588 



Laying Competitions. 



[OCT., 



77*38 eggs below the general mean, and 67*35 eggs below the 

 breed mean. On the other hand, a pen of White Leghorns 

 produced an average of 252*16 eggs, and were thus an average 

 of 74*12 eggs above the general mean, and 64*79 above the 

 breed mean. 



In contradistinction to the English competitions, the White 

 Leghorns in Australia stand easily first, both as to the number 

 of competing birds (shown at the head of each column) and 

 the results attained. Out of 129 pens, or 774 birds, competing, 

 the White Leghorns were represented by 87 pens, or 522 

 birds. Whatever may be the cause, such as breeding and 

 selection or climatic influences, or all these factors combined, 

 the fact remains that 522 birds, sent in by many breeders, 

 produced an average of nearly 190 eggs in twelve months. 

 Were it not that these competitions are held under conditions 

 that admit of no doubt as to their reliability, suggestions 

 might be made as to errors, but the records may be accepted 

 as absolute. 



A further point is that the published figures reveal a remark- 

 able maintenance of production throughout the entire year, as 

 is shown in Table III. In order to make this clear, in addi- 

 tion to the actual total of eggs produced, I have worked out 

 the index numbers, in which September, the month of highest 

 production, is taken as 100. It should be remembered that in 

 Australia the seasons are reversed, and that September corre- 

 sponds to March in the northern hemisphere : — 



Table III. — Monthly Production in South Australian 



Laying Competition, 1 9 1 o- 1 9 1 1 . 



Month. 



Total No. of Eggs Laid. 



Index Numbers. 



I9IO. 







April ... 



6,481 



41-68 



May 



8,819 



5672 



Tune 



8,967 



57*67 



July 



9,558 



61-47 



August ' ... 



13,488 



8675 



September 



15,548 



ioo-oo 



October 



I 5, 0 64 



96-88 



November 



I5,°34 



96-69 



December 



14,073 



90-51 



1911. 







January ... 



12,439 



80 -co 



February 



9,48i 



60-98 



March 



7,949 



51*12 



