1901.] PUBLIC DOCUMENT — No. 33. 129 



able to digest soft foods with a degree of rapidity which 

 seems astonishing. There has long been a general impres- 

 sion, and the usual practice in feeding fowls is evidence of 

 this, that it is better to give the more solid food at night, 

 especially during the winter, since it will '< stay by" the 

 fowls better. Our experiments indicate that this im[)ression 

 is well ft)undcd, and that the usual practice is correct, 

 although tlioy cannot be considered to prove it, because, of 

 course, it may be that a period of comparative rest for the 

 digestive organs during the night is better than the condi- 

 tion of more continuous work for these organs which would 

 follow the use of solid food at night. 



We have not ol)tained a sufficient dillerence in egg-pro- 

 duction to be considered significant, but it is believed that 

 the experiment, so far as it goes, indicates that it is better 

 that the mash should be fed in the mornin^. It is con- 

 ceivable, however, that, if the mash be given in too largo 

 quantities, the fowls will gorge themselves, will then as a 

 consequence become inactive, and remain comparatively in- 

 active during a considerable part of the morning ; whereas, 

 if they be given whole grain, for which they are required to 

 scratch, they are of necessity more active. The relative 

 weights of the fowls, particularly during the winter, afford 

 some indication that we to some extent experienced this dif- 

 ficulty; for it will be noticed that the fowls receiving the 

 morning mash, especially during the period of shortest days, 

 weighed considerably more than the fowls receiving the 

 evening mash. 



It must, however, be further pointed out that the average 

 ditlerencc in weight during the summer months was also 

 consideral)le, amounting to about one-half pound at the time 

 of each of the weighings. During the earlier part of this 

 period, however, the fowls receiving the evening mash were 

 producing the greater number of eggs, which dill'erence may 

 perhaps account for their decreased relative weight. 



It is concluded that, so far as the results of this experi- 

 ment enable one to judge, the morning mash is preferable to 

 the evening ; but it is evident that additional investigation 

 is required in order to throw further light upon the sul)ject. 



