88 ANNUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



year is a considerable improvement over the one previously used. The 

 pen receiving 10 per cent of cottonseed meal and meat scrap in the 

 mash continues to give good results. 



The experiment with feeding garbage is being continued through 

 its second year with a fairly good egg yield but with excessive mor- 

 tality, due apparently to the garbage. The pen on cooked vegetables 

 with a rather light grain ration laid fairly well during the lirst year 

 and is also laying particularly well the second year. Continued good 

 results are being obtained on the ration which does not contain any 

 wheat. Special tests on using one feed and its by-products supple- 

 mented with meat scrap, including such feeds as oats, barley, and 

 corn, are being tried Avith fair results, but are not giving as good 

 results as where two grains are used. Continued data on the feed cost 

 of producing eggs from different breeds on different rations are being 

 accumulated. 



POULTRY BRICEDIXG. 



Practically all the hens on the farm, whether in feeding or breeding 

 pens, are trap-nested, and all the chicks are pedigree hatched, so that 

 their parents are known. In breeding for egg production the plan has 

 been to continue matings of females of good production to males out 

 of good producing females, at the same time selecting for quality 

 in standard requirements. 



In the experiments in grading up mongrel flocks by the continued 

 use of purebred males the third generation of grades has been ob- 

 tained and bred. The Barred Plymouth Rock grades show marked 

 uniformity in color and type, and the White Plymouth Rock grades 

 show improvement in this respect but do not yet all come pure white 

 in color. In both kinds of grades individuals occur Avhich so closely 

 resemble purebreds that it is impossible to tell the difference by 

 their appearance. 



Further progress has been made in the difficult work of establishing 

 a new breed with the combination of characters desired. 



In carrying on the breeding Avork 70 different matings were made 

 and about 3,000 chicks were hatched. The installation and operation 

 of a mammoth incubator has helped greatly in the hatching. 



PIGEON AND SQUAP, INVESTIGATIONS. 



The pigeon investigations have been continued along the lines 

 previously followed, giving another year's data on the cost of raising 

 squabs for market from the different varieties of pigeons commonly 

 kept for that purpose. Investigations in the breeding and training 

 of homing pigeons are being continued. 



TURKEY AND GUINEA INVESTIGATIONS. 



Information regarding the raising of turkeys and guinea fowl is 

 being collected from time to time so that bureau publications on 

 these subjects may be kept up to date. 



POULTRY EXTENSION. 



The emergency campaign to stimulate poultry production, carried 

 on in cooperation with the State extension forces, begun in the fall 

 of 1917, was continued throughout the past fiscal year. Since the 

 signing of the armistice the efforts have been directed toward more 



