Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1889-05-23
SOUTHERN AGRICULTURAL
Poultry as a Food Product Practic.
ally Considered.

fouitrY as Food Product PRACTICE
ally Considered.
Man has been facesiously divided
into two classes: those who live to eat,
and those who eat to live. To the
credit OF man it can truthfully be
said, that the great majority eat to
live. Divide man as you please, how
ever. all must eat; and all who can
will eat chicken. Hence all men are
interested in poultry fowl, meat and
eggs to eat. / shall confne myself to
that branch of my subject of interest
to all men-poultry for food. The
culture Of fancy fowls | recognize as
only means to the end-practical
poultry culture for food supply, home
and market.
/ shall consider poultry culture as a
source Of profit to the individual,
wealth to the community, and as an
essential element of the rural home.
/ shall treat it as peculiarly
farm industry, and inseparable
from that provident thrift needful
to make the rural home independent,
attractive and permanent. The per-
manent and prosperous rural home
shall contend, is the foundation OF
community. prosperity. purity and
power, social, moral, industrial and
political. The poultry product Of the
United States has never been accurate
ly ascertainsd. The first census at
tempted of this product, was that of
$780, Necessarily this census was
comparatively failure. The people
were not prepared to give the desired
information. In fact, the careless
culture of poultry, rendered it almost
impossible to get the facts upon which
to base accurate figures. Then the
census purposely omitted towns and
cities. Various other efforts have been
made to determine this product, but
all have been more or less estimates,
rather than statements of facts. Suffi-
Gent has been learned, however, tC
approximately estimate the true fig
ures. These figures have amazed the
public. The proportions of this prod.
uct are SO vast as to stagger and make
incredulous the minds of many.
BIr. /. X. Felch, of Natick, Mass.
the poultry patriarch of America, first
called the attention of the public, IL
addresses to the farmers of Massachu
setts, to the magnitude and Importance
of the poultry product. In the veal
1873 he estimated the money value tt
be $4O5. 100000. He assumed that there
were then nine million families in the
United States. and estimated each fam
lily would consume annually $40 o
poultry and two dozen eggs each week
This made $405, 000.0 00 He estimated
consumption of public houses, chem
ical use and exports, and concluded
that the product was at least $500, 000,.
900.
Mr.. James E. White, of Englewood
ILL.,, in 1888 called public attention tt
estimate of convention of butter, cheese
and egg producers, held in Chicago
in 1873, which on imperfec
data valued product at $250,000,
900. Mr.. White valued produc
of 1882 at $600,0O0,0OO He ascer
tanned that New York State in 1888:
consumed $45, 000 900. The population
of New York was 100000, whicl
made per capita consumption of 80
He then concluded 100000 woul
consume $495, 100000 He added 5000,
600 fancy fowl trade, and 1914, o00,00
stock fowls, making in round nun
bers, say 5000, 200. The census Q
1880 was the first official effort mad
to determine value of the poultry prod
ucts. The figures are eggs, dozen
laid. 1879, 456, 9l0.916; stock fowls o
hand June l, 1880, barn-yard, 102, 270,
600, all other 23,235,0 900; total fowls
1913, $685. 900. The fowls maketed an
consumed were estimated at $50, 900,
600 to $50, 900, 600 pounds.
Eggs valued at 12 cents per dozen. s55, co., OC
5000 900 pounds OF meat at 10 cents 100000
1875, los COO fowls at 33 cents. ...... Al, 1886 OK
Total census value. via, 5,0
In this estimate no mention is mad
of feathers or manure. This census q
poultry product was confessedly mac
curate and unsatisfactory. A simpl
calculation on reasonable data will
prove these figures to be far too low.
New York consumed 50 per capita
The better average condition of Ne,
York citizens, and the large transfer
consumption, l will concede, make tn
average consumption of all the State
much less. l will therefore assum
only S. per capita for all the States
This is certainly reasonable, when 20
consider the fact that none are so poe
as to be without few hens about the
homes, however humble the homes.
5000. 600 at IS per capita. ........ sa75 900
Stock for breeding, say.............. 10000
Fowl manure ........... .....,....... $4,000
Total value per annum. s32a, 600, o
Feathers, the principal value of I'll
goose product, are not considere'
All feathers properly plucked an