1910.] Summary of Agricultural Experiments. 1029 



An interesting feature was the good results obtained by the birds in 

 partial confinement. The total number of eggs laid was 1,514 in one 

 case, and 1,355 m tne other, there being nine hens in each case. 



A trap nesting experiment is also being conducted in order to 

 ascertain the laying qualities of individual hens. The number of eggs 

 laid by eight fowls in nine months represented an average of 159 per 

 annum, and the intention is to mate up those that lay 170 eggs and 

 over with a male bird, pedigree-bred from the best available laying 

 strain, and from this mating to found a race of pedigree layers. 



Egg Records of Leghorn Fowls (Illustrated Poultry Record, Vol. I., 

 No. 6, March, 1909.) — The object of this experiment, which was 

 conducted at the College Poultry Farm, Theale, Reading, was to test 

 the various types of Leghorn fowls. The following fowls were com- 

 pared : — (i.) nine Danish Brown Leghorn 1907 pullets, (ii.) fifteen 

 Danish White Leghorn 1907 pullets, (iii.) twelve Danish White Leghorn 

 1906 hens, (iv.) four American White Leghorn 1906 hens, (v.) four 

 English exhibition White Leghorn 1906 hens. The English Leghorns 

 weighed on the average 5 lb. each, while the average weight of the 

 other types varied from 3 lb. 3 oz. to 3 lb. 9 oz. During the year 1908 

 the average number of eggs per hen or pullet for the different types 

 was as follows : — (i.) 154, (ii.) 145, (iii.) 140, (iv.) 142, (v.) 76. It should 

 be noted that the number of hens in the various lots was very unequal. 

 In the case of the English exhibition breed 33 per cent, of the eggs were 

 below 2 oz. in weight ; of the others only 2 per cent, or less. 



The results confirm the view that the breed is not a good winter 

 layer. In this respect the Browns came out best, laying an average of 

 24 eggs during the five months October- February ; the average of the 

 White Danish pullets was 15, while the remaining lots were very 

 unsatisfactory. 



Various Poultry Experiments (Cornwall C. C, Notes on Agric. 

 and Poultry Expts., 1905 and 1906.) — This report gives the results of 

 a number of trials carried out in 1905 and 1906 on the comparative 

 value of wheat, maize, barley, and oats, the effect of mixing foods, the 

 weight of food consumed by various varieties of fowls, comparison of 

 mixed grain and warm barley meal as a morning food, the value 

 of scratching sheds, the effect of allowing pullets to rear two broods 

 of chickens, first crosses, and laying hens in their sixth season. 



Ventilation of Poultry Houses (Jour, of South-Eastern Agric. Coll., 

 No. 17, 1908.) — The ventilation of poultry houses is a matter of vital 

 importance to poultry keepers, since overcrowding is known to impair 

 the vitality of the birds, to render them susceptible to numerous 

 diseases, Including tuberculosis, diphtheritic roup, &c, and to diminish 

 the number of eggs produced in winter. 



An investigation into these points was carried out by Dr. Russell, 

 and measurements were made of the amount of air required by poultry 

 and the amount of impurity produced in poultry houses. Preliminary 

 inquiry showed that 40 cubic feet of air per hour might be regarded as 

 a suitable air allowance for poultry, but this must be supplied at a 

 suitable rate to prevent draughts. 



Two houses were put up so arranged that each bird was getting 

 about 40 cubic feet per hour, but in one the air was changed five times 

 and in the other nine times per hour. The number of eggs laid was 



