Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1891-02-19
Farmers Convention
TReportei for tho Gazotte I

day morning eeseiou Vi tue hrmeE5 Con'
yention of Northern Virginia which met In
the Board OF Trade rooms In this city. was
published In the GAZETTE of that day. After
recess the poultry question was taken up
and Miss Hoyt read an essay on poultry
raising.
DR.. Frank Thomas told of lady in his
eighborhood who supports and educatea
family by ponltry raising. She has 300
uhite Leehorn hens ard feeds them Oh
wheat and oyster-shells.
Msior Lacey cited the case Of Mr.. Haw-
king. of Lancaster, MasP., very successful
poultry man.
Adam Martin epoke of Inc business In
parts of New Jersey. For many of the farms
rented there, the rent was paid with
the profits of the poultry-ya,d. He said
different classes of chickens we're wanted for
dressing for market ami for producing egea !;
success in the business is assured by putting
good snd reliable article on the market.
Col. Robt. Beverley said, 10 his SEQ len
the product Of the poultry yard is relied
upon ae means of revenue above the wheat
crop. The present attempts to manufacture
artificial eggs better and cheaper than those
of tine heH should be frowned down end in-
cubators be abolished.
Mrs. Williams then read an essay en- ponl-
try.
Mr.. Hoyt said man en- Long Island ex-
perlmented on hogs and poultry and fund
out that poultry paid better than hoee. 10
reply to Col. Beverley he said the more
manufacturers are protected the more the
farmer will prosper.
Dol. Beverley maintained that under
protective tariff for % years the agricultural
interests had declined.
Z. E. Mason said tae people Of 8 country
are influenced by the food they eat there
is no hope for a people who live on hog
aud hominy. For the capital invested, poul-
try pays better than anything else on the
farm. He thought eggs should be sold by
weight.
Msior Lacy-"Why can you not increase
the quantity at corresponding prof ?"
Mrs. Williams,-"Increas the accommc-
iations In proper tlon.''
Col. Whitehead corroborat.d the above,
and recommended Fanny Fields book on
poultry. He hen pitched into the poultry
euhject in euch headloDe style that he kept
the sudience In roar of laughter and the
secretary could not begin to keep up with
his voley OF ideas. But he said that he
wou answer unanimously In the aft native
as to the profit CT poultry raising.
President Hine mentioned neighbor who
was In the habit of giving his poultry pow
dered glass twice week.
Miss Hoyt read an essay, written by
friend, on the profits of pou t;y.
M. L. S. Abbott took the other eide. He
said be could not keep poultry CT pref;
hey harvested oil his young onions, heets,
clever, coFn and everything in reach. Poul-
try did not pay him. After the crops had
ron the gauntlet and o little of them matur-
ed, the poultry took the rest.
Mr.. Dodge gave his experience with poul-
try. He had been very successful in raising
early chichens but said 1t is not advisable to
raise chickens In incubators f,r stock and to
keep. He spoke OF thu Philadelphia style
of dressing poultry, which he recommended.
This WAS, clicking 10 the roof Of the mouth
and stripping IF the feathers Immediately.
a member recommended raising fquabs
for the market as being very profitable.
Col. Whitehead reverting to the agricutu-
raj question, reviewed the situation at some
length. He said there was no doubt that
agriculture 10 Virginia was very much down
a few years ego the farmers in the blue
grass region did not want any body to dig
up their land for ore; farming psid thsm we'll
enough, but now every body has bis pocket
full OF rocks. He elaborated these points With
many humorous ssllies. He seid million
aires were very few before the war but now
one could scare them up from bshind every
stump-as plenty as old hsres in March.
Where did all this money come from except
out of the people? He scored Jay Gould
s. Co. (for putting on ''al the traffic would
beat'') Doth right and left. Be then came
back 10 the tariff subject and maintained
that manufacturers should have no special
protection.
Col. Whitehead in speaking of railroad
transportation, showed up the inequalities
of freight charges in his characteristic man.
ner, and went over the whole ground, reit.
Grating and emphasizing what he had al
ready eaid in regard to secret societie',
the tariff, the general situation ard all mat
tiers bearing In any wey on the eubject be-
fore the convention. At the close OF Col.
Whitehead'5 remarks the convention ac-
burned