316 TRANSACTIONS OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 



of corn? It is not impossible that this great staple crop could 

 be more than doubled. 



Mr. Burgess. — If all of our fruit seeds, which are now wasted, 

 could be planted in hedge-rows and waste places, we should have 

 a great increase of fruit, and occasionally a very rare new variety. 



Dr. Trimble thought the world very much indebted to the bees, 

 the greatest of all hybridizers. It is the bee that carries the 

 pollen from one flower to another. 



THE POULTRY QUESTION. 



Wm. S. Carpenter. — This question has been upon our list of 

 subjects some weeks. I have a few remarks upon the subject 

 which may be interesting. 



There are but few who are aware of the great importance of 

 poultry to the inhabitants of the United States. It is estimated 

 that there are annually raised and consumed for food in this 

 country one hundred millions of fowls, affording a luxury for the 

 table that could hardly be dispensed with. Admitting this esti- 

 mate to be true, and that the stock preserved for layers is equal 

 to one-half the amount raised, which would make fifty millions of 

 hens ; it is estimated that the production in eggs will average for 

 each hen 15 cents, producing from eggs alone $37,500,000. One 

 hundred millions of fowls for food, at 20 cents each, $20,000,000. 

 making a total of $57,500,000. It can be proved that much bet- 

 ter results may be obtained from hens than is shown in the above 

 estimate. A good hen will lay, if provided with proper food, 

 two hundred eggs in a year. Valued at one and a half cents 

 each, this would show a result of $3 for each hen. A friend of 

 mine, having a stock of 45 hens determined to keep a correct 

 account of the number of eggs laid in a year ; the result was 

 6,036 eggs, which is 134 for each hen; these sold for $90.54, 

 beside raising 80 chickens; these hens consumed 56 bushels of 

 mixed grain, costing 80 cents per bushel, besides vegetables from 

 the garden and scraps of meat, that were valued at $10 — making 

 a total expense of $54.80, showing a net profit of $35.74. By 

 experiment, it has been found that large companies of fowls do 

 not do as well as a smaller number ; fifty is found to be about 

 the right number to produce the best results. It is said that 

 fifty hens will produce more eggs than twice that number if they 

 are allowed to run together. When a hundred hens are kept on 

 the same farm, they should be divided into two companies. Great 



