The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1877-03-31
Agricultural Department.
jbNpucrEp ny ALBERT CHAPMAN
po,Irsy souRcEorPRorIr.
4 Paper read by Daniel q. Spnuiding,
OF InltSv.iir W., at the meeting 81
The Board oil Nsricuiture al stowe.

Ii is with pleasure that come before
,ou to su2grsi few ideas for your con
aiderntiom Ia regard - this long neglec-
ted branch oi rural industry, Poultry
as n Source of Profit. am pleased to
see that the minds of the public and es-
ppcially the farmers are being directed
to one ofth most profitable sources of
revenue that exists, and when ii is TIA
ken into consideration the fact that the
production of poultry rivals that OF the
dairy and meat combined, II looks as
though IL was worthy of the candid con-
sideration of all thoughtful minds; for
by and through this channel of pro,luc-
tive enterprise, there is produced and
given out for consumption to the people
Of these United States, larger per cent.
of life-giving food for the capital inves-
ted, than in any of the other depart
ments of agricultural resources. |
wish that could get and give you accu-
rate statistics of the amount of poultry
aud eggs produced and sold in this
country, but cannot, as none have been
compiled, therefore shall have to rely in
part upon estimates, and the sum total
for the United States is placed as high
as five hundred millions of dollars an
nually. Boston market reports hay
ing received at wholesale over three
million dozen eggs, and the average
price paid for them has been twenty
Two cents per dozen, making almost
seven hundred thousand dollars paid
for eggs alone by this market annually ;
and no doubt but that there is another
million dozen sold direct from producer
To consumer at retail that are not rcpor-
ted
In 1870. the city of New York recciy-
ed twenty million dozen eggs, which
cost S4.y2S, 1880. In 1872 the amount
had increased to 2S,260,4l0 dozens,
costing at wholesale 1929, 250.5l, al
though The price per dozen was less
than in 1870. This is the amount re-
ceived, and IN order TO get the whole
amount consumed, Twenty-Five per cent
should be added and we have what il
costs New York city for this necessary
cooking and nourishing article of food.
a large proportion Of the eggs pro-
dnccd In this state find their way to
Boston market. and as Vermont pro-
duces largely in excess of home con-
sumption, owing to the small number of
cities and manufactures, her quota of
eggs that reach Boston market must be
fully one sixth, placing to the credit of
this state the sum of $4,000. The
amount of eggs used for home consump-
ton, and those that are sent to markets
outside the state other than Boston,
will make the sum total for eggs pro-
duccd in this state annually S3jO,OO0,
and yet the demand is always good, and
might be largely increased To the mu-
tual good of both producer and consul
mer.
The estimated amount of Dire sScd
poultry reared and fattcned for the past
year is placed ut three thousand tons. or
on an average of Il little over ten tons
10 each town, worth at wholesale over
$4,000, and adding to this the total val
he of the eggs. we have yearly revenue
Of 81 100000 from the tenants of the
poultry yard. Taking these estimates
as basis, the poultry interest of this
state assumes a position of no small
magnitude, and demands and is worthy
of the attention of the farmer and also
the mechanic, who hopes to derive
some profit from his small stock of
fowls. The income derived from poul-
try is usually in accordance with the
care bestowed, locality and breed, al
though most any of the varieties, ifpro-
perly fed and housed, will pay fair
per cent. on the capital invested, yet
some breeds are better adapted to GER
tain localities than others. The market
facilities should govern the producer
In his choice, as those who live in close
proximity to ready markets may find
may find the rearing of early chicks
more profitable than solely eggs, while
in more remote situations eggs will be
for more profitable than chicks; vet
q fowl that is good for both will approx
IN IN 20
the farmer and mechanic. II used to
be thought, and many still remain of the
opinion, that one fowl is just as good,
and, in reality, is worth just as much to
keep as another, and you often hear the
boast, that the old-fashioned dung-hill
stands pre-eminent and without rival.
Now these ideas go hand in hand with
the old seyen-toOth harrow and land
side plOw. No doubt they were the
fowl for the time in which they -four
ished, for the time is not far remote
when they roasted in trees, or in any
secluded place which was accessible TO
them, and were tolerated with n view
to securing few chickens TO kill, and
eggs when warm weather came, and
not that there was any profit in them
But how is ii to-day? Progressive ag-
riculture has taught all mankind that
fowls, as well as all other domestic ami
mails, are capable Of being reared with
some definite object in view; and the
improvement in domestic poultry has
kept pace with the age in which we live,
and now we have over seventy varieties
of fowls 10 select from. / believe in
rearing pure-bloodcd animals just rs far
as circumstances will allow, and know
from personal experience that this rule
holds good In rearing poultry; but il
wants study and q knowledge of what
yon wish 10 arrive at, before yon can
successfully cary out any plan and do
il at profit.
IL Is within the power of man 10
change, divert and subvert. not only
the habits, but the form, color, and size
OF fowls, as well as ofsheep, cattle, horses
and swine, and today there is marked
difference, Us we'll in eggs as in the size
of fowls, and not long since, | saw an
article in print In relation to the size of
eggs as compared with former times,
and the writer carefully noted the fact
mat, with the improvement in domestic
poultry, there was also decided differ |
rnce IN the size of eggs, and ii was in
favor OF modern domestic poultry.
Science has not yet found any substi- |
tnte for the albuminous white, and the |
consuming thousands are yearly grow
ing greater, and those who by acts prove
that they believe the egg contains more
nourishing food in more palatable,
more condensed and cheaper form than
any other. Now il is for the producer
to supply this demand at profit to him
self and TO the satisfaction of the con-
sumner. There is but one way for him
to do IL, and that is to endeavor to pro-
duce better article, and to do this he |
must understand his own wants, the |
wants Of the fowl, and the wants of the
market.
Careful study and the microscope
have revealed the fact that all the eggs |
that hen can or ever will lay. are |
formed at once, and are held in embryo