The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1886-07-20
ABOUT POULTRY.
Economy OF Consuming 1t on the Farm
In Place of Pork.


pork. As choice fowls sometimes
bring high prices in the city market,
many farmers think that they can not
afford to eat them. But, taking one
consideration with another, :" it is likely
that most farmers would be gamers by
sendiRg more hogs to market and
using more fowls on their own tables.
Live or dressed hogs are now sent to
market very cheaply. and the commits
sions for selling them are quite small.
They are easily handled. and are trans
ported in carload lots. At almost
every railway station in the Northwest
there are many persons who buy fat
hogs during the entire packing season,
and there is generally a good market
for them at other times in the year.
The marketing of fowls, however, is at
tended by much trouble and expense.
1t costs considerable to make coops for
sending live fowls to market, and the
birds they contain must be supplied
with food and water during their jour
ney. If sent by express the charge of
transportation is high, and the commits
sion men charge more for selling live
or dressed fowls than they do for sell
ing hogs and cattle. The eNpressage
and commissions largely reduce the
sum the farmer receives for his fowls.
The price of fowls in a city market
fuctuates much more than that of cat
tie and hogs. The latter can be con-
yeniently and economically kept sew
eral days in stock-yards, if the market
happens to be temporarily overStocked.
During the cooler portions of the year,
however, packers stand ready to buy
cattle and hogs, which they keep at
their own expense till they have time
and opportunity to slaughter them.
Any large city, however, is very
likely to be overstocked with live
and dressed fowls. When this is the
case prices are often very low. If the
weather is unfavorable they can not
be sent East, even if there is good de-
mand for them there. Sometimes they
can be disposed of at a canning estab-
lishment, but If this is the case they
will bring only low price. 1t is not
unfrequently the case that fowls are
sold for smaller price per pound than
good beef brings. During the winter
holiday season the Chicago market is
market then is generally well supplied
with game, choice fish and stall-fed
beef. Fewer fowls are sold than peo-
pie in the country suppose. They are
often kept some time for an advance in
price, and then sold for little more
than enough to pay the cost of trans
portation and selling.
The fowls that bring very high prices
are those that are young, in fine condi-
ton, carefully plucked, and which are
sent to market at times in the year
when there is comparative scarcity
of game and very choice meat. Spring
chickens are wanted As soon as aSpara-
gus and green peas are in the rnarket,
and epicures are then willing 10 pay
very high prices for them. Chickens
at size to broil when the first aspara-
gus comes to market will bring more
than birds that are kept till Thanks
giving or Christmas. Considerable
trouble may be experienced in raising
them so early in the season, but per-
sons who raise chickens that are fit to
broil in May will be well paid for their
trouble. COckerelS, Matched late in the
summer, will, if well fattened, bring
good prices the following spring, as
choice luxuries in the way of meat are
then generally scarce. The summer
resorts that are within easy reach of
farmers ordinarily afford good mar
ket for fowls: If farmers are quite near
Q large town they will be likely to find
fowls more profitable than cattle and
hogs, as they can keep themselves con-
stantly informed in relation to prices.
can market their birds themselves, and
can deliver them to their customers in
good condition.
Although farmers living long dis
lance from large town may find lit
tie profit in raising fowls for sale, they
will find them very profitable to raise
for supplying their own tables. Very
few farmers in the West have ice
n>nses or rcfrigerators in which they
can keep during warm weather beef,
r.ork or mutton produced on their own
nlaces. During the season of seeding,
having and harvesting they have little
time to 90 to town, and they generally
find butchers meat above their means.
In the time when brisk work Is re-
ouired in the field the men should be
well fed. There is economy in afford
ing field hands the best of food when
hard work is required of them, Salt
meat and fish are not suited for
steady diet during warm weather:
Fresh meat is wanted at least part OF
the time. 1t is cheaper TO raise chick
ems for the purpose of supplying the
farmers table during the summer anu
early fall than to buy fresh meat OF
butcher. It takes less time to XII
some chickens than TO ride to town TO
procure fresh meat. By having chick
ems hatch out at different times OF the
year some of them will be in condl-
ton for food whenever fresh meat Is
wanted for the table.
For a Sunday dinner at any time
during the fall or winter there is
nothing that surpasses good turkey.
Every farmer should raise at least