COLONIAL COMPETITIONS 133 
for the light breeds (414 birds) the average was 216 eggs, and for 
the heavy breeds (174 birds) the average was 185 eggs. 
“Two feeding methods were tested: (1) wet mash, (2) dry mash. 
The wet mash consisted of 16 Ib. bran, 4 Ib. ground oats, 20 Ib. 
pollards, 4 lb. pea meal, 4 lb. oatmeal pollards and 8 Ib. minced 
liver. The whole was mixed together with liver soup and given 
warm, in a crumbly condition ; about 2 oz. was given to each bird 
in the morning and 1 oz. at midday, mixed with green stuff con- 
sisting of chaffed green lucerne and silver beet. The evening meal 
consisted of wheat, oats, and crushed maize varied according to 
appetite and weather conditions ; about 11 to 18 oz. was given to 
each pen of six birds. Cut onions were given once a week as a 
tonic. 
“The dry mash consisted of 544 lb. bran, 584 Ib. wheat pollards, 
14 Ib. lucerne pollards, 22 lb. pea meal, 11 Ib. oatmeal pollards, 
194 lb. ground oats (with portion of hulls removed), 14 lb. dry 
molasses or black sugar and (at 8 a.m.) about 3 oz. of cooked 
minced liver to each pen. One ounce of salt was allowed to 100 
birds, and was mixed with the liver. The quantity of dry mash 
used per day per pen of six birds (light breeds) was 12 oz. including 
minced liver. Fresh-cut lucerne and silver beet were fed liberally 
at midday. More water was consumed by the dry-mash-fed birds. 
The quantity of grain used per day with the dry mash was 11 to 
18 oz. per pen, and was fed about 4.30 p.m. 
“The feeding results were as follows :—Light breeds: Wet mash, 
219 eggs per bird ; dry mash, 210 eggs per bird (the winning pen 
was fed on dry mash). Heavy breeds: Wet mash, 194 eggs per 
bird ; dry mash, 169 eggs per bird. The results from the wet 
mash were unduly favourable in comparison as the competitors 
placed their best pens in this section. The dry-mash feeding led 
to a saving in labour, and the hens so fed were hardier and tighter 
in the feather, and handled better. 
‘In the four months’ winter test the winning pen of light breeds 
produced 565 eggs, and of heavy breeds 502 eggs. 
“In the 1915-1916 competition the wet and dry mash methods 
of feeding were again adopted. The wet mash was composed as in 
