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Show LONGER WORK DAY FOR HEN "Longer working days for hens, especially in the fall and winter months when eggs are highest in price, have been found by the United Unit-ed Seates Department of Agriculture Agricul-ture to be a ready means of securing secur-ing more profit from the farm flock. Egg prices follow a well-defined curve, being lowest in April and gradually increasing through July and August. They show a more marked increase in September Septem-ber and finally reach the pea price in November or ealy December. Decem-ber. "During the fall and winter months the shorter days so limit the feeding- time of the average farm flock that egg production declines. de-clines. On the department's experimental experi-mental poultry farm at Beltsville, Md., electric lights are used to lengthen the days. They are usually usual-ly started about the first of October Oc-tober and continued until the middle mid-dle of March. A White Leghorn pullet last year laid 310 eggs, working work-ing throughout the fall and winter by the aid of electric lights to get sufficient feed for her production. "In two years' tests in which lights were used at Beltsville from about November 1 to March 20 the production of a pen of 50 pullets was increased the first year by 50.2 dozen eggs, the value of which was $27.96 greater than the production of 50 pullets working without lights. In the second year another pen of 50 pullets working under similar conditions produced 60.6 dozen eggs more than a pen of 50 pullets (" an unlighted pen. The value of tne increase was $34.42. One 75-watt light was used for each pen an average of 2V6 hours daily for 140 days. "An average length of day of 12 to 13 hours gives the best results, according to the department. Longer Long-er light periods force the hens too much. . Morning lights are the easiest eas-iest and most practical, because they can be turned on automatically automatical-ly and no dimming is required as in the case of evening lighting. The use of light does not pay, however, j unless the best attention is also given to feeding, management, and housing of the flock. Grain should : be put in the house after the pul-1 lets have gone to roost so as to be.! available for their early morning |