Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1888-04-02
AGRICULTURAL department.
How to Make Poultry Pay.

That Sc son of the year has arrived
when on the good judgment of the
henwife depends the commercial sue
cess of the poultry-yard. Volumes
have been written and speeches with
out limit uttered on the care and pro-
duction of poultry, still there seems
to be room for more admonition, so
that poultry-raising should reach a
standard of such excellence that no
valueless product be on sale. As
matters now stand, the great cities of
our land, while abundantly provided,
are badly off in regard to quality. A
steady supply of seasonable poultry
is not offered. 1t seems to be the aim
to get rid of superintendent stock,
Needless of it's fitness or of demand.
The henwIfe is generally overworked
her duties are manifold and all of a
pressing nature, so none receive the
close attention needed. Young wom-
en- of moderate education are to be
found by the thousands who work six
days a week for five or six dollars
per week, who, if they would become
poultry breeders, could in a short
time quadruple their earnings; and
we regard it as most desirable that
women should have lively personal
interest in the working of our farms.
The frs thing to insure success is to
know the market; what kind of pOul-
try is most in request, and at what
seasons of the year is it most protita-
BILE to sell. No product of the poul-
try-yards pays better than early
chickens. From January to April,
chickens of light weights, being plump
withal, sell from 8 to 28c. per pound,
and when very scarce 80 to 35c. per
pound has been reached, as fashiona.
| BILE hotels and restaurants must have
chickens to broil. Early ducks also
fet III high prices; so do medium
weight turkeys. A consideration of
Importance is what breeds of poultry
are the best. For early chickens, he
Dominicks and their near cousins the
Plymouth Rocks, because of their
hardness of constitution. When
more care can be bestowed than the
general poultry breeder gives, then
some of the French varieties would
be better. The Houdans, the Creve
Ceurs and the La Fleche are unsur-
passed as table poultry. When late
chickens are sought for-and very
late pay just us well as early and also
find less competition-the AsiatiC
breeds should be preferred. Those
best suited are the Partridge Cochin
Chinas, and the Light Brahmas. The
excellence of these varieties consists
in their quietude, and also they are
shorter on the leg than are other
Asiatic fowls. If the poultry range
be larger, then the Dorkings and the
Game fowls are undoubtedly super.
Tor to all other breeds; but these es-
sentially British famili of dome tic
fowls do not love close quarters, ano
droop and pine in confinement. Fol
table ducks, both early and late, the
Rouen and the Aylesbury are suffi.
cient; both are fond of home, lay
early, and readily acquire weight
The great essential of neatness has
disappeared from the poultry business.
New York and other large cities OF
the Union derive their supply of both
live and dressed poultry from distant
points; no proper care is taken tc
place the shipments on sale in good
order, the living part of the contri-
buttons arrive seriously depleted by
death, the dressed carcasses are in
such sorry plight as to be revolving
to look upon.
The neighborhood of New York
supplies very small portion of what
the metropolis needs. With some
enterprise on the part of women this
trade could be revolutionized, and
New York City be abundantly sup
piled from a radius of one hundred
miles. Most of the live poultry now
sold in New York is taken by Long
Island and New Jersey feeders at
wholesale prices and afterwards a
pleasing profit realized. Now why
does not Long Island produce as well
as compete? Because of the indo-
lence of her people. A small capital
is only needed to commence. Twelve
pullets and a cockerel, ten ducks and
a drake, will start a poultry business
that, with sound judgment, will COM
pass large income.
None need hesitate to raise eggs
and poultry for the New York mar
kets. Several millions of eggs are
annually brought into the country
from Canada and from Europe, which
the home product should be able
proftably to displace. For several
weeks of every year New York State
contributes no eggs to the public de-
mand. The offerings at the same
time from New Jersey are very small
Last February New Workers ate eggs
from Virginia, North Carolina and
Tennessee. -Ana. Agriculturist.
/ know of six silos in my imme-
date vicinity at Salem. | think they
all give perfect satisfaction. They
have been in use from four to sever