56 COMMERCIAL FEEDING STUFFS. 



POULTRY FOODS. 



It would appear from^the microscopical examination of this class 

 of goods that mqst of them are composed largely of screenings from 

 various grains, or of very inferior grains. Many varieties of weed 

 seeds are present, but in only one case is there enough of a poisonous 

 weed seed to make the use of the food objectionable. This, is sample 

 No. 1556, which contains a considerable quantity of darnel (Lolium 

 temulentum), a weed seed with marked toxic properties. While the 

 chemical composition of most of these foods shows them to have 

 considerable food value, yet many of them are sold under names 

 which are misleading. Such names as " Laying food," " Egg-builder 

 ration," and " Forcing food," at least imply that the foods in ques- 

 tion have certain egg forcing properties in addition to their ordinary 

 food value. Such is not the case, however, the foods' only increas- 

 ing the amount of laying by supplying to the hen those food con- 

 stituents which keep her in first class physical condition and which 

 are needed to build up the egg and shell. Since protein is one of 

 the constituents usually lacking in the food ordinarily fed to chick- 

 ens, and since also it forms a large portion of the egg, the foods 

 which contain this constituent in large amounts are generally to be 

 preferred. 



