The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-01-07


 selves. By keeping record of the eggs laid by these bullets during the winter, I found Ahat some of the outlets were better laySrs than the older fowls.
 This was6 6not the only feature. Breed ing from Early layers mated with the best males Twas found to produce bullets which laidM Mmore eggs than the parent fowl. ThA led me to take more interest in the padltry side of farm work. The result was a large increase in egg pro- duction in winter. With higher prices for eggs at that season. the flock was kept at a profit instead of at a loss, as had frequently been the case for several months of the year.
 Records of egg production from my flocks have been kept since 1907. Be- sides the pleasure of keeping accounts there is considerable satisfaction in knowing that the flock has been profit able and that there has been a steady increase in profits as a result of improv- ing the flock by careful breeding.
 RESULT IN EGG PRODUCTION For the sake of comparison, let us take the egg production of flock of 50 fowls in 1907 The number of eggs laid that year was 1896. From then on t.lere was steady increase up to 1914, in which year the egg production was S014. For
 
 number of eggs laid by the same sized flock was 7S77
 By systematic breeding there was a steady increase in the egg yield. For the first four years after 1907, the aver age number of eggs laid was 5429, or an average annual increase of nearly 37 per cent. During the years 1914 to 1916, in elusive, the increase in eggs over 1907 was more than 100 per cent. with prac- tica I11 ha pf ,o in breeding. therefore, has its effects in more prolific laying.
 BREEDING LARGE FOWLS
 The weight of the fowls can also be increased. Census reports show that the size of the average farm fowl is small. To increase the weight of fowls by care ful breeding is to lay the foundation for more profitable poultry keeping. A few simple principles of selection in breed- ing are as follows:
 Vigor and health in both males and females are necessary in successful breeding. Next. the form of the breeders should be considered. For increasing the size of the chick. birds with long bodies, good width between the thighs, and long breast bones should be chosen. These traits are transmitted, which is the ba- sis for larger hens with a. greater pro- portion of meat Tn 10 years I have been able to increase the size of my fowls nearly 50 per cent.
 From the standpoint of meat produc- tion, this increase in weight is very inn portant. All kinds of meat including poultry, are very high in price. The minimum estimate of poultry production is about 9sO,O00,0OO fowls year. On the basis of an increase in weight of 1A pounds per fowl, this would mean an an nual increase of 1,125, 100000 pounds. On the basis of 20 cents pound this in- crease in weight would mean about $226' 0O00OO year in the pockets of farmers and poultry raisers
 MAKING PROFITS
 It must be remembered that the pro ducing power of a flock of farm poultry Is not limited to eggs and meat alone. The value of poultry manure must not be overlooked. H contains three essen tial plant-food elements in about the right proportion of nitrogen, phosphoric acid and potash. But this is merely an incidental source of income in poultry keeping
 The meat side of poultry raising, as shown above, is big factor. After their usefulness in egg production is over, hens can be sold for table use. Cockerels can also be made to yield handsome profit In matching chicks to maintain the number of fowls desired for laying purposes about half the number are usually cockerels. If matching begins