The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1882-06-30
Profit In Poultry,

FARMERS III LnlS country nave not
began To realize the profit they might
i'll producing eggs and fowls for
home consumption and the market.
The business is adapted to persons of
large or small means, and can he
carried Oh whether the owner of
birds owns land or not. In France
many rent land for the purpose of
raising fowls and eggs. 1t takes but
little capita! to engage in the poultry
business. Only Il few months are
required to raise fowls from eggs,
and they will soon be large enough
to send to market. Profit can be
realized sooner and Oftener from
poultry than from any other kind OF
animals, Pullets will commence to
lay when they are about six months
old, and Il crop of eggs can he har-
vested every day. IL is hardly like.
ly that eggs will ever he worth less
than Il cent piece. The demand is
constantly increasing and is not sup.
piled by the product of this country.
The demand for eggs increases with
the growth of cities and the advance
ment of civilization. The people of
wealthy cities are great consumers
of eggs. They are cooked i'm various
ways, served with fish and salad
drank with wine and liquors, and
used in making cakes. pastry, Gust
ards, and buildings. Many persons
prefer eggs to most other kinds OF
food, because they can not be adulter.
ated. Improved methods of packing,
transporting, and preserving eggs
have done much to increase their val
ne. The trade in eggs has now assumed
vast proportions. Eggs have taken
their place among the articles that
bring IL cash price at the door of farm
ers. In many parts of the country
they are collected every day, packed
and sent to market. In nearly all
large towns are buildings or cellars
fitted up for storing and preserving
eggs.
The production of several kinds of
fowls has been greatly neglected in
this country. Little attention has
been paid to raising geese and ducks.
This is partially owing to the fact
that wild water fowls have been
plenty and the market well supplied
with them by hunters. This state of
things, however, will continue but little
longer. AS the country becomes
settled up wild ducks and geese will
go to distant regions to rear their
young. Indeed, such is now the case
in the older sections of the country
In all the eastern cities geese and
ducks bring good prices, and the de-
nand for them is rarely supplied
Another reason for the somewhat
limited demand for geese and ducks
is found in the fact that only very
poor varieties have been raised for
the supply of the market. The
poultry famciers and farmers in this
country have been ut great pains to
obtain improved varieties of chick
ems, but they have done little to i'm.
prove their water fowl. Most farm.
ers who have raised geese have kept
them for the feathers they produced.
When the birds became so venerable
that they were in danger of dying
from old age they were killed and
sent to market. They were not
favorites with epicures, who are the
most liberal purchasers of poultry.
and they served to demoraliZe the
market. Geese raised for their
feathers, like sheep for their fleeces.
furnish very poor food for other
establishments than cheap boarding
houses. Their flesh is tough and
strong. Only the improved varieties
of ducks and geese should be raised
for the market. If these are fattened
while they are young they will not
fail to find Il ready sale at high prices.
In England and France more profit is
realized from ducks and geese than
from chickens. Aylesberry ducks
raised in cottages in England not UNI
frequently bring Il guinea Il brace.
Many mistakes are made i'm the
of fowls in this coun.
try. On most farms no person has