The Ordway new era., 1919-06-20
BY HENRY FARNAM
written for The New Era)

La Crosse, Wis, June 18.-With
a record of 151 eggs in one month
and n of these produced in a single
week, a three-year-old White Rock
hen owned by Gus Rhodes. prosperous
ia Crosse valley farmer living one
mile east of West Salem. Wis, claims
the egg-laying championship of the
world.
The first questioning of the record
Of the hens laying performance dur
ing the month of May. when 1t was
kept by Mrs. Rhodes. ceases when
some of the skeptics on the premises
saw the hen lay 16 eggs in period
of ten hours.
J'oultrynan's Affidavit
Stops Scoff OF Critics.
And after ]. H. Benson. La Crosse
poultr yfancier who went to the
Rhodes farm and camped in the barn
with the chicken for two days, ap-
peared in the Office of County Judge
John Brindley to make affidavit that
he saw the hen lay 13 of these 16
eggs in one sitting of fo5r hours,
without stopping to eat. drink or even
cackle; the skeptics are willing to
accept as verify the daily egg-laying
record submitted by Mrs. Rhodes
since Mrs. White Rock set out to
establish new worlds record.
THE RECORD
May B, four eggs; May A,
three; May 5. four; May g, five;
May z six; May 8, four; May
o, three.
The hen laid no more eggs until
May 20, when she started in with
five. Her record for the balance of
the month follows: May 90, five;
four; May "a. seven; May rs. four;
May 26, nine; May 81, nine; May 2s,
eleven; May 20. ten; May 30, four
teen; June /, one; June 2, sixteen;
June 8, eleven: June 4. one.
Mrs. White Rock is an exclusive
hen. She has refused to lay unless
admitted to the barn. where she has
a special nest in corner of a double
manger.
Hen Picks Manger Nest
For Record Performance.
Mr.. Rhodes attention was first at
tracted to the hen in April, when on
several days at noon he found the
bird lowering around the barn door
awaiting a chance to enter the build
ing when the horses were put in for
the MONDAY feeding.
And each day that the hen was
admitted to the barn, he found in the
evening from two 20 six eggs in the
manger. But there never was more
than one hen in the building. Right
there Mrs. White Rock began to get
famous.
"Still L wtls afraid to tell my neigh
hors, for knew they would laugh
and could hardly believe it myself"
said Mr.. Rhodes. TOO be sure we
were right, / began to watch the hen.
When I saw her lay three and four
eggs at one sitting I knew the time
had come to begin to do little crow
ing myself SO told my neighbors.
Poultryman Camps Two
Days With Busy Hen.
~. II. Benson came out from La
Crosse early Sunday and watched the
hen constantly all day." said Rhodes.
"There were hundreds of persons
here during the day. and suppose
thd excitement had its effect. for she
laid only one egg. Mr.. Benson de-
-cided to stay over night and watch
the hen another day. And he GER
tainly watched her. When the hen
cIambered into the nest finally. Mon
day morning, Mr.. Benson sat down in
a rocking chair in the barn near by
and never took his eyes off the nest
until the chicken finally arose four
hours later and hoped down onto
the barn floor.
"Mr. Benson found the hen had
laid in this one sitting thirteen eggs.
Later in the day she laid three more
eggs. but Benson wac gone"
]. II. Benson is a poultryman living
at 22S North goth st. at La Crosse.
wis. He made affidavit before Coun-
ty Judge John Brindley. On his first