THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
February 29 
148 
IENCE 
FEEDING A HEN. 
Part VIII. 
On page 110, we gave the ration fed 
by Mr. Brewster. We purposely avoided 
figuring this out in detail, because we 
wished to see whether any of our read¬ 
ers would pick up our statement that 
this ration was somewhere near one part 
muscle-makers to four or more parts fat- 
formers. The first correction is from 
Mr. Mapes, as follows : 
I think that you went astray in figuring on Mr. 
Brewster’s ration. His three quarts of fine wheat 
feed will weigh about three pounds, three quarts 
of corn, about six pounds, and one-half pint of 
meat scrap, about three-fourths pound, making a 
ratio of 1 to 5*4, about. The cabbage and potatoes 
would not change it much. 
Then comes this note from a friend in 
Westchester County, N. Y. : 
1 figure C. H. Brewster’s hen ration, on page 
110, as follows : 
Muscle- 
Fat- 
Pure 
makers. 
formers. 
fat. 
3 pounds wheat feed ... 
... 27. 
105 
7.5 
*/2 pound beef scraps.., 
... 22.5 
0 
1 . 
3 poundscorn. 
... 50.4 
366 
28.8 
3 pounds cabbage.. 
... 3.3 
18 
4.5 
1 pound potatoes. 
.. 2.1 
22 
1.5 
Totals. 
... 105.3 
571 
43.3 
This makes the ratio about 1.0*4. 
Nothin 
g very 
stimulating about this ration. Were not these 
pullets hatched very early ? Or was not the hen¬ 
house artificially heated ? I have made egg pro¬ 
duction a study for 25 years, but never approach¬ 
ed Mr. Brewster’s record in winter, even re¬ 
motely. WM. PICKHARDT. 
On page 138 Mr. Brewster tells us how 
these houses are built. They must be 
fairly warm, especially when the snow 
drifts around them. As to that ration, 
we think that Mr. Mapes is nearer right 
than Mr. Pickhardt. The former dis¬ 
cards the small amounts of cabbage 
and potatoes that are fed, and gives a 
little heavier weight to the meat scrap. 
We doubt, after further investigation, 
if the analysis for the “wheat feed” was 
a fair one. Our opinion now is that this 
feed contains a greater per cent of 
muscle-makers than this analysis indi¬ 
cates. These feeds vary considerably. 
The valuable thing about this illustra¬ 
tion is that it shows the necessity of be¬ 
ing exact if we are to make use of the 
chemistry of foods. You see how easy 
it is to make different stories out of one 
set of figures, if we are to guess at any 
part of the figuring. We still think 
that a ration of about one part of 
muscle-makers to four parts of fat- 
formers, is the standard for laying hens 
when they are kept warm and good- 
natured. In cold houses, we would wish 
to widen this ration to 1:6 or even a 
little higher. An illustration of the 
effect of feeding too much fat, is shown 
in the note on page 137. These hens 
were fed on hotel swill which contained 
a large amount of grease. At first they 
laid well (this is often noticed with any 
sudden change of food), but gradually 
they stopped laying because they were 
too fat. An “all-corn” ration—which 
means one part of muscle-makers to 
eight parts or more of fat-formers, is too 
wide, but this greasy swill was worse 
yet. 
Here is another note about an article 
that has created lots of discussion : 
I have been much interested in Revolutionary 
Poultry Keeping, and it has given me, as I pre¬ 
sume it has many others, much food for thought. 
If each hen would make use of her seven square 
feet of room, I see no reason why fowls of any 
breed should not do well under the conditions 
stated by J. A. W.; but I doubt whether he, or 
any one else, would dare undertake to manage 
any of the larger, lazier breeds as he is doing 
with his grade Leghorns. He says, “ It doesn’t 
require much intellect to see that there is just as 
much profit in producing eggs at a cost of 10 
cents a dozen, and selling them for 20 cents, as 
there is in producing them at a cost of 20 cents, 
and selling them for 40 cents.” Let us see. If a 
dozen eggs can be produced for 10 cents, and sold 
for 20 cents, there is a profit of 10 cents; but if it 
costs 20 cents to produce a dozen eggs, and they 
can be sold for 40 cents, it seems to me the profit 
would be 20 cents for each dozen. Anyway, a 
profit of $1.74.'per hen is hard to beat. a. R. s. 
Massachusetts 
Another man, out in Ohio, has this to 
say about it: 
I can testify from my experience years ago, 
that J. A. W. is substantially right in all he has 
written about poultry. The great reason for his 
success is, that he has thoroughly studied and 
taken care of his business, leaving out all the 
nonsense. I notice what yoii’say, “ expect they 
will fire away at this target.” Well, let them 
fire ! I will stand by him; and J. A. W. will go 
on with his poultry and reap the profits, j. r. s. 
J. A. W. will not look for backers, and 
we hope that those who think that they 
see flaws in his methods, will throw the 
light on them. That is the way to learn 
something. One person has undertaken 
to figure out the cost of J. A. W.’s win¬ 
ter ration of grain, and hopes to show 
that a cheaper ration could have been 
made. We will give any one a chance 
to prove that. 
As to keeping heavier or lighter breeds 
in large flocks, that is a question that 
has much to do with profit in poultry 
keeping. Sometimes we hear two men 
arguing about the profits in poultry, 
or whether the hens should be kept in 
large or small flocks. If one man keeps 
Brahmas, and the other Leghorns, it is 
hardly fair to compare the two methods 
of feeding or keeping without allowing 
for the difference in the breeds. Take a 
French farmer and an English farmer. 
There are general principles of agricul¬ 
ture that both may follow with success ; 
but when it comes to details such as 
arrangement of buildings, every-day 
life, etc., you will find great differences, 
and the different methods are based on 
national characteristics of temperament 
and surroundings. While the Leghorn 
man may learn much from his Brahma 
neighbor, in order to reach the fullest 
success, he must realize that the Leg¬ 
horn is lighter, more active and built on 
a different principle generally from the 
Brahma. Therefore, she must have 
special treatment in some particulars. 
Thus you see that it all comes back to the 
fact that Primer Science can only sug¬ 
gest experiments, and verify results by 
giving the basis for comparison. 
Our friend says that J. A. W.’s article 
suggests some excellent thoughts. There 
may be one-sided thoughts as well as 
those that are well-balanced. The latter 
are the ones we are after, and they 
teach a person to assume that new ideas 
or theories are for experiment only and 
are not to be put into extensive practice 
until all the facts have been tested and 
made to fit into your conditions. 
Live Stock Matters. 
A FRIEND TO THE FARM—THE 
BERKSHIRE. 
Referring to the question of E. B. W., 
as to what breed of swine to raise for a 
farmer’s use to fatten for market, I can 
say, without any injustice to other 
breeds, get the pure, recorded Berkshire, 
of the type the best breeders are using. 
In purchasing, do not get the cheap run 
of stock from those old-fashioned breed¬ 
ers who are against improvement ; but 
buy from the “ up-to-date ” man who is 
always endeavoring to improve his herd, 
and, as a result, the public receive the 
benefit of these experiments. Economy 
of production and quality of the product, 
are the principal objects to achieve, for 
which the Berkshire stands without a 
peer. 
If proper strains be procured, this 
breed will prove prolific to the extent of 
giving litters large enough for one sow 
to suckle; and, as they are excellent 
milkers, the youngsters grow from the 
start. The sows are quiet. One feature 
of the breed is that you can always be 
(Continued on next page.) 
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Grow steadily every day if 
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GRANULATED BONE FOR POULTRY. 
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THE RURAL NEW-YORKER, New Yoke. 
