1160 
THE RURAt NEW-YORKER 
September 25, 1915. 
The “Favorite Hen” Contest 
The weekly reports from the egg-laying 
contest show that many of the birds are 
losing interest in their job. Some of ths 
pens that started off vigorously early in 
the contest have now about given up, and 
we see as we keep track of the weekly 
record that egg production is giving way. 
There has been a very close contest be¬ 
tween the leading pens, and it is hard to 
say at this time just which pen will final¬ 
ly come out ahead. Those English Leg¬ 
horns have a good start at this time, but 
our experience with the It. I. Reds would 
show that those Vermont birds still have 
a chance. Our own Rods are very good 
October layers. They seem to recover 
from their fierce desire to sit, and unless 
they start molting in September they will 
come back in October with a rush, and 
those Vermont Reds may act in the same 
way. As we can easily see among the 
Favorite Hens, the pen of Reds has given 
the most consistent record. One of them 
up to September 12 had laid only 65 eggs, 
but this was an old hen, and not really a 
purebred Red at that. This hen evident¬ 
ly carried a touch of Buff Orpington 
blood. As a pullet this might have im¬ 
proved her laying qualities, but she would 
rank as an old hen, and could thus hardly 
be expected to keep up with the pullets. 
Some of the Leghorns have not done as 
well as we expected. Of course, the total 
record of this pen of Favorite Leghorns 
has been cut down by the performance of 
No. 7. “Peggy.” This hen laid only one 
egg since the contest began, and there are 
two others with rather a low record. 
Then in the pen of Mixed Breeds there 
are three that have failed to come up to 
expectation, yet out of the entire 20 birds 
there are at least 15 which have ranked 
above the average in the contest. The 
table below shows the individual record 
of these 30 hens up to September 12. As 
will be seen Tilly, the White Wyandotte, 
is far in advance of any of the others. 
Tilly ranks as No. 3 in the entire thou¬ 
sand hens. One Barred Rock, which has 
laid three more eggs than Tilly, and one 
White Leghorn which has laid the same 
number, belong to the Connecticut Ag¬ 
ricultural College. They were used in 
this contest for an experiment in feeding. 
Leaving these two hens out Tilly takes 
second place, being nine eggs behind a re¬ 
markable Red hen from Vermont. What 
Tilly will do in the remaining 50 days 
of the contest remains to be seen. It 
would make a good guess for some hen 
enthusiast to figure out her probable 
total record. We are not good at guess¬ 
ing, and we know how hens behave just 
when you want them to do their best, so 
we venture no guess regarding Tilly's 
total record, though she is in good con¬ 
dition and apparently not ready to quit. 
At one time it looked as if Louisine, the 
Orpington, would rank among the lead¬ 
ers. She has laid 166 eggs, which is a 
very good record, but she grew weary and 
fell behind. One of the Leghorns as we 
see ranks second to Tilly, with a record 
of 186 eggs. Then come two Reds close 
together with 177 and 174. The Black 
Minorca with 150 has done well, and is 
likely to do better yet. As we have stated 
before, Mrs. Stevens, the owner of Tilly, 
expects to enter a full pen of pullets next 
year, and one of the most interesting 
things connected with this contest will be 
the performance of . these nieces. We 
shall see whether Tilly is simply a freak, 
such as will be found in many a farm 
yard, or whether she is really the result 
of careful selection and good breeding. 
We also hope to test next year pullets 
from several of the farms now repre¬ 
sented by the best of the R. I. Reds. The 
contest we are satisfied has been carried 
on fairly, and while some of the women 
feel disappointed at the showing made by 
their birds, we believe they all had a fair 
chance, and that no special favors were 
shown to any of the birds. It has proba¬ 
bly demonstrated the fact that the selec¬ 
tion of the contest bird is after all the 
most important factor. It requires keen 
observation and long practice to select 
birds out of the flock that will give a fair 
representation. As we have stated be¬ 
fore, most of the women picked out their 
birds by a sort of instinct, and probably 
not with any definite rule in mind. If 
they were to pick out another pullet in 
the next contest, the chances are that 
they might make a very much better se¬ 
lection. 
Rhode Island Reds to Sept. 12. 
Mrs. Carrie M. Bliss, Virginia. Pocahontas.. 14!) 
Mrs. E. S. Marlatt, New Jersey, Polly. 174 
Mrs. T. Schwenk, Connecticut. Bosie-Lou... 110 
Miss Ethel A. Pierce, New Hampshire, I.ady 
Pierce . C5 
Mrs. Samuel O. Travis. New York. Rose.... 147 
Mrs. IV. It. Merrick, Massachusetts, Betty M. 14!) 
Miss Edna M. Porter. New York. Betty. 5*1 
Mrs. Andrew J. Wilson. Connecticut, Betty. 177 
Mrs. E. I’. Andrews, New York, Golden Bass 5)1 
Mrs. Cecil Farnham, Maine. 140 
Leghorns—Records to Sept. 12. 
Mrs. N. I). Rand. New York, T.ney. 105 
Mrs. Lewis J. Happicb, New York, LatTy 
Hopeful . 144 
Mrs. V. J). Miller, Ohio, Ann. 144 
Mrs. A. J. Skellle, New York, Ity. 115) 
Mrs. C. L. Todd, Virginia, Patsy. 84 
Mrs. Walter Fletcher, New York. Peggy.... 7!) 
Mi^fi Tlllie B. Cloud. Pennsylvania. I’eggy.. 79 
Mrs. Josephine Hollenbaeh, Pennsylvania, 
Viola . 137 
Mrs. W. E. Phelps, Pennsylvania. Beauty... 18(5 
Mrs. L. E. HHboru, New York, Madam Toot- 
scy . 100 
Mixed Breeds—Records to Sept. 12. 
Mrs. F. M. Earl, Connecticut, White Wyan¬ 
dotte, Gladness . 112 
Mrs. A. N. Oonell, New York, White Wyan- 
tit/ l It 9 J f U11 ,y • ••••••••••••••••••«•••••••• tic/ 
Mrs. R. W. Stevens, New York, White Wy¬ 
andotte, Tilly-. 220 
Mrs. W, S. Walters, Michigan, Barred Rock, 
Bridgman Girl . 142 
Mrs. G. L. Rothgeb, Virginia, Barred Bock, 
Roxie . 123 
Misses Osier and Wileox, New York, Barred 
Bock, Margnerlta . 54 
Mrs. Robert II. Wood, New York, White 
Rock. Faith . 95 
Mrs. Joseph d'i Fabrizio, New Jersey, Black 
Minorca, Betina . 150 
Mrs. Emma H. Wood, New York, Buff Or¬ 
pington, Louisine . 10(5 
Mrs. Edwin Walker, Massachusetts, Buff 
Orpington, Lady Ashby . 50 
Rations for Laying Hens. 
1. What do you consider the best ra¬ 
tion for laying hens? We have barley, 
oats and buckwheat of our own raising 
which we would like to use. Our fowls 
are R. I. Reds. 2. We tested some cows 
of which we were suspicious. Ilow long 
before we can have them tested again 
with safety and get a proper tuberculosis 
test? L. E. P, 
Pomfret Center, Conn. 
1. Barley, oats, and buckwheat are all 
suitable for laying hens, but, in addition, 
they should have ground grains and meat 
scrap or meat meal in the form of mash. 
Equal parts of cornmeal, wheat mid¬ 
dlings, gluten feed and beef scrap would 
make a good dry mash to be fed your 
hens in addition to the mixed whole 
grains of your own raising. The mash 
should be kept dry in open hoppers, con¬ 
stantly before the hens. 
2. Cows may be retested with tubercu¬ 
lin after six weeks, though a somewhat 
larger dose of tuberculin may be needed 
to produce a reaction in cattle that have 
been tested within six months. 
M. B. D. 
Squab Broilers. 
I intend, about December 1. to kill 
and pick some Fall hatched chickens as 
squab broilers, and have them held in 
cold storage until next Spring. About 
how large, should I make the boxes so as 
to hold 12 broilers weighing one to iy 2 
pounds each? c. G. s. 
New York. 
A standard size of box holding a doz¬ 
en chickens under two pounds is 16xl5x 
%y 2 inside measurement. From two to 
2 y 2 pounds, the size is 16x16x4; from 
2 y 2 to three pounds, 1Sx17x4; for four 
to five pounds, 19x16x8. These are some 
of the sizes used by the large packing 
houses in the Middle West, who make a 
business of dry-storing poultry. In such 
places it is graded very carefully into 
sizes and qualities and the boxes are 
more nearly uniform than would be pos¬ 
sible where put upon a small scale. This 
frozen poultry, controlled by the beef 
packers, and available to ship wherever 
they have branch houses, makes hard 
competition for the individual poultry 
raiser. Under these circumstances it 
seems quite probable that the inquirer’s 
broilers would sell more profitably as 
fresh killed than hold for later trade, un¬ 
less sold where the commercially packed 
poultry does not reach. 
Information on Eggs. 
I am interested in articles on eggs, 
quality, blood-spots, blood rings, dark 
yolk*, molting. Winter production, fertile 
or infertile eggs for the market, etc. 
Where can I get such information? 
Ohio. F. c. R. 
Publications which will be of special 
interest to you are Bulletin 353, “The 
Interior Quality of Market Eggs,” from 
the State College of Agriculture, Ithaca, 
N. Y., free to residents of the State, and 
will probably be sent you upon applica¬ 
tion, and the following which may be ob¬ 
tained from the Superintendent of Docu¬ 
ments, Washington, D. C., by remitting 
the price in coin or postal money order; 
stamps will not be accepted. Bulletin 
160, “The Care of the Farm Egg,” 15 
cents; Bulletin 141, “The Improvement 
of the Farm Egg,” 10 cents; “Handling 
and Marketing of Eggs,” five cents; 
“How Produce Dealer May Improve 
Quality of Poultry and Eggs,” five cents. 
A beautiful egg candling chart is also 
published by the Bureau of Chemistry of 
the U. S. Department of Agriculture; I 
think that this is free. m. b. d. 
Inbreeding. 
The general impression in the minds of 
nearly all poultrymen is that inbreeding 
is always wrong and detrimental and a 
sure means of running down a flock of 
poultry. Some recent investigations of 
this subject are interesting and tend to 
discredit this idea. Dr. Raymond Pearl 
told at the meeting of the Connecticut 
State Poultry Association at Storrs of 
some experiments in inbreeding, where 
for 17 successive generations white rats 
had been bred brother with sister, to see 
whether any weakness or loss of size or 
stamina would develop. But as a mat¬ 
ter of fact there was no loss of size or 
vitality, or decrease in the number 
brought forth at a litter. Some promis¬ 
cuously bred rats were kept under same 
conditions, as a check for comparison, 
and the inbred ones were the superior. 
A cage with a turning wheel, like a squir¬ 
rel cage, was used as an exerciser. There 
was a speedometer attached, and it was 
found that the daily travel of the rats 
was about eight miles. In breeding for 
egg production more or less inbreeding 
is usually involved; but if due care is 
used to select for strength and stamina, 
there is no need for any deterioration. 
In fact, all one’s progress may be lost 
by introducing new blood from outside 
the lines used. Therefore, it is always 
wise to retain a number of birds of the 
original strains to use when indications 
show any need of “renewing” the blood. 
GEORGE A. COSGROVE. 
Fowls for Home Table. 
I wish to raise a few chickens for our 
own table; what kind do you consider 
best for my purpose? The variety should 
be hardy as we live in New Hampshire at 
1,600 feet elevation. I am going to start 
either with two hens and a cockerel or 
wait and buy two fancy settings of eggs. 
Which do you advise? I want large, good 
broilers in the end and do not care much 
about eggs. f. d. c. 
New Hampshire. 
There are so many good breeds for your 
purpose that your personal tastes "may 
well be consulted. The larger American 
breeds are all well adapted to supply¬ 
ing the table and eggs as well. If a 
Hock of pure white fowls appeals to your 
.•esthetic taste White Wyandottes, White 
Plymouth Rocks, or White Orpingtons 
would probably please you ; if red seems 
a warmer tone and more to your liking in 
plumage the R. I. Reds will be glad to 
demonstrate their virtues as a family 
flock. If you wish variegated colors, the 
fanciers nowadays have given us varie¬ 
ties in all desirable shades. m. n. n. 
A western lady attended a funeral in 
a church in a small town a short time 
ago. After the singing of a hymn which 
was strikingly melodious and appropriate, 
a male friend who was seated beside her 
remarked, with an air of intense local 
pride: “Beautiful hymn, isn’t it? The 
corpse wrote it.”—Toronto Sun. 
When you write advertisers mention The 
Rural New-Yorker and you’ll get a quick 
reply and a "square deal.” See guarantee 
editorial page. 
II 
A Practical Recommendation 
On this and other farm buildings, 
Mr. Burke used, last spring, over a 
ton of Dutch Boy White Lead. 
If you, too, want satisfactory re¬ 
sults on an economical basis, ask 
your painter to use 
Dutch Boy White Lead 
and Dutch Boy Linseed Oil. 
This paint wears long, keeps smooth 
and may be tinted any color. It holds 
on to the wood, has enough elasticity 
to prevent cracking and never has to 
be scraped or burnetd oft. 
We will send you material and direc¬ 
tions for a simple paint test together 
with booklet of suggestions and color 
schemes for this iong-wearing paint. 
Pimply ask our nearest office for Paint¬ 
ing Aids No.2910 
National Lead Company 
New York Cincinnati 
Buffalo Cleveland 
Boston St. Louis 
Chicago San Francisco 
(John T. Lewis & Bros. Co. 
Philadelphia) 
(National Lead & Oil Oo. 
Pittsburgh) 
if 
C&Ur/.Is 
PAD 
' NEVERBIND V CORD 
Enjoy year-round comfort by 
wearing one of .these three styles 
of the * Boston ” — the only gar-, 
ter for men that has the 
quality rubber 
BUTTON clasp 
At your dealer’s or by mall. 
Lisle, 25c.. Silk, 50c. 
Geo. Frost Co., Boston 
WORN 
BY MEN 
THE 
WORLD 
OVER 
SILO FILLERS WITH 
EXCELSIOR ENGINES 
S ILO filling time will Soon be here. We have 
a special proposition on an Excelsior engine 
and cutter with blower. We have only a few 
cutters that we are going to offer at this special 
price and the lucky man who acts quickly is 
going to have one of those on a money-saving 
proposition. You know about the Excelsior en¬ 
gines. They nre the big money-maker and labor- 
saver oil a farm. Get a catalog of both the cut¬ 
ter and engine. Tell us the size farm you have. 
Tell us when you are ready to buy and receive 
by return mail our proposition to you, but do 
not delay. Act quicklv. 
R. CONSOLIDATED GASOLINE ENGINE CO. 
202 Fulton Street New York City 
Concrete Mixer $1L 50 Up 
Build your own foundations, Moors, 
silos, tanks with a SHELDON BATCH 
MlXElt at 811.50 up. Most practical 
low-priced mixer yet Invented. Mixes 
2J4 cu. ft. in 3 mins. Keeps six men 
busy. Catalog free. Write. 
Sheldon Mlg Co., Box 4875 Nehawkx, Nebr, 
6i 
Men, let me tell you about Wright’s 
Union Suits 
“I’ve worn Wright’s 
Union Suits for years 
and sold them to hun¬ 
dreds of shrewd dealers 
whose reputation de¬ 
pends upon the quality 
of the goods they buy 
and sell. And I know 
that if you once get 
into these garments you 
will be sold, too, in a 
minute. 
“Talk about long 
wear! Wright’s Union 
Suits will average two 
or three seasons. They 
wear that long for me. 
“No wonder they 
wear so well. The boss 
himself goes to market 
each year and buys the 
finest long-fiber Egyptian 
cotton and fine-combed 
wool. 
“ Besides the extra wear 
in Wright’s Union Suits 
they are tailored to fit per¬ 
fectly and have a liberal 
closed crotch. While they 
are light in weight, they 
are as comfortably warm 
as any garment you ever 
heard of. 
“They sell at good 
haberdashers’ for $2 up; 
separate shirts and draw¬ 
ers, $1 up.’’ 
Y 0 . f salesman 
UNDERWEAR 
WRIGHT’S UNDERWEAR COMPANY, New York City 
