12 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



young stock rarely does well. This is the outstanding point 

 in the farmer's case. He raises better chickens at less cost, 

 owing to clean and pure surroundings. 



Let us now consider the remaining side of the triangle. The 

 attendant is worthy of serious consideration. ]My father told 

 me that "one man's breath was good for stock and other men's 

 breath was bad." This appears in a sense to be true. The 

 attendant must develop a bond of sympathy between the birds 

 and himself; in order to do a day's work he must move rather 

 quickly but gently. Birds that are afraid of the attendant do 

 not do their best. The attendant must consider his stock first 

 and foremost and himself last. I believe in having a man 

 dressed neatly but plainly. A poultry house is no place for 

 blue clothes and white collars. A khaki suit shows little dirt 

 and looks fairly neat. The attendant must be a keen observer, 

 punctual as to hours, and have an abundance of common 

 sense. Caring for live stock is no position for the careless, 

 or the person who is looking for 6 o'clock. 



In conclusion I would suggest the attendant keeping in his 

 hat the following words: "Fresh air and common sense." If 

 these are there and he removes his hat occasionally he will not 

 forget. 



Mr. N. W. Sanborn. How about the weight of these high- 

 laying females? Do you get as many pounds of eggs from the 

 large egg-layers as from the moderate sized ones? 



Professor Graham. Generally speaking, you will find more 

 200-egg hens which lay 23-ounce eggs than lay 25-ounce eggs 

 to the dozen. We constantly have hens which will lay large 

 eggs, — many of them. One of the hens we showed on the 

 screen — Xo. 58 — laid 25-ounce eggs; but I will say that if 

 you don't watch it you will produce little eggs. 



Mr. W. H. (iouLD. Which do you consider the best flooring 

 for a hen house, especially in the winter season, — ■ earth or 

 cement? 



Professor Graham. Well, my experience in regard to the 

 best flooring for hen houses is this: when you consider the cost 

 of the litter and the cost of taking the ground out of the hen 

 house every other year and renewing it, cement is the best 



