1899.] PUBLIC DOCUMENT — Xo. 33. 97 



The fowls on the wide (corn) ration laid three soft-shelled 

 eggs during the winter test and one during the summer. 

 These are not included in the ta])ular reports. 



Study of the results reveals the following facts : — 



1. The hens on the icide {_rich in corn) ration laid a great 

 tnany more eggs in both the winter and in the summer experi- 

 ments than those on the narrower ration. 



2. The difference in favor of the wide ration amounts to 

 25 per cent, in the icinter trial and to 331 P^^' ^^nt. in the 

 summer trial, upon the basis of equal number of hen days. 



3. The total cost of feeds was less for the wide ration, and 

 of course the cost per egg icas much less. In the production 

 of one hundred dozen eggs the saving on the basis of our 

 winter test icould amount to §4.56 ; on the basis of the sum- 

 mer test, to §3.24. 



4. In average weight of the eggs produced there is a small 

 difference in favor of the narroio ration; but in quality tJie 

 weight of family evidence shotvs the eggs produced by the 

 corn-fed hens to have been someivhat superior. They were 

 deeper yellow and of a milder favor than the eggs from the 

 narrower ration. 



5. The fowls on the wide ration gained somewhat in 

 weight and were heavier at the close of the experiment than 

 the others, notwithstanding the much larger nmnber of eggs 

 laid. 



At the close of the experiment the fowls were closely 

 judged as to the condition of the plumage while still living, 

 and it was decided that the corn-fed hens were farther 

 advanced in moulting than the others. The fowls were 

 slaughtered, and the judgment of the men removing the 

 feathers coincided with the judgment on the living fowls. 



The averages before and after dressing were as follows: 

 narroic-ration fowls, 5.07 pounds; dressed tceight, 4.37 

 pounds; wide-ration foivls, 5.44 pounds; dressed weight, 

 4.81 pounds. The narrow-ration fowls gave 86 p>er cent, 

 dressed 2veight; the others, 88 2)er cent. The dressed fowls 

 icere pidged by a market expert, who pronounced the corn-fed 

 fowls slightly superior to the others. 



The results are thus greatly in favor of the ration richer in 



