1907.] PUBLIC DOCUMENT — No. 33. 61 



corn oil. This is mixed with the grains in the mash in such 

 quantities that the total amount of fat in the two food com- 

 binations under comparison is substantially the same for 

 each. This experiment, therefore, in a general way affords 

 opportunity to test the relative value for egg production of a 

 ration relatively high in protein (the one containing a large 

 proportion of wheat) with one relatively low in protein 

 (containing a large proportion of corn). The nutritive ratio 

 of the ration used in house 'No. 1, which may be denomi- 

 nated "the wheat ration," is narrow, — 1 to 4.57. The 

 ration used in house No. 2, which may be called " the corn 

 ration," has a relatively wide nutritive ratio, — 1 to about 

 6.5. The animal food used in both these rations was beef 

 scraps. The following results were obtained. For the first 

 period, January 25 to April 28, inclusive, the wheat ration 

 produced eggs at the average rate of .48 per hen day; the 

 corn ration, at the rate of .54 per hen day. For the second 

 period, April 28 to September 5, inclusive, the wheat ration 

 produced eggs at the average rate of .37 per hen day; the 

 corn ration, at the rate of .39. In other words, 100 hens, 

 if laying at the same rates, would have produced during the 

 winter period 48 eggs per day on the wheat ration and 54 

 eggs per day on the corn ration; during the summer period, 

 37 eggs per day on the wheat ration and 39 eggs per day on 

 the corn ration. The average food cost per egg produced 

 was: for the wheat ration .96 cents, and for the corn ration 

 .73 cents, for the first period; while for the second period 

 the food cost per egg on the wheat ration was 1.01 cents and 

 on the corn ration .82 cents. The gross cost of the food on 

 the wheat ration varied from about .37 cents to .42 cents per 

 day for each fowl, while on the corn ration the cost varied 

 from .31 cents to .36 cents per day. The number of eggs 

 on the corn ration, as will have been noted, was considerably 

 more than on the other. The cost per egg was smaller and 

 the daily cost per fowl was smaller. The results of the past 

 year are in exact accord with those obtained in similar ex- 

 periments in earlier years. Our egg production with these 

 pens of fowls must be regarded as fairly satisfactory, and 

 it seems impossible to doubt that corn judiciously used in 



