration, 1 : 6.42. 



For the experiment in which wheat is compared with corn, 

 milk albumin beino; the source of animal food : for the wheat 

 ration, 1 : 4.43 ; for the corn ration, 1 : 6.18. 



In the experiment in which wheat and rice have been 

 compared : for the wheat ration, 1 : 4.35 ; for the rice ration, 

 1:6.2. 



Our experiments throw relatively little light upon the 

 question as to the proper nutritive ratio in feeding for eggs. 

 The factors affecting the Q.gg yield must be numerous, and 

 others than the question of the nutritive ratio in tlie foods 

 e;iven to the fowls must often determine the results. The 

 fact that we have the most satisfactory egg yield obtained 

 during the past year on the rice ration, with a nutritive ratio 

 of 1 : 6.20, does not at least seem to support the opinion that 

 the nutritive ratio in feedino- for esss should be narrow. 



