798 



Egg-Laying Trials. 



[Dec, 



that the true test of value is the quantity of human food 

 produced, subject to the approximation to standard size. The 

 attainment of the ideal depends upon judgment in selection and 

 mating, the time of hatching, and skill in rearing and feeding. 



The need is for numbers, plus quality and standard size. 

 Allowance must obviously and quite reasonably be made for the 

 normal size of pullets eggs (a little below standard requirements), 

 but it is not at all desirable that birds producing a big number 

 of very small eggs should be allowed to win in laying tests. 



Regulations for Scoring at Laying Trials. — In this connection 

 it is of interest to note the regulations which govern the award 

 of points for eggs laid at the important laying trials organised 

 respectively by the National Utility Poultry Society in co-opera- 

 tion with the Great Eastern Railway Co. at Bentley, and by the 

 Harper Adams Agricultural College, Newport, Salop. 



The National Utility Poultry Society's regulations provide that 

 eggs laid during the first four weeks of the trials, and weighing 

 oz. or more; during the second four weeks those weighing 

 lis oz. or more; and during the remainder of the test those 

 weighing 2 oz. or more, are scored at unit value as first grade. 

 Any eggs laid during those periods weighing less than the 

 respective weights fixed for first grade eggs, but not less than 

 If oz. are assessed as second grade and scored at unit value. 

 The number of second grade eggs allowed to score for com- 

 petition purposes is definitely limited, and eggs weighing less 

 than lg oz. are not scored at all. 



The Harper Adams College regulations provide that for pur- 

 poses of valuation, eggs will be divided into first grade, to be 

 valued at average market price, and second grade at average 

 market price less 25 per cent. First grade eggs must score 

 2 oz. or over throughout the trials. During the first 16 weeks 

 of the trials, eggs weighing less than 2 oz. will be assessed as 

 second grade, and for the remainder of the trials only those eggs 

 weighing less than 2 oz. but not less than If oz. will be assessed 

 as second grade. 



The object of these rules is to make due allowance for the 

 normal laying of small eggs in the early stages, but to penalise 

 breeders whose birds do not lay larger eggs within a reasonable 

 period. 



Side Issues. — Apart from the main and most important pur- 

 poses of egg-laying trials, they have already been productive 

 of many results in connection with what may be termed " side 

 issues," that are of a very direct practical value to poultry 



