The professional world. (Columbia, Mo.) 1901-192?, 1903-06-05

this year and eggs will surely be high. This article is written in western
Missouri, and a prominent stock feeder in looking over the table said
"You have those grain prices so per cent higher than is necessary for
this section this year" Now, you may need to pay higher prices than
those specified, but if so you are in a locality where you an sell your
eggs higher than " 10 cents per pound" AT our Beaver Hill farm we
believe that our feeds cost us perhaps rs per cent higher than esti
mate, but we will realize more than IS per cent advance o. the price of
eggs, for at no time this summer did we sell eggs lower than 20 cents
per dozen, and in September people were coaxing for u eggs at "a
cents per dozen, or " 10 cents per pound" Right here in the country
districts of western Missouri eggs are selling now for IS cents per
= dozen
A RICH RATION.
Even the critic will admit that this is a pretty rich diet-much
better in both quantity and quality than he feeds-and We are ready to
admit that it requires a hen with a good digestive apparatus to do the
work. She must have the assimlating powers of the dairy bred Jersey
or Holstein COW to reach the mark. No dung hills need apply. No
drones need undertake the management. But it has been done; it is.
being done; you can do it if you will supply the comforts and conven-
fences that Madam Hen calls for To consume ten and two third ounces
of food in three days and give you in return four ounces of egg is no
small undo liking on her part, nor is it a small business o your part to
secure it,
Rem embcr one point just here: two-thirds of the egg is water
The remaining one-thrd you must give her in the proper solid foods
not forgetting the water, and also provide literally at the same time for
her animal heat, the wear and tear of her system and for the ashes of
her animal fires. In other words you must expect lots of your feed to
find its way to the droppingboard, but even there it is a valuable pro-
duct which we have not figured in.
COMMENTS ON THE FOODS.
A few words about these foods in the order named in our table
Corn.-We use it in smaller proportion than here specified, partly
because with us in western Pennsylvania it is very expensive, but more
because it is too fatening. Our hens are kept for breeding as well as
for egg production. The fat hen may be kept 20 and be made to lay
eggs up to u requirements of "two eggs in three days" but the eggs
from a fat hen do not hatch well.
Oat.-We consider oats u very best feed. Oats cost IS 2 13
cents per pound the past season, but they are cheaper now. With an
abundance of grit there is no danger in feeding whole oats. We
bought huled oats the past year for the anne price as the whole oats.
Fed alone, they arr not satisfying to the hens. They do not furnish
bulk enough. Huled oats must be accompanied with plenty of clover
and other coarse food.
wheat.-At so cents per bushel the past season wheat was our
cheapest feed. Don't think to economize by buying poor wheat or
screenings. If you buy, buy the best quality obtamable.
Kafr Corn and Sorghum.-These are two of the very best of
grains, as nearly a balanced ration for the fowls a you can get; but
don't depend on these o any other one grain. You must keep up the
hens app elite with variety. Skip from one grain to another frequently.
Keep her happy and busy. 1t pays.
Bfan-We esteem bran as the one essential ground food. We use
itdry, in large flat boxes about the yards, where the birds young and
can jump in and pick lot of il. We also use it as a basis of all our
soft feeds, a carrier for our meatmeal, etc. We always use salt on our
soft feeds, Bran is rich in protein; I'll a good regulator it seems to