The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1895-06-28
THE POULTR BUSINESS.

| DuIlHS bllc liSL u udTtGT vi d CENTURY
the poultry industry has developed
into the largest agricultural industry
| of this country. The value of the
poultry industry is understimated by
the American people, and it has not
been until recently that attention has
been called to the vast wealth which
lies at our very door.
Careful inquiry reveals the astound-
ing fact that the United States, in
stead of producing more eggs than
are required for home consumption,
imports annually over s., 000, 900 worth
of eggs. New York state and city
consume about $40, 900, 900 worth of
eggs and poultry annually, and the
population of both state and city is
about 100000.
The United States, with popula-
ton of So, 100000, will consume pro-
portionately about $495, DOC, 900 worth
of eggs and poultry a year. In order
that the full value of the industry may
be determined correctly, we must add
to the above $63, 900, 900 for the value
of fowls retained for breeding and lay
ing stock and about $500, 900 for fancy
stock and eggs,
This shows sum total of the in
dustry to be over 100000, 600 The
following figures show the cash value
of products in the United States:
Cotton, $40, 0O0, 600; hay, $436, 200, 900,
dairy products, 1854, 000, 900; poultry
and eggs, $560,000,000. While the
poultry industry is larger than any of
the others, it is the only agricultural
product that we do not export. Our
entire yield, which is vastly INSULT
cient to meet the demand, is all con-
sumed at home, and, besides, statis-
tics show we import from foreign coun-
tries over 10, 900, 900 dozen eggs annual
ly.
Here, where we have SO many natur-
al Il tvantages as compared with other
countries, our profit should far ex-
coed them in proportionate value
These facts also show that the value
of poultry and eggs exceeds even
wheat, the greatest agricultural pro-
duct of our land, by over $72, 1000, 900.
The general impression is that this
vast industry is controlled by the farm
er on his acres of land. Such is not
the case. The farmer does not sup
ply 40 per cent of the eggs raised in
the country. The majority of eggs
and poultry are raised by city and
suburban residents and those who
have small number of acres and
make speciality of poultry raising.
Its an industry in which any citizen
may engage with pleasure to himself
and profit to his income. Not only is
it not confined to the male sex, but is
eminently adapted as lucrative en-
ployment for the fair sex.
Besides being a paying enterprise,it
is also peculiar one-peculiar from
the fact that practical experience is a
most essential requisite. Without eX-
perience and a thorough knowledge
of the habits and nature of the birds
one would be like pilot at sea with
out u compass.
The safest, surest and only practical
method of acquiring u poultry educa-
ton is by actual observation and care
full attention to IL few hens at first,
gradually increasing the flocks in ac.
cordance with the experience gained.
When this is mastered and an under
standing is formed between the keep
er and flocks the work will be routine
and IL business established that will
net IL larger income for the capital in
vested than anything eise of its kind.
TO obtain the best results from poul-
try the fowls must be Kept under the
control-that is, in small fiocks and in
small runs. A city resident can OBJ
tain better results from small flock
in the back yard than the farmer with
the same flock on his unlimited range.
A house 12 feet square, with a run
or yard having 500 square feet. will &C
commodate to a nicely about 20 fowls
Twenty hens, properly kept, should
Law OH an average 200 dozen eggs a
year. At twenty cents dozen, these
would bring at d low market price $40.
Three pounds of grain, or its equiva-
lent, will feed twenty fowls a day
The feed will cost about $13 year,
which deducted from the value of the
eggs give profit of $27, or about $1.35
profit per hen.
There should be no difficulty in Sc
lecting breed of fowls to suit the
fancy of the most fastidious person.
There are 50 distinct varieties of poul-
try, six varieties of turkeys, ten varie-
ties of ducks and seven varieties of
geese recognized by the American
Poultry association. These varieties
are subdivided into ID classes.
The Asiatic class includes the heavi-
est fowls. such as the Brahmas, Buff
Cochins and Black Langshans. The
standard weights of these birds are -
pounds for cocks and 81 pounds for
hens.
For those who have a small yard
this class would best suit them. They
are easily bred in confinement and are
fairly good layers. For table pur-
poses they are good.
The American class are the Ply
mouth Rocks. Wyandottes, Javas and
Dominiquies. This class gives us
mddleweight poultry. The cock
weigh 81 pounds and hens II pounds.
They are rated as better layers than
the Asiatics, and for table purposes
are considered very fine in quality.
Like the Asiatic class, they will suit
the city or suburban resident, being
easily kept in yard by fence . or 6
feet high.
The Mediterranean, Polish and
Hamburg clacses are the egg produc-
ing breeds. The Mediterranean class
is made up of Leghorn, Minorca,
Andalusia and Spanish. The Polish
class has only the different varieties
of polish family, and the Hamburg
class is composed of the Hamburgs,
Red Caps and Campines.
These three classes are the smallest
of domestic poultry, excepting Ban
tams.
For table purposes, they are not
rated as high as the American class.
They are not SO well suited to contine-
ment, owing to their persistency in
scaling IL foot fence with ease. Ona
range they do well and are small eat