The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1884-09-12
The Outlook for Poultry.


Most kinds of farm products are low,
and have been so during the past sea-
son. The reverse, however, is true of
eggs and poultry, AS country in
creases in wealth and population these
articles are certain to advance in price
whether other articles Of food are high
or low. This has been conclusively
shown in Great Britain, which now OBJ
tains large proportion of the eggs and
fowls consumed from countries on the
continent. The like has been shown in
the New England and Middle States,
which now depend largely on the West
ern States and Canada for their supply
of eggs and poultry. Strictly fresh
eggs are always in demand at high
prices. Sayory and we'll fattened fowls
will find purchasers when other. Kinds
of meat sell slowly. Observation shows
that the most fowls and eggs are pro-
duced by small farmers, who are con-
tent to make living by the production
OF little things. AS rule the large plant
ers in the South have produced few eggs
and fowls for the general market, though
they have kept their own tables well
supplied with them. They have relied
on cotton and tobacco to provide them
with money and have regarded poultry
raising as very small business. In Ken
lucky turkey raising has always re-
ceived considerable attention, partly be-
cause the young birds were found 10 be
useful in devouring tobacco-worms,
and partly because turkeys would OBJ
tain their living in the beech. woods
during Several months in the year. Be-
fore the introduction of railroads it was
easier to market turkeys than almost
any farm product, as they could be
driven in fiocks very long distances.
Observation showed that the losses in
driving turkeys to market were less
than with cattle, hogs, OF sheep. The
large farmers in the West at first gaze
little attention to producing more fowls
and eggs than were wanted for the sup
ply of their own tables. While game
was cheap and plenty the price of fowls.
was low, and the cost and difficulty of
sending eggs long distances were great,
At present it is comparatively easy to.
send eggs to market from almost any
part of the country. The losses by
breakage in egg carriers and other i'm
proved packages are very small. In
many places remote from great cities
are persons engaged in preserving eggs
for the supply Of cities during the win
ter season. Some better arrangement
shotild be employed for marketing live
fowls. In Colorado; ears made or fitted
up expressly for carrying fowls to mar
ket have been introduced. They run a
regular train and effect great saving
in freight, while they afford excellent
facilities for feeding and watering fowls
in transit. 4 In time most raj road COM
panies will find it to their advantage to
run cars expressly designed for carry
Ing live fowls. 1t is quite time that
distinction should be made by. dealers
in the price of large and small eggs, as
well as between those that are fresh and
those that are stale or preserved by the
use of chemicals. There is now
no inducement for farmers. y to
produce very large eggs. Small
eggs bring as much as those
that are Of extraordinary size. In
California eggs, like most other ar
ticles of food, are sold by weight and
not by number. This method of sell
ing eggs gSuOUlu De Introduced IN OCners
places. 1t would encourage farmers to
keep the breeds of hens that lay the
largest eggs. In Paris they sell eggs
by number, but the dealer sorts I'll EN-
and charges according to their size.
The improvements in fowls kept on
farms do not keep pace with the i'm
provements in horses, cattle, sheep and
pigs. Most farmers are ready to ex-
press their contempt for - chicken
fanciers,o as they are for "fancy
FARMS" It pays as well to improve
the breed of turkeys, geese, ducks and
chickens as it does to improve any
kind of domesticated animals. The
cost of keeping poor fowls is as great
as for good ones, but the profit and
pleasure ale much smaller. The cost
of introducing pure-bred fowls of any
kind on farm is very small nscenl-
parison with the profits insured. With
the fattering outlook for poultry :
farmers will do we'll to improve the
character of the fowls they Keep
CNc0do Times. 81