914 Report oF THE First AssIsTANT OF THE 

gluten feed, one part corn meal, one part wheat middlings, one _ 
part linseed meal (O. P.). 
The ration for November was corn silage morning and night, — 
clover hay at noon, and the same mixed grain that was fed dur- | 
ing October. 
The ration for December was silage and hay the same as in 
November with a mixed grain consisting of five parts wheat 
bran, five parts of gluten feed, two parts wheat middlings, two 
parts linseed meal (O. P.), one part corn meal, one part ground 
oats. 
Record of the amounts of the different foods consumed by the 
different animals, and the milk yield, will be found elsewhere in © 
this report where the results of certain investigations are 
discussed. 
Poultry. 
A breeding experiment with fowls looking especially toward 
the improvement in egg production has been continued. This 
experimeut which was at first started with pullets of four breeds 
(White Leghorn, Black Minorca, White Plymouth Rock and 
Buff Cochin), was found to require so much attention that work 
was continued with but two breeds — the Buff Cochin and White 
Leghorn; the one breed being of rather small size, very active, 
and about the best of layers; the other of large size, very quiet dis- 
position and a moderate layer. It was thought that more pro- 
nounced results might be obtained with these than with breeds 
more intermediate in the several characteristics. 
From the hen of each breed that, among six of each tested, 
gave for two years the largest product of eggs in number and 
weight, six pullets were bred —also from the hen of each breed 
giving the poorest egg yield, six pullets were bred. Of these 
pullets, the one of the best record in one lot and the one of poor- 
est record in the other will be bred again. At the start a male 
had to be used from a dam whose record was unknown, and no 
conclusions can therefore be made from the records of the first 
lot of pullets. The intended sires of the second generation how- 
ever, have been bred from recorded dams. In order to prevent 
too great inbreeding toward the end of the experiment, male 
birds were bred from hens giving next the best and next the 
