The RURAL NEW-YORKER 
1349 
Records of the Connecticut Contest 
O N October 31 the tenth annual egg-laying con¬ 
test at the Connecticut Agricultural College 
ended with a victory for the pen of 10 White Wyan- 
dottes owned by Obed G. Knight of Rhode Island. 
This contest is the oldest and in some respects the 
most reliable of any that have been started in this 
White Leghorn. Best Hen in Contest. Record 263 
Eggs. Fig. 575 
country. It is an annual contest, and thus becomes a 
comparison of pullets. At several other contests a 
breeding test is combined. The original birds are 
kept, for two years and then their daughters follow 
in a pullet trial. In Connecticut the birds are kept 
for one year only. Originally five pullets were kept 
in each pen, but after two years the number was 
increased to 10. Full records of number of eggs, food 
consumed, weight of eggs, etc., are kept, but they are 
not yet available for the contest just closed. 
The seven leading pens are here given in the order 
of their record: 
Breed and Owner Eggs 
Obed G. Knight. White Wyandottes, Rhode Island 2234 
Hollywood Farm, White Leghorns, Washington... 2218 
L. E. Ingoldsby, White Leghorns, New York. 2097 
Ernest II. Scott, White Leghorns, Connecticut... 2040 
Imperial Poultry Farm, White Leghorns. New 
Jersey . — 
Burchell & Janson, White Leghorns, British Co¬ 
lumbia . 2000 
Charles II. Lane, R. I. Reds, Massachusetts. 1992 
Of the first 20 pens there were 10 White Leghorns, 
one White Wyandotte, one Barred Rock and two R. 
I. Reds. The following table shows the winning 
breed in each year since the contest opened. 
1912 White Leghorns (5 birds). 1071 
1913 White Leghorns (5 birds). 1190 
1914 White Leghorns (10 birds). 2088 
1915 White Wyandottes (10 birds). 2072 
1910 White Wyandottes (10 birds). 2205 
1917 Barred Rocks (10 birds). 2119 
1918 Oregons (10 birds). 23o2 
1919 Barred Rocks (10 birds). 2022 
1920 Barred Rocks (10 birds). 2234 
1921 White Wyandottes (10 birds). 2234 
Thus the record was made by the 10 Oregons in 
1918. 
This year’s contest was very close. Mr. Knight’s 
Wyandottes went to the front at the start and were 
never headed. A pen of Reds gave them a good 
brush at the half-way point, but could not keep tip 
the pace. On the home stretch the White Leghorns 
from Hollywood came with a rush and at one time 
were only seven eggs behind the leaders. They 
could not quite get to the front. As we see, in 10 
years the Wyandottes have won three times, the 
Barred Rocks three times, the Oregons once and the 
Leghorns three times. 
There were 1,000 hens in the contest and they laid 
altogether 159,700 eggs. The following table shows 
how the leading birds compared : 
500 White Leghorns . 109.9 
270 Rhode Island Reds. 153.0 
140 Plymouth Rocks . 145.2 
50 Wyandottes . 162.7 
40 Miscellaneous . 123.3 
1,000 Average all breeds. 159.7 
Pictures of the two leading pens are shown at 
Figs. 570 and 579. The Leghorns are from the Pa¬ 
cific coast, where breeders seem to have developed a 
bird of definite shape and character. The pictures of 
single birds show the two best hens in the contest 
and the best Barred Rock. As will be seen, the 
Leghorn ranks first, beating the Red by the small 
margin of three eggs. These high-record birds will 
no doubt be kept for breeding, as it seems clear that 
the cockerels from sue.h hens are quite sure to pass 
on their mother’s good qualities. These egg-laying 
contests are doing much to increase our knowledge 
of breeding and selecting laying stock. They show 
us how to analyze a hen and it would be quite im¬ 
possible to estimate the benefit which has accrued to 
the poultry business through the careful work at 
these contests. Among other things they show the 
comparative value of the different breeds, and their 
best uses. In the acid test of these contests the 
American breeds, like the Reds, Rocks and Wyan- 
Bcst Barred Rock. Record 2J/Lf Eggs. Fig. 577 
dottes have fully shown their value. Yet the great 
commercial plants will probably always be filled with 
Leghorns. 
Prof. W. F. Kirkpatrick, who has charge of this 
egg-laying contest, gave some interesting figures 
about egg production and cost: 
During the past year the contest eggs have whole¬ 
saled at an average price of close to 60 cents a dozen, 
ranging from' $1.03 in December to as low as 34 cents 
in May. As you can see from the report, the hens 
averaged approximately 160 eggs each, but we deduct 
five or six per cent of this number to allow for blood 
spots, breakage in the nest and loss in collecting, weigh¬ 
ing and packing. Then of course there are some pul¬ 
lets’ eggs that do not sell at top price. With the 
maximum deduction there is still left 150 eggs that 
yield 5 centsi each, or a gross income of $7.50 per hen, 
and when you remember that Leghorns eat not more 
than 75 lbs. of feed per year and Plymouth Rocks not 
over 90 lbs., I think it is safe to say that our feed bill 
has not been more than $2 per hen for the year. I 
think we must have succeeded in getting from these 
birds at least five dozen eggs more than the average 
New England farm produces. You can readily com- 
j Best Red and Second Best Single Hen. Record 2(10 
Eggs. Fig. 578 
March . IS September . 13 
April . 19 October . 7 
Total for the year, 160 eggs. 
Straw or Ducks for Quack Grass 
I have a problem on my mind that I would like to 
ask a few foolish questions about. I have a two-acre 
field that is nearly solid quack grass. It is, of course, 
a good rich field, and right next the barn. I have been 
wondering if anyone could spread straw on here thick 
enough to smother out this stuff. If so, how would it 
work to plow it and drop early potatoes on top of the 
ground, and cover with straw, and thus get a little 
income from the field at the same time? I have had 
corn here this year, and intend to plow it this Fall, and 
would do so again in the Spring if it would help any. 
How many ducks would it take to keep the quack grass 
down for a year or so? It borders on a small stream, 
and would make a fine place for them to run. I could 
fence part of it for ducks and try the straw on the other 
half if there is any show of killing it either way. I 
know I could harrow it one Summer, but this is an 
expensive job. Of course the investment is worth a 
whole lot if successful. reader. 
New York. 
HESE are not ‘‘foolish questions,” but they open 
up a good subject for discussion. We have no 
doubt that some among our readers have tried both 
plans, and can give us experience. The plan of 
covering the field with straw has been tried. So 
far as growing potatoes in this way goes, there is no 
question about it. Some fine yields have been made 
by this method. The soil must be well drained, and 
the season not too wet. If water stands too much 
in the soil the covering of straw will encourage the 
rot. As for killing out quack grass, it is true that 
if you can prevent its growth above ground the plant 
seems to weaken and die. We have tried this on a 
small scale by using straw boards or even thick 
paper laid on the ground to prevent growth. The 
trouble would be to use enough of the straw so as 
completely to cover the ground. The quack grass 
is very persistent, and will come up where the straw 
is thin or where the soil is uncovered. If it once 
gets up it will live and spread under ground. We 
would like to have any experience along this line, 
and also about the ducks. 
pute the value of these extra five dozen eggs at current 
prices. The following table shows the number of eggs 
a hen ought to lay during the year based on trap-nest 
records from 7.000 hens during the last seven years: 
November . 5 May . 20 
December . 7 June . 18 
January . 9 July . 17 
February. 12 August . 15 
White Wyandottes. First in Contest — 2.23. 1 / Eggs. Fig. 576 White Leghorns. Second in Contest — 2,218 Eggs. Fig. 579 
