108 A REVOLUTION IN EGG PRODUCTION 



First, that, as I had told you, my pullets were laying well, and 

 would probably have continued to do so, falling off gradualy as the 

 winter progressed. 



Second, that the sudden change to cold weather which fell below 

 zero at our place on December 14th, made a sudden call on the 

 systems of the pullets for extra nourishment to maintain heat and 

 vitality — thus forcing a curtailment in egg production. 



Third, that the weather remaining cold for several days, the 

 pullets had not been able, on account of the short days, to get back 

 into laying form; and probably would not do so until Spring unless 

 their business day was lengthened. 



Soqn after, my house was wired for electricity, and I ran a 

 wire out to the poultry house, and started the light January 1st, 

 1915. The pullets, in the meantime, had gone into a heavy moult. 



The first effect noticed was that the moulting stopped imme- 

 diately. Next there was a great improvement in the looks of the 

 birds. Their combs began to redden and we began to get eggs the 

 third day. 



We have in our flock six hens and twenty-six pullets. We did 

 not keep any record of eggs, but they increased two or three a day 

 until the fifteenth, when my wife suggested that, as we were getting 

 so many eggs, we had better keep account of them. I enclose a 

 calendar for January on which we kept this account. You will see 

 on the fifteenth we got 16 eggs and then 18, 16, 18, 21, 22, IS, 24, 24, 

 19, 24, 19, 23, 19, 21, and on the thirty-first, 20 eggs, which is a total of 

 319 eggs in sixteen days. 



We had tried liberal feeding without results. This record is 

 very good, especially so considering the cold weather. The ther- 

 mometer read below zero several mornings, and fourteen below zero 

 January 28th. 



I have been keeping poultry over twenty years, and never had 

 such surprising results from anything. My wife was overjoyed, as 

 she loves her poultry, and the sudden change from a condition, when 

 we thought the whole flock would have to be sacrificed, to one of 

 health and vigor, with the addition of good laying, was very gratify- 

 ing to us. We think it is wonderful the way your theory has proved 

 out in actual practice. 



Yours very truly, 



(Signed) WILLIAM TREFZGER. 



