46 



III. The Influence of the Cock on E(;g Production. 



At the close of one of our winter experiments, the hens used in 

 four of the houses were matched in such a manner as to equalize 

 previous food conditions in four lots of sixteen hens each. These 

 were put upon the same feed and a vigorous White Leghorn cock 

 was placed in two of the coops. The experiment was therefore 

 carried out in duplicate. The difference in the number of eggs pro- 

 duced in both experiments was small. In one case the hens with- 

 out a cock laid a few more eggs. In the other the difference was in 

 the opposite direction. In view of this fact and because moreover 

 the differences were at best slight, the experiment indicates that the 

 presence of the cock was without influence on the number of eggs 

 produced. 



In one particular, however, there was agreement in the results of 

 the two experiments, namely : the average weight of the eggs from 

 the hens with which a male was kept was slightly the greater in both 

 trials. It seems likely that this effect may be due to the fact that 

 the eggs had been fertilized. This difference would, of course, be 

 entirely without significance to the producer of eggs for market or 

 for table use. 



IV. Vegetable vs. Animal Albuminoids. 



Two experiments to test the relative value as influencing egg pro- 

 duction of vegetable and animal substances as a source of a consid- 

 erable share of the albuminoids in a ration have been carried out. 

 One extended from December 9th to February 12th, the other from 

 June I St to October 31st. The first experiment began when the 

 fowls were pullets ; the second included a considerable proportion of 

 the time occupied in the annual molt. The material used in the first 

 experiment to furnish the vegetable substitute for animal food was 

 soy bean meal. This is an exceptionally rich vegetable substance 

 containing practically the same amount of protein and about double 

 the percentage of fat contained in meat meal. The exact composi- 

 tion is shown in the table. 



composition of dry matter, (per cent.) 



Protein. Fat. Carbohydrates. 



Soy bean meal 34-37 16.38 45-22 



Meat meal 35-9^ 8.31 - - 



