THE CALL OF THE HEN. 131 



from time to time and no system is perfect, but Mr. Hogan and his book set the poultry 

 world to thinking and to him is due the credit for starting the agitation which has re- 

 sulted in a definite system of culling and selection of layers. 



The value of Mr. Hogan's method lies not in telling to the very egg the number a 

 hen will lay or has laid, but it enables you to tell your good producers from your poor 

 producers, your money makers from your money losers, your layers from your loafers. 

 Undoubtedly the selection and culling that has been done by poultrymen, by government 

 and state authorities during the past few years has saved millions of dollars for the 

 poultry producers of the nation. A thorough study of the methods used and recom- 

 mended will convince the unbiased person that the methods recommended by Mr. 

 Hogan are the basis for practically all other methods of culling. 



Walter Hogan was not a money maker and to him came little return for what he 

 gave to the world. If he felt any bitterness over this fact, he always dismissed the sub- 

 ject with a jest and a smile. He was willing to do what he could for humanity and to 

 wait for his reward. Without making any pretensions to superior goodness, he was a 

 Christian in the true meaning of the word. His book and his system were the pride 

 of his life and I know he would appreciate a tribute paid to his work more than one 

 paid to him personally. He was unassuming and lived a simple life. He has passed 

 from us, but his memory, his methods and the lesson he has taught will live forever 

 and the poultrymen of the future will be greatly benefited by them. 



SUGGESTIONS FOR PRACTICE. 



1. Go into your own poultry yards and handle, test and measure some of your 

 good layers and poor layers from time to time until you become accustomed to the 

 measurements and differences. You will soon be able to apply the test rapidly and 

 accurately. 



2. Make these tests at different seasons and you will see how the birds vary 

 at different times and will learn to make due.allowance for same. 



3. After you have culled your flock keep the poor ones in a pen to themselves 

 for a few days. Keep a record of all eggs from the good and bad. If you have 

 done your work properly the eggs laid by the culls will be few in number compared 

 with those laid by the good females. If this is true you are safe in marketing the 

 culls. 



4. Test your males in the same manner, but remember that the difference is 

 not so great. I would select males with pelvic bones reasonably straight, moder- 

 ately thin and fair capacity and distance between the bones. I would consider color 

 and other desirable points which are wanted in a good breeder. 



WARNING. 



Don't be deceived by misrepresentations or attacks on this system of selection of 

 your laying hens. Regardless of what anyone may say or write, the facts mentioned in 

 this book are the basic principles to be used in selection of your best breeders for egg 

 production. 



