206 



SCIENCE. 



[Vol. XVII. No. 427 



nous fed hens laid more than three times as many eggs, that a 

 nitrogenous ration stimulates egg-production. 



On Nov. 27 the fowls were slaughtered. Each fowl was 

 weighed, wrapped in a bag to prevent floundering, and killed by 

 severing an artery in the roof of the mouth. The blood was 

 caught in a glass jar. The fowls were then picked and the 

 feathers weighed, after which the body was laid open longitudi- 

 nally by cutting alongside the sternum and through the back- 

 bone. When all had been tlms prepared, they were hung up in 

 groups to be photographed, but the photographs were quite un- 

 satisfactory so far as showing the relative proportions of fat and 

 If- an. 



One half of each fowl was tested by cooking for flavor, succu- 

 lence, and tenderness: the other half was carefully prepared for 

 chemical analysis by separating the meat from the bones. The 

 flesh was thoroughly mixed and run through a sausage-cutter, 

 mixed again, and the process repeated three times. From differ- 

 ent parts of this mixture a large sample vvas taken, from which 

 the chemist took his samples for analysis. The right tibia of each 

 fowl was tested for strength by placing it across two parallel bars 

 and suspending a wire on its centre on which were placed small 

 weights until the bone gave way. 



Dressed Weight, Internal Organs, etc. 



Live weight, pounds 21.31 



Dressed weight, pounds 14.86 



Dressed weight per hundredweight, pounds 69 70 



Weight of blood, pounds 



Weight of feathers, pounds 



Weight of intestinal fat, pounds 



Weight of offal, pounds 



Weight of bones, pounds.. .. 



Weight of flesh, pounds 



1.41 



3.70 

 3.47 

 11.39 



22.00 

 15.09 



The breaking strain of the right tibia was as follows for the 

 hens and chickens of the various lots : — 



Average, hen?, nitrogenous 48.16 



Average, t'ons, carbonaceous 51.74 



Average, chickens, nitrogenous 46.64 



Average, chicliens, carbonaceous 31.18 



There was little difference in the strength of the bones of the 

 hens, undoubtedly because the bones were mature before the 

 feeding began, and were little affected by the feeding. We find, 

 however, that the bones of the chickens fed on nitrogenous food 

 were almost fifty per cent (49.6) stronger than those fed carbona- 

 ceous food. 



The flesh of each group was submitted to a number of persons 

 for a cooking tpst, and the almost unanimous verdict was that 

 the flesh of the fowls fed a nitrogenous ration was darker colored, 

 more succulent, more tender, and better flavored, though on this 

 last there was some difference of opinion. 



So far as it is warrantable to draw any conclusions from a sin- 

 gle experiment of this kind, it would seem that chickens fed on 

 an exclusive corn diet wiU not make a satisfactory development, 

 particularly of feathers; that the bones of cliiclsens fed upon a 

 nitrogenous ration are fifty per cent stronger than those fed upon 

 a carbonaceous ration ; that hens fed on a nitrogenous ration lay 

 many more eggs, but of smaller size and poorer quality, than 

 those fed exclusively on corn; that hens fed on corn, while not 



suffering in general health, become sluggish, deposit large masses 

 of fat on the internal organs, and lay a few eggs of large size and 

 excellent quality; and that the flesh of nitrogenous fed fowls con- 

 tains more albuminoids and less fat than those fed on a carbona- 

 ceous ration, and is darker colored, juicier, and tenderer. 



FEEDING STEERS OF DIFFERENT BREEDS. 



In Bulletin No. 69 of the Michigan Agricultural Experiment 

 Station Mr. Eugene Davenport, agriculturist of the station, re- 

 marks that it has long been known that other influences than food 

 operated decidedly to affect the gains of a feeding anioial. The 

 individual variation is great, often if not always easy to foresee, 

 but impossible to estimate, hence the benefit of selection; and 

 every feeder knows that as much depends upon the selection of 

 the bunch of feeders as upon their after-care. 



The question has arisen in the minds of men, whether or not, 

 by the various standards of selection employed in the establish- 

 ment of breeds, any important differences have resulted; and 

 whether or not, properly speaking, there are such things as breed 

 differences aside from form, color, etc. ; and, if so, what are their 

 character and extent ? Are they sufficient to distinguish one breed 

 above another ? 



This question was made the basis of two extended feeding ex- 

 periments by the Michigan Station with steers of different breeds. 

 The first is reported in full in Bulletin No. 44, and the second 

 forms the subject of Bulletin No. 69. 



Though primarily conducted as an experiment between the 

 breeds, Mr. Davenport prefers to present the records and data in- 

 dependent of tliat question, — to discuss it in other bearings as 

 well, and discover, if possible, what other circumstances may have 

 exerted influences upon the gains, retaining till the close of the 

 discussion the question of the breeds. 



The influence of different kinds of feed-stuffs has not entered 

 into this experiment. The idea has been to feed them alike, using 

 a mixed grain diet, and giving some variety both in grain and 

 coarse fodder, and to adjust the amount of both at all times to 

 the appetite of the individual animal. The rations of all the steers 

 have been at all times precisely alike, except as to amount and 

 some plight variations which they established themselves between 

 grain and coarse fodder. 



Every opportunity possible has been afforded, regardless of ex- 

 pense, for individual differences and breed peculiarities to ap- 

 pear. 



Neither this nor any similar experiment is absoutely just to all 

 the breeds. The conditions have been made alike for all, except 

 as to the amount of food each chose to take. But like conditions 

 cannot be taken as being equally favorable to all. The framing 

 of an experiment which should afford each its best conditions 

 would include those so dissimilar as to make the results not capable 

 of comparison. LiUely this is as well as could be done, though it 

 certainly affords conditions more nearly natural to some than to 

 othei's. There is no doubt, that if they had been kept in open 

 yards, with a higher proportion of coarse fodder, the results would 

 have been greatly different, both absolutely and relatively. The 

 whole experiment may be taken as one employing a heavy grain 

 ration, for the bunch consumed as many pounds of grain as of 

 coarse fodder if the latter had been equally dry. 



The plan was to secui'e as nearly typical specimens of the breeds 

 as possible. There were originally two each of the five breeds, 

 Galloway, Holstein, Hereford, Short-Horn, and Devon, but acci- 

 dents deprived the station of one of the Short Horns and one of 

 the Devons. 



It is not thought that either breed suffered in the loss. It is to 

 be regretted, but it is not always possible to carry ten animals for 

 two years and a half and all remain in every way normal. This 

 is mentioned lest the experiment be criticised for furnishing only 

 one specimen of these two breeds. This loss is to be regretted, for 

 even the two is too small a number to estimate their personal 

 equation ; and not till after that is done can any difference in breeds 

 be fully established. 



The grain ration was made up of corn and oats (either whole or 



