. RECORDS FOR FUTURE STUDY 205 



to pounce on that elusive " reason." This is, of course, 

 an extreme illustration ; all the more, it shows most viv- 

 idly just what I mean. On the day before this writing, 

 I read a report from a woman poultry raiser, claiming 

 that her flock of seventy hens had averaged two hundred 

 forty eggs during a year. No one has ever ventured 

 to tell me such a story face to face ; but, between an 

 actual eight on one hand and a possible (or impossible) 

 two-hundred-forty average on the other, there ought 

 to be a safe place for the sole of the feet, even of the 

 shaky Beginner. 



Professor Dryden, of Oregon Agricultural College, re- 

 ports a Plymouth Rock trap-nested hen making a record 

 of two hundred fifty-nine eggs in twelve months. 

 " In the same pen with the record Plymouth Rock hen," 

 he says, " we had one which laid but six eggs, although 

 she was of the same breed and received the same care 

 and feed. The trouble was in her heredity." 



There are many who say that the phenomenal layer 

 is not at all likely to reproduce herself ; that her undue 

 amount of work is such a strain upon the reproductive 

 organs that she will produce eggs not hatchable, or will 

 produce weaklings. That will depend somewhat on her 

 handler. If he, finding her value, pushes her to the 

 verge of exhaustion in trying to get a few more eggs, 

 she may become worthless as a producer of stock. Or, 

 if the egg organs are not perfect, or the digestion be 

 affected by the strain (shown by the droppings), she may 

 not reproduce well. But if she lays an egg perfect in 

 shell and her droppings are well shaped, with the bright, 

 white cap, I say she will give you as many chicks as the 

 next one. That is not saying they will all be like her. But 



