COLONIAL COMPETITIONS 135 
only be made where the fowls are reared on the two different 
systems. 
I do not refer so much to the science of breeding in all its 
ramifications as to simple, matter-of-fact, everyday problems that 
ought to have been settled long ago. 
Why, for instance, have not the Board of Agriculture taken up 
the food question—whether dry-mash or wet-mash feeding gives the 
best results ? This is a matter that might be settled once for all 
in a single season. 
It is conceded at once that dry mash is not a good feed for 
fattening purposes, but it is claimed in the more important matter 
of egg-production that dry mash is superior to the old warm, 
moist system of feeding. It is claimed to be better in every 
way; in labour-saving, in economy, and in effective egg-laying 
results, 
But as far as I know there is no clear, well-established proof 
that it is so. This is where the Board of Agriculture could take 
the lead. If this branch of the public service could hold a trial 
of the two methods of feeding and publish the results the public 
would know exactly what were the merits of the rival systems. 
At present all one can say is that on all the largest egg farms dry 
mash is used either partly or wholly. Individual farmers have 
experimented, and where a complete and extended trial has been 
given I know of no one who has gone back to the old style of 
feeding. 
But individual experiments are not enough. It will require 
a Government trial before any system gets an authoritative pro- 
nouncement. It has been suggested that they might go further 
and find by experiment the relative values of the intensive and 
semi-intensive system. 
It appears to me necessary, if poultry-keeping for egg-production 
is going to be generally successful, to have it proved which is really 
the best method—semi-intensive or intensive. What I and many 
hundreds would like done would be to have a test carried out, 
under Government supervision, on something of the following 
lines. Take forty White Wyandotte pullets, bred from same 
