Norwich bulletin., 1914-03-19
ENGLISH HENS INCREASE
 LEAD IN EGG LAYING. First Pen Widened It's Lead from 86
 to 120 Eggs.

England is still leading in the inter- national egg laying contest at StorrS, Conn. Not only that, but the English pen of White WyandotteS has increaS- ed its lead from S6 eggs on February 1st to 120 eggs on March 1st, or at the close of the fourth month. Weather conditions at the competition plant were most uninviting during the month of February With the single exception of the first day of the month the min imum temperature ranged from a few degrees below freezing to 16 degrees below zero every day in the month More snow fell during February than in any other corresponding period in many years.
 In the face of adverse weather con ditions, however, and in spite of the short month. the hens laid more than twice as many eggs as in January, or a total of S,760, making a grand total of S1S.207 eggs. Thirteen individuals, including White Rocks, White Wyan- dottes, Buff Wyandottes, Rhode Island Reds and White Leghorns laid 20 eggs each. or more during the month. The eight best Individual scores for the first four months of the competition are as follows:
 Eggs Pen II English White Wyandotte. S5 Pen 8 New Hampshire R. I. Red... 79 Pen II English White WYandotte. 73 Pen 21 American Buff Wyandotte
 CIuo ..-'....-- 70 Pen 35 New Hampshire R, l. Red. T2 Pen 40 Experimental White Leg Pen 1 New York Barred Rock. .'.. T Pen 30 Pennsylvania R. l. Red. Il
 Awards for the month of February have been made as follows: The blue ribbon. or first prize. goes to a Penn Sylvania pen of Rhode Island Reds owned by Dr. J. A. F'ritchey of Harris burg. Pa. which laid 161 eggs. The English pen of White Wyandottes owned by Tom Barron got second prize for the month with a production of 159 eggs. Dr. N. w. SanbOrn. Hol- den. Mass. captured third place for the moIith with his Buff Wyandottes, which yielded 151 eggs for February. George P. Dearborn, Lake Como. Fla, and A. E. Brundage Danbury, Conn.,, receive honorable mention as their two pens of Rhode Island Reds followed closely with 15O and 14S eggs respectively.
 Experimental Pens.
 In some ways the standing of the experimental pens at the close of the fourth month is much the same as has been previously reported. In both the Plymouth Rock and Leghorn groups the pens that are receiving neither green food nor beef scrap ar the lowest producers. In the Plymouth Rock group tTe pen InaI receives the reg u- lar contest ration with the addition of sour milk, but without any green food. leads; whereas in the Leghorn group the pen receiving the regular contest ration. with addition of sour milk, but without any beef scrap is leading. If we combine these two groups it will be seen that the addition or sour milk to the regular ration makes for higher egg production. except in those cases where neither beef scrap nor green food is supplied The experimental pens have not been listed in the ten leading pens given below, but as Q matter of fact two of the Leghorn pens occupy third and tenth places with a total prOduc- ton, the 1sr of March, of 515 and 366 eggs respectively. It is interesting to note in this connection that these Leg horns were just five months old when the contest opened on November 1st last A few weeks ago the writer was discussing this question of sour milk for growing chicks with Q Connecticut poultry man who brooded 1000 chicks last season. and who had used the sour milk freely for the first time. This breeder was of the opinion that in his case the milk was responsible for de veIoping his bullets a full month ear Her than he had ever been able to do before.
 Ten Leading Pens.
 The ten leading pens at the close of the fourth month are as follows: Tom Barron. Catforth near Pres
 ton. England, White Wyandottes $50 Francis F. Lincoln, Mt. Carmel,
 Conn, White LeghOrns .-....... 530 NeaIe Bros, Apponaug, R. l.. White
 WyandCttes -. ....-...... 418 Merrythought Farm. Columbia,
 Conn., White Wyandottes ...... 40 Dr J. A. Fritchey, Harrisburg, Pa,
 $. c. Rhode Island Reds. .......- 458 Cecil Guernsey, East CObIeskiIl, N.
 Y. White Leghorns ............ 429 Jules F. Francis. w. Hampton, L.
 l., \. Y. Barred Plymouth Rocks 3S2 George P. Dearborn. Lake Como,
 Fla, s. c. Rhode IsIandd Reds. 3SO Pinecrest Orchards, Groton, Mass,
 $. c. Rhode Island Reds. ....... 345 Tom Barron, CauOrth, near Pres
 ton, Eng, White LeghOrns. ...... 336