A GUIDE FOR KEEPERS UF POULTRY 127 
“The composition of the egg never varies appreciably. 
The hen is an honest manufacturer, and she does not 
adulterate, her product, even though she may )e fed adul- 
terated feed. She puts the same kind of feed into each 
and every egg. If she does not get the right kind of 
feed she does not make the egg. An egg contains 4- 
ounce of protein. If the hen be fed wheat and nothing 
else she may eat 4 ounces in a day. Of that she will 
need about 3 ounces to supply bodily needs. This leaves 
1 ounce to make eggs from. In the ounce of wheat there 
is about 1/10-ounce of protein. Now supposing the pro- 
tein is all digested, which is not the case, she will not get 
half enough protein to make an egg a day. But an egg 
every two or three days would not be so bad at certain 
seasons. The egg, however, contains other things. It 
contains also 134-ounce of ash (mineral matter) with 
which to make shell. An ounce of wheat contains less 
than 1/10 as much ash (mineral matter) as one egg con- 
tains. The egg also contains fat. It contains less than 
Y,-ounce of fat, but the wheat would contain 34-ounce of 
fat-formers 
“\What would be the result if the hen were fed wheat 
alone? She would get enough protein to make about one 
egg every three days; enough lime (mineral matter, ash) 
to make one egg every 12 days and enough carbohydrates 
and fat to make three eggs a day. What will the hen 
do in this quandary? She could put more fat into the egg 
to make up for the lack of protein. She could make a 
counterfeit article but she will not. She must get the 
right kind of feed or she will not make eggs. It is poor 
economy to feed wheat alone; the same is true of corn 
and nearly all the cereals. They are not balanced for egg 
production.” 
