30 EEPORTS OF COMMITTEES. 



or has been injured by heating or otherwise ; and this, in addition 

 to its poorer quality, at once tells against the production of eggs. 



3d. A limited amount of animal food. This may be provided 

 in the form of fresh meat or fish, better if cooked, beef or pork 

 scrap-cake, ground ; or, what we have found to be a very good sub- 

 stitute, skim-milk curd freed from whey. This last we supply to 

 them without limit, as there is no risk of their consuming it in* 

 injurious amounts, as they sometimes will fresh meat. 



4th. Some form of vegetable fibre. Hens consume large quan- 

 tities of clover and grass during the summer season, if they have 

 access to it ; and in fact when it is often supposed from their mo- 

 tions that they are feeding upon insects, it is only upon the leaves 

 and blades of the grasses and clovers. In confinement a very good 

 substitute may be found in dry shorts, which they will eat very 

 freely. 



5th. Lime. This may be fed in the condition of egg-shell, 

 ground oyster shell, bones, or old mortar. 



6th. Gravel stones. When confined, it will be necessary to 

 give them a supply of gravel, or, in winter, we have found a good 

 substitute in pounded anthracite coal, or the unburned bits of coal 

 left in the ashes. Dry coal-ash is also one of the best absorbents 

 of their droppings. An inch or two spread upon the floor of their 

 house will keep everything dry and sweet for a long time. It will 

 also afford a very good dusting material, that will be of great ser- 

 vice in keeping them free from vermin, one of the most essential 

 things in the whole management. 



For the best results, chickens should be hatched so early in 

 spring that the pullets will commence laying in September or Octo- 

 ber, and they ought not to be kept more than about a year from that 

 time, as the number of eggs laid the second year will be slightly 

 less than the first, and less of them will be laid in the time of the 

 highest prices. 



The Committee have awarded premiums as follows. It may be 

 proper to state that the first premium for White Leghorns was 

 awarded over the second best on the ground that they were but 

 three months old, as it appeared by the card, while the others were 

 set down as five months, and the difference in their maturity ap- 

 peared to be less than the difference in their ages. Subsequent 

 investigation, however, has proved that there were only two or 



