I905-] Egg-Laying Competition in N.S.Wales. 369 



are composed in reality of nothing but a mixture of these seeds, 

 with the addition of some other material, such as salt, charcoal, 

 &c, and which are sold at a very much higher price than is 

 warranted by the value of the materials. 



During the past three years an egg-laying competition has 

 been held annually at the.Hawkesbury Agricultural College, New 

 South Wales. The competition extended 

 EggvLaying* in each case over twelve months, from April 

 Competition tQ y[ Rrc ^ anc } was mac j e U p Q f pens con- 

 New South Wales, sisting of six pure-bred pullets not less 

 than seven months nor more than twelve 

 months old at the commencement of the competition. No male 

 birds were included. The general results obtained in each year 

 are given below. There was, it will be seen, a material difference 

 in the price of eggs in 1904-5 compared with the previous year, 

 which greatly affects the comparison as regards money value. 

 The reduction in the cost of feeding forms, however, a partial 

 set off to the fall in the value of eggs. 





1902-3. 



1903-4. 



1904-5. 



Number of pens 

 Winning pen's total ... 



38 



70 



100 





1,308 



1,224 



Lowest pen's total ... 



459 



666 



532 



Highest total for a month 



137 



160 



152 



Average laying per hen 



130 



163 



154 



Greatest value of eggs 



£7/0/3 



£7/10/4 



£5/i3/io 



Average price of eggs 



1/1 



i/3l 



1/- 



Average value of eggs per hen 



15/6 



17/91 



12/9 



Cost of feed for hen ... 



6/- 



5/9l 



4/5* 



Profit over feed per hen 



9/6 



ii/iif 



*/3* 



The report on the competition for 1904-5 by the Government 

 poultry expert furnishes some particulars as to the system of 

 feeding, &c. : — 



The System of Feeding. — The birds were fed at regular hours, 

 viz., 7 a.m., mash ; 10 a.m , green food (according to the condition 



G G 



