The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-05-28
The Kansas Hen.

F. d. Coburn, secretary Of the state board
OF agriculture. has issued the report of his
department for the quarter ending March
g. 1t is mainly devoted to the poultry
industry. and it bears evidence of pains
taking care in its preparation No docu-
ment. issued by the department since its
organization, has been more interesting,
and the information it gives Is a revelation.
On the title page Is printed in red this dedi-
cation:
The Helpful Hen-wh.le everything else
was going to rack and ruin. she increased
and multiplied; she supported herself and
the family, too. The very insects which
would have despoiled the farm she fattened
upon, laying her daily egg-the blessed egg
that took the place of beef and milk. NUT
ton and portland in good time. after all
these services. surrendered her toothsome
body to the cause of humanity"
The introduction Of Secretary Coburn
briefly summarizes the contents Of the re-
port 1t says that the value of Kansas
poultry and eggs sold last year was S.
6os.Slo. or Is per cent more than the entire
value OF rye, barely, buckwheat, castor
beans, cotton, hemp. tobacco. broom corn.
Milo maize, Jerusalem corn, garden and
horticultural products marketed. and OF the
wine, honey, sheep and wool sold the same
year. No field crops. with the exception
OF wheat. corn and hay, equaled in value
the surplus sold from the Kansas hens.
ducks. turkeys and geese.
1T was a sum sufficient to pay all the
state and city taxes Of the preceding year,
and leave on hand the comfortable nest
egg Of $4,000. Its value was IS per cent
greater than the same years output of our
IN M IAI b ~ -
great richness. and within @ per cent Of
the value of all the coal mined during the
preceding year. It was q per cent greater
than the total paid in the state for teach
ears wages and school provisions; more
than three times as much as the total COM
bined amounts paid for school sites, build
ings. furniture. rent, fuel. incidentais and
all other schol purposes, except salaries. In
fact. the poultry came within about Il per
cent Of paying the entire cost OF the public
schools
The average value of poultry and eggs
sold annually in the state. as returned to
assessors. in te five years ending with 1856,
was So. 1885 or value greater by nearly
10 per cent than that Of the potato crops
FOR the same years. IS per cent greater than
the sorghum crops, II per cent greater than
the millet and Hungarian and 16S per cent
greater than the value Of Kafir corn.
Prices OF poultry and eggs in 1896 were
not high, but the years surplus sold from
Kansas farms amounted to within 2 per
cent of the total value Of all mich cows
owned in the great cattle raising regions Of
Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona and Utah;
more than the value of all cattle owned in
Oklahoma. with the swine Of Colorado,
Montana, Nevada and Wyoming added; or
about the same as the value of all the
sheep in the six New England states and
those Of New York and South Carolina
added; nearly as much as all the sheep own
ed in Texas were worth; or as much as the
value of all the corn Of New England. with
that OF North Dakota, Montana and Wyon,-
ing thrown in for good measure.
According to the United States census
Of 1880 Kansas then ranked among states
and territories as fourth In number Of chick
ems, fourth in ducks, seventh in turkeys
and nineteenth in geese.
Despite their Importance there is ap-
parently a notable lack of practical popular
information within ready reach on the sub
ject Of farm fowls. Likewise, much less
attention is given them than their economic
Importance justifies and the great aggre-
gate Of money, merchandise and substan-
tial comforts they bring into the homes of
farmers and villagers (nainly through vigil
liant caretaking by the housewives) is but
Poorly comprehended' or appreciated by the
men folks who are so largely the bene-
ficiaries 1t is from a desire to remedy
this to some extent and to awaken new in
terest along these lines that the data here
presented-mostly the experience and coun-
sci of those long and successfully engaged
in poultry culture-have been compiled.
st is not offered as by any means an
exhaustive treatise or complete guide as TO
breeds or management; not in advocacy OF
the use of artificial incubators nor of any
particular make; not a manual for fan
ciers. but as helpful information for every
day fowl ra;sers; for the many women and
occasional men who possess the genius Of
patient industry which modestly accomp-
fishes small things more OF good than those
who must do large or not at all. 1t is to
encourage lettering our conditions by TAX
ing advantage now, this year. of the op-
portunties and utilizing the innumerable
resources that are ours for the taking rath-
er than relying on some far-away financial
god, the next political campaign or the sub
sequent congress 20 make US sure of pros
perity so often elusive; to suggest that
while the important crops may sometimes
lau snort IN y.eio or price, no family with
health and a well cared for flock of fowls
need want for the necessities TO sustain
life nor TO seek home where nature is sup
posed to have been more lavish in her gifts.
IF Kansas, with her Kafir corn, sor-
ghum, corn. grasses, range and location, is
not prolific Of poultry, eggs. milk and milk
products that in prices and quality can
aggressively and successfully compete in
all good ma kets with those from any quar-
ter of the globe, surely the fault is with