The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1905-11-29
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Poultry az a Fortune Builder.

There is every natural incentive TO
poultry culture in the Southeast. The
climate is favorable. the market is
good and the price is right The
great cities of the Eastern States are
within a day and nights ride of
most any point in the middle South
and the South Atlantic States. and the
produce buyers from these cities are
more and more making our section a
foraging ground-cash in hand-for
poultry, eggs and turkeys, When we
are reminded by the governmental
statistican that the egg crop of the
United States last year sold for one
hundred and forty-four million dol
lars-a profit Of over four hundred
per cent. on the value Of the hens that
laid them, we are inclined to set an.
other hen or two; and go into the
business of reproduction little
more extensively.
The government experts, however.
do not assume to tell us of the i'm
measurable amount of good done in
the home-circle by the vast sum earn
ed by our hens in the period named.
But, it is quite safe to assume that
it brought more comfort and cheer
into the American homes, than the
combined income from all other
sources on the farm, and the village
yards. We say this because the egg
crop OF the country Is very largely
controlled by the women, and we all
know that, when a woman-a real
good home-loving woman-spends
dollar, she puts it where it will do
the most good to the greatest number
of the household.
This money has been more gener-
ally distributed than any other like
vast sum. 1t has gone to more homes.
and it has gladdened more hearts, and
cheered more tired and weary souls
than any other money distributed
through the channels of commerce.
More childish hearts have beat fast
er, and more happy young faces have
rippled with smiles from the things
that Mamma" bought with the EGG
money" than papa" ever cheered
with the greater income from the big
ger things on the place.
Nations have fought for gold, and
men wrangle and struggle for it un.
ceasingly-political parties divide and
wage political warfare on money is.
sues; and yet, the American hen has
every year-with only two exceptional
years-produced in value in eggs and
chickens, more wealth than all the
mines OF all the earth have yielded
in gold, silver and diamonds in any
given year. And, the most Of this
vast accumulation OF 'hen-wealth" is
picked up in secret places-scratched
out OF the trash heaps. drawn from
the earth in the form Of worms or in
sect life, or caught on the wings in
passing through the air. 1t is a pick
up-a free-will Offering from humble
creature-to a great and ambitious
people. And Of this wealth-this say.
ing from the waste places-the eggs
alone exceed in value more than dou.
BILE that of all the horses, mules, cat.
tie, sheep and hogs of the whole coun.
try combined. Do you doubt this?
Then get the United States Census
reports, and other governmental sta
tistics, and read the statements COM
piled by men who are hired because
of their ability and accuracy.
Have you been sighting the poul
try on the place as something too in
significant for man to waste his time
on? If you have, 1t is time for you to
investigate, and see what is going on
about you. The hens can lay in the
shade under the bushes during the
heat of the summer days, and still
add more wealth to the nation than
you can rake out Of the soil, or grow
in the horse and COW lot. And, for
poultry raising, let us remember, that
the South and Southeast possesses
more natural advantages than any
other section Of the country. Shah
we not then pay more attention to it
and lend our aid to making 1t still
greater and at the same time add to
our income.-H. B. Geer, Southern
Cultivator.