Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1884-09-18

Most kinds Of farm products arc low,
and have been so during tho past sea-
son, The reverse, however, IL true Of
eggs and poultry, As country In.
creases In wealth and population these
articles are certain 10 advance IN prica
whether other articles OF food are high
or low This has been concluslvoly
shown IN Great Britain, which nov OBJ.
talns large proportion OF the eggs and
fowls consumed from countries on tho
continent. Tho like has boen shown 10
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 arc always in demand at high
prices. Sayory and wellfatiencd fowls
will find purchasers when other kinds
Of meat sell slowly. Observation showo
thai tho most fowls and eggs are pro.
duccd by small farmers, who are con-
tent TO make n living by tho production
oflittlc things, AS arule the large plant
ers In the South have produced few eggs
and fowls for the general market, though
they have Kept tholr. own tables well
ssrpiled with them. They have relied
on cotton and tobacco 10 provide them
with money and have regarded poultry-
raising as very small business. In Ken
tucky turkey raising has always re-
ceiyed considerable attention, partly be-
cause the young birds were foun 10 be
useful In deyouring 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 ii was
easier to market turkeys than almost
any farm product as they could he
driven in locks very long distances.
Observation showed that the losses In
driving turkeys TO market were less
than with cattle, hogs, or sheep. The
large farmers In the West al first gave
little attention to producing moro fowls
and eggs than were wanted for tho sup
ply Of their own tables. While gam0
was cheap and plenty the price OF fowls
was low, and the cost and difficulty Of
sending eggs long distances we're great.
At prerent II Is comparatively easy to
send eggs to market from almost any
part OF the country The losses by
breakage in egg carriers and otler inn
proved packages are very small. In
many places remote from great cities
arc persons engaged in preserving eggs
for the supply Of cities during the win
tor season. Some better arrangement
shouli be employed for marketing live
fowls In Colorado, cars nade or fitted
up expressly for carrying fowls to mar
ket have been introduced They run .
regular train and effect a great saving
in freight, whilo they afford excellent
facilities for feeding and watering fowls
In transit. In time most railroad COM
panics will find 1t to their advantage to
run cars expressly designed for carry
ing live fowls. It 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 arc stale or preserved by the
use Of chemicals. There is now
no inducement for farmers 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 rs should be introduced in other
places. II would encourage farmers to
keep the breeds of hens that lay the
largest eggs. In Paris they sell eggs
by number. hat the dealer S2rts & en-
and charges according to rheir Sic.
The improvements In fowls kept on
farms do not keep pace with the im1
provements in horses, cattle, sheep and
pigs. Most farmers are ready to OK
press their contempt for chicken
fanciers,n as they are for Clancy
farms" II 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 are much smaller. The cost
Of introducing pure-brcd fowls Of any
kind on a farm is very small in com
parlson with the profits insured With
the nattering outlook for poultry,
farmers will do well TO improve the
character of the fowls they keep
Chicago Time.