June, 1942] 



Agricultural Experlment Station 



25 



As previously mentioned, Chart 1 presents the individaul aver- 

 ages of plot and poultry house litter moisture content. To supple- 

 ment this data Figure 5 has been drawn to show the relation between 

 the average moisture content of all plot house litters and poultry pen 

 litters and to present the temperature and humidity records of the 

 two locations. The plot house litter moisture curve presents evidence 

 that the litters included in this study, subjected only to atmospheric 

 conditions and without the presence of birds, maintain a uniformly 

 low moisture value throughout the year. On the contrary, the litter 

 in the poultry pens carried approximately twice as much moisture 

 through the summer months as did the plot house litter samples. 

 With the approach of less favorable fall and winter weather condi- 

 tions the moisture content of all litters increased at a fairly uniform 

 rate, reaching a peak of about 50 per cent by weight in February and 

 early March. Following this period and with the improvement of 



Fig. 6. Relation of litter moisture content to percentage egg production, 

 1938-40. 



weather conditions in the Spring there was a gradual decrease of 

 litter moisture until the latter part of June, when it again averaged 

 about 20 per cent. 



The plot house temperature curve shown on this chart can be 

 considered as an approximate reading of outside temperature condi- 

 tions. While the plot house humidity curve shows a relatively steady 

 value, that of the poultry pen follows the general trend of the pen lit- 

 ter moisture curve. It would appear from this that with a relatively 



