GESTATION CALENDAR.

Average Gestation Period.

Mares, 48 weeks (340 days, extremes 307 and 412 days).

FEEDING AND GENERAL CARE OF POULTRY. By Prof. WM. P. WHEELER, of N. Y. (Geneva) Experiment Station. Of the kinds of land birds and of water fowls under domestication the common barnyard" fowls, of one general type, but of countless individual variations, and their thoroughbred varieties, are those usually thought of when the subject of poultry is mentioned, and these are the fowls of most general practical interest. It is remarkable that the common fowl, although so widely bred, and for so long, in Europe and America has no distinctive English name.

Ducks, turkeys, and geese constitute greater or smaller portions of the market poultry according to the particular locality and season, but the common fowl, besides producing most of the table poultry, is almost alone called upon for the egg supply.

The relative prices of eggs and market poultry, the proximity of markets, as well as the prices of foods, determine the relative profit in keeping larger or smaller breeds, even with eggs as the special object. The meat value of every fowl is of consideration sooner or later, and while the smaller hens will produce eggs cheaper, the greater net profit from hatching to market per hen may be with the larger breed.

Most of the thoroughbred varieties have their characteristics fairly established, so that it is better business policy to employ them rather than the uncertain mongrels, which, besides their unknown capabilities, are not less likely to suffer from long and careless inbreeding. The fancier who is fitted by judgment and experience to inbreed his stock closely will know how far he can go with safety; but one who finds it necessary to inquire about the advisability of inbreeding had better not attempt any.

Among the breeds that lay white-shelled eggs, Hamburgs, when of vigorous ancestry, probably are the most prolific. They certainly are exceptional layers, although the size of the egg is small. The Hamburg varieties possess in unusual degree the thoroughbred characteristics. Occasional complaints have been made in recent years concerning their stamina.

For egg production the Leghorns are typical fowls, and where white-shelled eggs are wanted the Leghorn varieties are more widely kept than any others.

The Minorcas, other members of the Mediterranean class, excel the Leghorns in size of eggs, but do not equal them in number.

Some strains and varieties of Pit Games are not far from the Leghorn in prolificacy.

Of the French breeds the Houdan is most widely bred in this country, and for such an excellent table fowl, is an exceptional layer of large white eggs.

The Polish, often wonderful layers, have sometimes suffered in vigor because of their beauty, which admirers hesitate to risk marring by introduction of distant blood.

Of the Asiatics, which lay brown-shelled eggs, the Langshan is high in favor with practical poultrymen. The Brahma, the largest of the thoroughbreds, also ranks high and lays large eggs. Those strains, however, bred for early laying are usually much inferior in size to the standard birds. The Cochin varieties are more particularly the pride of the fancier than of the farmer.

Of the American breeds the Plymonth Rock is undoubtedly the most popular. Its type of plumage possesses an unusual strength, even in blood much diluted, and faint reflections of the blue barring are seen in very distant relatives of the thoroughbred. The perfect markings of the showroom bird are, however, quickly lost. The American breeds lay brown-shelled eggs. Different flocks vary as much as the breeds or varieties in productiveness.

Many other breeds and varieties recognized by the American Poultry Association are of considerable economic value, but are less commonly kept.

In feeding most farm animals the usual purpose is only to secure meat, wool, milk, or work, and not always is consideration necessarily given to the breeding condition and the breeding season. When poultry is kept for other than fancy purposes, the life of the individual fowl is so short that there is not only an annual necessity of growing young birds with several more or less complete sets of

plumage, but egg production virtually implies a continual breeding condition, for the ultimate constituents of the egg are, with the exception of the amount obtained from the air, all that are combined in the living chick.

The body of a Leghorn pullet, about nine months old, in active laying, contains about 55.4 per cent of water, 21.2 per cent of different nitrogenous constituents, 18.0 per cent of fat, 3.0 per cent of ash or mineral matter, and 2.0 per cent of other substances, including also a little water lost in manipulation. Leghorn hens almost two years old and laying, showed an average composition of 55.7 per cent water, 21.6 per cent nitrogenous matter, 17.0 per cent of fat, 3.8 per cent ash constituents, and 1.7 per cent other substances. The body of a mature capon is composed of about 41.6 per cent of water, 19.4 per cent nitrogenous matter, 33.9 per cent fat, 3.7 per cent ash, and 1.4 per cent other substances.

Notwithstanding the fact that the problem of poultry feeding is much more complex than that of feeding most other farm stock, fewer carefully collected data are available in formulating feeding standards for poultry than for cattle. The following rations for laying hens are, however, near the average of those that have given best results. They are stated at the rate per 1000 lbs. live weight, to compare with the standards which have been used in feeding other animals.

One thousand pounds live weight of laying hens, of about three pounds average weight, require from 65 to 70 pounds of total food, less bulky than that for the cow, or about 52 pounds water-free food, per day, containing about 9 pounds digestible protein, 20 pounds digestible nitrogenfree extract and fiber, and 4 pounds of fat. From this ration the hens would produce generally from 16 to 31 pounds of eggs containing from 5.2 lbs. to 9.8 lbs. dry matter, one pound of eggs being produced from about 3.4 lbs. waterfree food, one pound of dry matter of eggs for each 8.8 lbs. water-free food.

For one thousand pounds live weight of hens of about six pounds average weight, there should be fed from 40 to