Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-02-19
THE IOWA HEN.
What the Helpful Fowl Is Contributing
to the Wealth Of tie Country.
CNy C,,,t;c Il, Cbinauo PanOrd.

i
What the Helpful Fowl Is Contributing
to the Wealth Of the Country.
ItW Z. Curtis in Chicago Record
| Herald.l
| The census reports show a very !arg'
apparent falling off in the number o
chickens in the United States, but {
| Very large increase in the number o.
eggs produced. This IS explained by
| the director of the census, who says
Ilhat in previous enumerations 1T has
Ibeen customary to count everything
wearing feathers, but this time tbs
enumeratOrs were instructed to include
nothing but chickens three months ole
Tor more. Ducks. geese, turkeys, etc.
We're counted separately. AS the emu
meration was made upon June 80. 1900
this barred out many of the chickens
that were Matched that spring.
1t is interesting to know that on the
date named we had the following
chickens, ducks and turkeys and other
fowls, compared with the census OF
1880 and that of 1890:
chickens 1902 i 81 l sss 1887. sa ss .os
rurksys. -. 1os sstS s s%,'
Other fowls. 23235,ls7 26.7Ss.3l5 170ss.5S
Ducks. geese and turkeys are in
cluded in the enumeration of other
fowls in 1880 and are not given sepa-
rately in the census for that year.
Alaska has the smallest number of
chickens. only 176 being reported for
that year. while Iowa has the largest
number showing total of 1S,907, $50.
The following stateElsn mt will show
the number of eggs produced in the
United States during The last three
census years. OF course this is only
IAN approximation. but the figures are
as accurate as could possibly be OBJ
tanned Few farmers keep an exact
account of the number of eggs laid by
their hens. ducks and turkeys, and the
census enumerators, being instructed
to ask the question, made them guess
at it--that is, to give as nearly as pos
sible the number of eggs produced on
their farms. No account was taken of
the barnyard fowls or the eggs pro-
duced in cities and villages, and they
must number millions scattered over
the United States. In many villages
nearly every family raises its own
chickens and eggs, but it was impossi-
bic to make an enumeration. The CEN
sus Office says that probably 5 per cent
should be added to the total number of
chickens and eggs to cover those that
are produced elsewhere than on farms.
Dozens of Eggs
Produced.
1890 .......... S19.722,916
1880 Observation-Disclosures. 456,910,916
Iowa produced the largest number OF
eggs. 99,621.920 dozen, and Alaska 1,043
dozen, which was doing pretty well for
only 176 hens.
Iowa is the boss state for farming, as
we all know, or else Secretary Wilson
would have resigned the agricultural
portfolio in modification. He is willing
to admit that this is 4 good country
all around, but insists that Iowa is a
triN4 superior in every agricultural
respect to every other place upon God S
footstool, and is so set in this notion
that there is no use arguing the ques-
ton with him.
George Fayette Thompson, of the bu-
reau of animal industry of the agricul-
tural department, has been making a
very interesting comparison between
Iowa and other of the agricultural
states in this respect, and Secretary
Wilson approves the totals.
In 1900 the number of poultry in
Iowa over three months old was 90
043,343, and they We're worth $685.. 464.
A comparison of values with previ-
Gus years can not be made, as the CEN
sus of 1890 only gave values. The
value of poultry products for one year.
when compared with that of poultry for
one year, is sufficient 10 cause aston
ishment. For instance. the value of
poultry on the farms of Iowa, as has
been stated. was S6.535,464, while the
poultry and eggs sold off the farm
amounted to $19,50s,526. OF the latter
sum $10,016,707 was for eggs and 49,
491,S19 was for poultry.
The number of dozens of eggs laid in
Iowa in 1899 was 99,621.920, which was
an increase of about 2e.000,O0O dozen
over 1889. The average price per
dozen Of the eggs was 10 cents.
The value of all animal products on
the Iowa farms was $3.50. s5S,9S1, poul-
try products forming Ills per cent of
the whole. The animals sold, with a
value of $113,07S,523, and the dairy
products. with value of $27,516,S7O,
were the only two products worth more
than poultry and eggs.
The statement below shows the rela-
tive position of poultry in the farm
economy of Iowa:
Animals sold ..............$ 113,07S.52
SofH ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. 9L291iOd
oats ................ 33,254.9S7
Hay and forage ........... 30,042,246
Dairy products (milk, butter
and cheese) ............. 27,516.S70
Poultry and eggs .......... 19.016.707
Wheat 11,457,S0S
Secretary Wilson Is willing to con-
cede Illinois second place in the pou.-
try list, but will take good care that 1T
DOES not reach the first. The following
table shows the number of poultry on
farms in Illinois:
:, 1850. 1890. 1900; :,
Turkeys ....... 1.ot3a47 $4,000
Ducks ........ ........ 1860 3ss.s5i
Total 800. 11.525.97l 2a969.c3s .17,737,7ea
-Does not include fowls under three
months old
The production of eggs in Illinois for
the years given was as follows:
Dozen.
1909 ............. oo,S io,19f
1889 .................... go ,361 ,O65
1879 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. .S6, 4O2,biO
f.cf o1o 10