The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1907-02-09
POULTRY INDUSTRY IN TENNESSEE.

development of the poultry industry
in eastern Tennessee is an excellent
illustration Of the general Importance
and the great possibilities of this
branch of agriculture. Poultry rails
ing in this section is, generally speak
ing, only a side line on the farms.
True, there are coming to be farms
where chickens and eggs are the
main crops, and few specialized
poultry plants are to be found in diff
ferent localities. Still, the output
from these forms a very small part of
the market poultry. Most of these
poultry plants proper are devoted to
raising stock for breeding, rather
than to supplying meat or eggs to the
general markets in large quantities.
On almost every farm, however, in
all this region chickens are raised,
and on great many of them turkeys,
ducks and geese. The eggs are sold
almost every week by the farmers
wife, and the returns from the poultry
yard constitute in many cases one of
the main dependencies Of the family.
The Importance of the industry may
be judged from the fact that one vii
lage, Morristown, ships annually to
northern markets poultry and eggs to
the value of more than 81 900, 900.
They go in carload lots each week,
and heavy shipments are also made
from other points. Extensive cold
storage and packing plants have been
built, and the business of dressing
and marketing is carried on in the
most systematic manner. More than
SIS, 900 worth of turkeys have been
handled in one week in this town
alone.
The producing side of the industry
is, however, not conducted in nearly
so modern and business like fashion.
As has been said, the greater part of
the fowls are only sort of by pro-
duct on farms where other lines are
given first consideration in fact it is
fair to say that most of them are rails
ed by the farmers wives and daugh
ters, often without much help from
the head of the household, and some
times under positive Encouragement.
Many farmers, though, are beginning
to realize that chickens and turkeys
amount to more than they had sup
posed, and to take more interest in
their welfare. More poultry papers
are being read, better houses are be-
ing built, more liberal methods of
feeding are being adopted, and better
care is being given them in every
respect. 1t remains too true still
that in many cases the poultry houses
are mere makeshifts and that the
birds are left largely to shift for
themselves. Yet each week the egg
basket is expected to be filled, and
every now and then there is bunch
of fryers or of hens past the age of
profitable laying to take to market.
The American and Mediterranean
breeds are raised almost exclusively,
the former being generally preferred.
Plymouth Rocks, Wyandottes, Leg
horns and Minorcas form the basis of
the stock, which is in most cases so
mixed and crossed that it would puz-
zle an expert to tell what the original
type was. The Leghorns are especi-
ally adapted to the free range of the
fields and woods, which is commonly
given them but often under the
careless methods of feeding and the
poor housing given, the heavier
American breeds prove better winter
lawyers, as they are less affected by
the cold. 1t is being gradually
found out, too, that pure bred stock
of almost any breed will pay better
than the common any-crcssed and
much mixed mongrels so much in
evidence. Very few focks are kept
up to anything like their full capa-
city for laying during the winter.
Yet with a gradually increasing de-
mand and with higher prices nearly
every year, there is a growing appre-
citation of the profits and possibilities
of the business, and more attention
is paid both to the care given and to
the quality of the birds kept; and on
some farms may be found pure-bred
fowls of really fine quality which are
given the opportunity to do their
best, and which are source of pride
as we'll as of profit to their owners.
Turkeys are grown in great num-
bers, the Mammoth Bronze being
the breed generally kept. 1t is quite
common just before Thanksgiving or
Christmas to see great hocks of tur
keys driver along the roads to mar
ket, and most of these have lived
since they were old enough to be
turned out on what they gathered
for themselves in the pastures, woods
and meadows. This natural food
supply has kept them growing all
through the summer and fall, and
two or three weeks feeding with corn
makes them ready for market. Ducks
and geese are as yet of much less i'm
portance than chickens and turkeys,
although some farmers are hndlng
| ducks decidedly profitable.
With better understanding of the
possibilities and the demands of this
industry, with better stock, better
houses and better care, poultry rails
ing is bound to grow both in import
ance and in profits and this growth
will not be confined to this section,
although it is in many respects an
ideal poultry country, but will ex-
tend to practically every part OF the
whole United States.-E. E. Miller,
in Country Gentleman.
Chow WILL you have your hail
cut, sir?" said the talkative barber
to the victim in the chair.