29 



The point to be emphasized is that we should select out weak- 

 ness wherever we see it. Here are actual photographs of hens used 

 in our first experiment in constitutional vigor, in which we kept for 

 one year the records of these hens. (Fig. 10) as compared with 

 these (Fig. 11). The high vitality laid more eggs which were more 

 fertile, hatched more and better chickens that grew to larger size. 



Figure 12. 



(Fig. 12.) Pullets hatched from high vitality hens shown in 

 figure 10, and from low vitality hens shown in figure 11. The chickens 

 w.ere all hatched in the same incubator and brooded together. Note 

 the larger size and apparent greater maturity of the pullets hatched 

 from hens of high vitality. Note the difference in shape. The high 

 vitality pullets weighed one-half pound each more than those hatched 

 from low vitality parents. 



BREEDING FOR EGG PRODUCTION. 



(Prof. W. R. Graham in Ontario Agr. College Bulletin No. 189.) 



Can the egg yield be increased by breeding from the best pro- 

 ducers, or is one just as likely to get as many eggs from any strain, 

 family or breed, provided the birds are strong and vigorous, and 

 hatched at the proper season of the year? 



The writer's experience is that there is a difference between fami- 

 lies of the same breed or variety as far as egg production is concerned. 

 Some families appear to lay much more readily than others, and a 

 few families that have come under my observation require very care- 

 ful attention and feeding in order to get a reasonable egg production. 



The question naturally arises as to what number of eggs should 

 be expected from a hen. The average over the Province is probably 



