The Harrison times., 1917-01-27
PLANS TO DROP the high. cost egg
Prof. H. R. Lewis, Poultry Au-
thority, Maps Out Battle
Against Big Prices.
SCIENCE COMES TO RESCUE
New Jersey Farmers to Follow Early
Hatching Plan In Effort to
Increase Production In
OFF Season.

New YOrk.-Prof. Harry r. Lewis,
head of the poultry department of the
New Jersey state experiment station,
and one of the leading poultry au-
tlOrities of the country, is conducting
series Of cooperative experiments
with New Jersey chicken ralsers which
promise to make fresh eggs more
plentiful in the future, especially in
the fall, when the real fresh article
becomes so scarce that it gets into
the luxury class. Professor Lewis be-
lieveS the real solution of the egg
problem is to teach the poultry men
how to manage their flocks so that
the egg supply will not fall so low dur
ing the fall and winter months.
Realizing that lectures are soon for
gotten and literature often thrown
away or lost, Professor Lewis decided
some time ago to get out among the
farmers and work with them.
He is putting the hen through
postgraduate course In egg prOduc-
tiOn at Vineland N. j., which prom
iSes to reyOlutiOniZe the poultry in
duStry and be the means of speeding
up egg production all over the Coun-
try. Although increased production
will mean lower prices, the poultry
Nmen are lending every aid, as they
realize that their full egg baskets will
more than make up for the drop in
price.
Knowing that hens will always take
vacation in the fall, when they rest
up, molt, and get ready for another
seasons laying, Professor Lewis turn
ed his attention to the pullets and
found that most poultry men were
Matching only in the natural breeding
season, during April, May and June.
= pnly a few birds were hatChed in
Narch, and these did not mature
quickly enough to fill in the gap with
eggs when the old hens started to
slack Ct.
Eperimented With pullets.
Expements were conducted for sew
eral yes at the state experiment sta
ton fn at New Brunswick, which
convint Professor Lewis that chicks
hatchebout the middle Of February
~~kvould rt laying toward the end of
July, N production starts down
\ ward most farms. AS the hens
sto1N= .'lese early hatched pullets
took their places and the gap was
bridged,
They laid all fall, going into a slight
mott in the winter, but by that time
the later hatched birds were laying
well, and Professor Lewis felt that the
February hatched pullets were entitled
to a short rest, as they had solved the
problem of fall egg scarcity and had
laid well when eggs were bringing top
prices.
Another experiment which promises
great results for the poultry industrE
is being conducted at the Vineland in
ternational egg laying and breeding
contest, where 100 pens of ten birds
each are entered for three years test.
Professor Lewis predicted when the
contest started November 1 last that
before It ends enough data will be
Wcured to enable all poultry men to
Breed with more certainty for higher
egg production.
To Pedigree the Birds.
Professor Lewis IS going to pedi-
gree the birds for two years and then
Is going to breed from them in an eff
fort to show the owners just how to
mate their birds to insure increased
production from generation to genera
tiOn,
A model $1,000 plant for the contest
furnishes palatial quarters for the
birds, with everything arranged for
their convenience and comfort. There
Is q free lunch counter where such
delcacies as dry mash, oyster shell,
grit, charcoal and water are always
on tap, and grain Is fed three times
q day in deep litter on the floor, to
keep the birds busy and contented