BREEDING AND BREEDS 99 



So far as records of production are concerned, 

 the fowls selected in the spring, when chicks appar- 

 ently overcame their weakness by reason of special 

 care, gave practically the same results in production 

 during the first year as did their sisters chosen at 

 the same time for vigor and kept without further 

 selection. In the other two experiments, however, 

 in which the selections were made in the fall the 

 contrast between weak and strong flocks was very 

 marked, both as to the number of eggs laid, the 

 profits for each fowl, the fertility and hatching- 

 power of the eggs and the growth of the chicks. 

 The net results of the experiments, however, show 

 that fowls in the three strong flocks averaged about 

 one dozen more eggs in a year than those in the 

 weak flocks, and produced a profit of 41 cents a hen 

 over and above the cost of food more than the fowls 

 in the weak flocks. 



Eggs from the strong hens averaged nearly 11% 

 greater fertility and 4% better hatching power than 

 eggs from the weaker ones. But the most striking 

 contrast was shown in the diliference in the size and 

 appearance of the pullets reared from the strong and 

 from the weak flocks of fall-selected Barred Plym- 

 outh Rock fowls. The results for the White 

 Leghorn were nearly as striking; the chickens from 

 the strong stock averaged over J^ pound more than 

 the pullets hatched at the same time from the low- 

 vitality stock. They had also larger, deeper bodies, 

 larger bright red combs and appeared to be at least 

 four or five weeks older. 



REQUISITES OF THE TRAP NEST 



To be thoroughly practical a trap nest must be 

 constructed so it will be impossible for a hen to 



