The weekly tribune., 1894-01-26
POULTRY AND eggs,
The Present and Future of the Poultry
Industry in the State of
Montana.
Thousands of Dollars Annually Sent
Out of Montana to Pay for
Poultry and Eggs.

People are accustomed to regard WOOL
growing in Montana as one of the lead
ing industrial pursuits of the state, and
perhaps rightly 30.
But how many are there who have
taken into consideration the fact that
the immense income derived from this
source il placed beside the amount an
nually sent out Of the state for poultry
aud eggs alone would present deficit OF
many thousands of dollars. And yet
our state auditor thought the poultry
industry not of sufficient importance to
deserve mention in his annual report
But this state of affairs is no doubt
largely due to the fact that he found
nothing to report, which in itself would
seem most unfavorable commentary on
our agricultural enterprise.
The trouble is that nearly all of us
have been so bus. he pursuit of what
we considered larger game that we have
entirely overlooked poultry raising as
vocation, regarding it as not altogether
necessary auxiliary to the commoner
branches of farming.
While the keeping of poultry in con-
junction with general farming is to be
recommended, it is not too much to say
that there are few enterprises which
hold out the inducements to the live,
energetic young men of Montana with
capital, as does the growing of poultry,
and eggs for market. / make this state
Inent with the knowledge of the fact
that nine out of ten who have embarked
in business on large scale have made
an unqualified failure OF it. so far as
finances are concerned But this neither
adds nor detracts from the merits of the
industry, and as in every other business
only the tittest survive. While those
who fail to furnish beacon to warn
others who follow of the danger ahead.
The object Of this somewhat lengthy
prelude to the statistical information
designed to follow, is to give the reader
sufficient time to recover from the dazed
feeling resulting from my opening state.
ment.
1t may be interesting to those who
have not had the time or occasion to
give the matter special attention to
know that Montana IN the present year
of depression has consumed three and
one half million dozen Of eggs,of which
not to exceed twenty per cent
was produced in the state. The other
80 per cent or two million eight hundred
thousand dozen was bought principly
from our neighboring states, the Dako-
tas and Minnesota, at cost to Montana
of not less than S560,000 The consump-
ton of dressed and other poultry is
placed at $4,000, 10 per cent Of which
is home grown, leaving net deficit of
Sl51 900, which would bring the grand
total up to S7l7.500 which Montana
ought to have and don't get
To produce this vast quantity Of eggs
alone would require 251 900 hens, each
laying the maximum number which is
about $50 eggs But as all hens do not
produce this amount, and the average
flock, under ordinary conditions, will not
yield more than two-thirds of that or
about 100 eggs each per aDnum, it would
require $4,000 to be used in egg ma
chimes. besides those needed for breeding
And the supply of dressed poultry, which
will not fall short Of 100000 fowls,
and allowing five pecks of wheat or its
equivalent to each fowl would require
$4,000 bushels, or almost double the
amount that the Royal mill at this place
can grind out during the year. and
would necessitate the cultivation of over
three thousand acres of Montana's idle
bench land. Thus giving lucrative en-
ployment to between seven and eight
thousand people. and providing homes
for three times that number.
1t is believed that the the farmers
meetings being held throughout the
state, which had their beginning at
Great Falls, will do much to correct the
present inactivity ip this branch Of ag-
riculture; and in fact already signs of
awakening may be discerned in tne in
creasing interest OF those having poultry,
and notably in the case of the Montana
Poultry compaLy, firm recently incor-
porated under the laws of Montana and
having its headquarters at Great Falls.
and so far as the writer's knowledge
goes it is the only concern in the state
relying exclusively upon artificial incu-
baton. The capacity of their machines
is 1000 eggs each hatch. Their poultry
houses are heated by steam and have all
other modern conveniences. They also
carry on market gardening on an exten-
sive scale, employing several thousand
feet of glass.
In closing this article it is due the
readers to say that the statistical infor-
nation contained in it is collated from
information received from the boards of
trade of tho several cities of Importance
throughout the state.
PLYMOUTH ROCK.