The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-01-09
THE EGG CROP BETTER THAN
COTTON.


In his very interesting and instructive
speech. at the opening Of The fifth annual
show of the Poultry Association. General
Julian S.. Carr, of Durham. astonished
those who have been accustomed to re-
gard the egg and poultry industry as a
small adjunct of the farm. He traced
the history of fowls. how they were
brought to America and how the indus
try has grown into large proportions.
He pointed out that poultry farms en- a
large scale have rarely succeeded finan-
eially and was inclined to lie lieve that
the pinciple many little makes
muckle'' was specially true in raising
poultry. The following extracts from Gen.
eral Cars address shows the large pro-
portions to which this industry has
grown
AS yet the returns of the census of
1900 are not available, but as far back
as $780, the number in North Carolina
CT chickens was 1907 500; turkeys. 49,
4 AGO.. geese 376 900; ducks 169,4 400 and of.
8 dozens of eggs 11,756,0o0. quoting in
] round numbers. The total exact number
/. enumerated was gS,25O,413. The value OF
the eggs was s1,175, 50O and the total
value, $3,O55,494 But it was well under
stood from comparison in other lines
that dread of the tax collector, and the
want of proper records of the eggs and
fowls consumed. had induced an emu
srn&ration by the householder far below
the reality. We shall see thai this esti
Z mate is probably much less than half
the present value of that interest in
our State. Let us note the progress
throughout the countryl,3 n II.
In 1885. when about 26O0o,00o dozen
eggs were sent to New York, their nlue,
was about s9,000,000, or nearly so. Ac-
cording ito tho reports of the produce .ex.
change, about $16,0O0000 was spent in
New York, Philadelphia and Boston alone
for eggs, and so much more for poultry,
making some $50, 100000 for the three
cities In 1885, cur exports were 252oOO
dozen eggs, and imports, 5000, 900 dozens.
But in 1897 the receipts of eggs from the
Union in New York had risen to $4,000 00
or more than three times the whole num-
her of II years before, the imports had
dropped to 100000 Dozen or one thirty
second, and the exports had risen to L.
100000, or five times the former export.
And this is going on. at rapid rate.
Not only has the number increased,
but the commercial value has greatly
advanced The introduction of canning
methods, but more especially the Iadop-
ton of cold storage, has so steadied the
market that destructive gluts in the
center arc no longer feared. Prices are
1xy
tending upward Well established stand
ards. better care in breeding and man
agements, improved methods for prescrv-
ing eggs, on the one hand and the large
increase OF urban population. on the otner,
have quickened effort, and tended to bet
ter financial returns. Even in bleak Cam
ada, a fowl upon an average is expected
to produce 81 a year net profit. Is that
so bad. when at the present prices or
cotton, our bureau of labor statistics de-
clares that $500 profit is all that is made
upon a bale of cotton in North Carolina,
in the year 1902
Taken as an aggregate it is ipstruc-
tive to compare the figures of the value
of some great interests and eXpendi-
lures in the United States, in the year
1895. as summed up by the State Board
OF ASTlCultuTe VI INdhodH, ~hAit Ga ~
round numbers
Nalue of tobacco crop IS So,o14,o0o
Total interest of mortgages 76i2S,ocO
yaIpa of notato crop -. x 1888, 900
Total pensions ;. :. 49,, $50 600
Value Of oat crop !. :. 163, 655, 000
Total school expenditures 80. 11S.zl3,O00
Value Of swine :. :. 1S6, 529, 900
Value of wheat crop :. :. :. 237 1888. 900
N
Value of cotton crop 2o9, lba,O0o
Earnings of poultry ;. :. :. go 000, 900
another authority, the we'll known
American Agriculturist has ascertain
ed that in 1897 there was permanent
investment in this industry throughout
tic United States of 1910, 200, 900, devoted
to poultry and egg production.
THAT North Carolina has received her
share of this great increment, in an in
dustry shared by the humble cabin of
the field negro with the largest land
holder amongst us, must be evident when
we note her gratifying advancement in
property returns for State purposes.