quate consumption of mash is a prime requisite
in egg production. The feeding of semi-solid buttermilk at the rate of 3
to 5 pounds to 100 hens daily is recommended. Ten pounds of mangel beets
per 100 hens or 1 square inch of well-sprouted oats per bird will supply
needed green food during the winter.

In many cases it will be found more satisfactory to purchase ready mixed
rations from a local dealer who handles reliable and scientifically
compounded feeds for poultry. This is particularly applicable where the
number of birds is of ordinary proportions. Little, if any, economy will
be found in purchasing small quantities of each ingredient and attempting
to thoroughly mix them at home. If the flock is very large there may be
worth-while economy in home-mixing of the ration. The efficient poultryman
will compare the cost of branded feeds with ingredient costs to guard
against being overcharged.

In addition to the standard rations the growing stock and laying birds
should have access at all times to grit, shell and charcoal, kept in
suitable containers. These may be obtained of the local dealer.

_Sanitation._--When growing stock and laying hens are kept under modern
intensive conditions the observance of the rules of sanitation is
essential. Failure to observe them is likely to result in loss of
production, serious sickness of the flock and the nullifying of all other
constructive factors.

Dropping boards beneath the roosts must be cleaned frequently and
regularly to prevent accumulation of filth. If the dropping boards are
constructed of matched lumber with the boards running in the direction in
which they are to be scraped it will facilitate the cleaning process.

Before the birds are placed in winter quarters the laying house should be
thoroughly cleaned of all litter and debris. The interior may then be
thoroughly sprayed with a disinfectant composed of some good coal tar
preparation, and this repeated in the spring. The surface will need to be
painted with a good disinfectant, of which there are a number of
commercial preparations on the market. A close watch should be made for
vermin in the house and on the birds, and if lice or similar parasites are
discovered, immediate action should be taken to destroy both the adults
and the eggs, since these parasites will debilitate the flock and prevent
their development and may seriously check their ability to lay.

_Management of Artificial Lights._--The electric l