56 Twenty-seventh Annual Report of the
print plans for the remodeling of dairy barns, at the request _
of farmers. Seven of these barns were actually recon-
structed, according to the plans furnished. He also attended
twenty-one meetings and consulted with approximately one
hundred dairymen in regard to the operation of their dairy
farms. Mr. Nicholls also assists in the work at the State
Fair, etc. This is in addition of course, to his regular duties `
4 in the Agricultural College.
Bulletin 179 which contains 82 pages was prepared by Mr.
Nicholls in June, 1914, and is entitled the “ Construction and
Equipment of Dairy Barns." It contains various plans for
different kinds of dairy barns. I believe that this is one of
the most complete publications of this kind that has ever
been prepared by any Experiment Station.
· XI. In December, 1914, the Experiment Station published ,
Bulletin 186 entitled “Experiments with the Sharples "
Mechanical Milker." This bulletin embraces 35 pages and
gives full data in regard to the tests made with the machine
at the Experiment Station dairy. The tests reveal the fact
that the machine has no detrimental effect on milk and
butter production and that if it is used by a careful man,
clean milk can be produced with it.
Tina Pouiyrnr DEPARTMENT was established in 1913 on
three acres of ground and includes fourteen different types
of poultry houses and 450 birds of ten varieties. This has
given an opportunity during 1914 to draw some conclusions
in regard to the best type of house and the best varieties of
chickens adapted to conditions obtaining in Kentucky.
The experiments under way at the poultry yards are as
follows:
l. Records and observations in regard to the length of
time required for different hens to complete their period of
broodiness and number of times that they become broody.
Some investigators believe that the most productive hens
cast almost all their feathers and continue broody several
days longer than unproductive hens. Our records will prob-
ably verify this.