Panama City pilot., 1907-12-05
The Poultry Business In Florida.

The growing of poultry, both for
eggs and the fowls for market, is one
of the coming industries on the East |
Coast of Florida-in fact, in all por-
tons of the state.
For some reason it has been gem
orally believed that poultry would not
do we'll in this southern climate, ex-
cept portion of the year, and but
comparatively few farmers have en-
gagged in the business further than to
keep few hens for their own use.
The continued high price of eggs
as we'll as the fowls, have caused
many of the farmers to investigate
the business and increase their fiocks;
but in spite of this only a small pOr-
! ton of the fowls consumed on the
East Coast are grown there. The
same is also true of eggs. One of
Miami's leading merchants said to us
few days since, "This portion of
Dade county does not produce one
quarter of the eggs that are consumed
here. We are forced to purchase
quantities of lease eggs and as a
rule they prove very unsatisfactory,
not only to us, but to the consumer.
To us it seems strange that the farmers
do not go into the poultry business on
large scale, as there is evidently a
mint of money in the business"
In speaking to a farmer not long
since regarding the poultry business
he said: 81 do not make a speciality
of growing poultry, but | keep a few
hens, which run at large. We grow
chickens for home use as we'll as eggs.
My hens are now paying not only for
their own feed, but are buying all the
groceries for the family and more too.
We are getting 40 cents per dozen for
our eggs, and have been receiving
that price almost through the whole
summer. | shall take more pains
with my poultry, get some of the best
strains of producers and make a
speciality of the business"
For the past two years the manage
ment of the Dade County Agricultural
and Horticultural Association added
poultry department, which has
| proved great benefit to the farmer,
and has stimulated many of them to
more activity along the line-and now
throughout the lower portion of the
county, instead of the common barn
yard fowls, droves of high-bred fowls
, and mixed breeds are found. The
amount of eggs produced has been
greatly increased.
From ST. Augustine south to Miami
during the winter season there are
floods of visitors, the hotels and the
smaller ones and boarding houses are
filled to overlooking with tourists
from the northern states. This makes
a great demand for poultry and eggs,
and oftimes fresh eggs bring as high
as so cents per dozen. Poultry cooked
in its various forms is one of the
chief meat products. We asked a
popular manager of one of the leading
hotels why he did not use "hOme-
grown chickens" His reply was
very significant and one that every
poultry grower should remember.
every day we serve chicken in some
form, or as our patrons demand it.
1t is impossible for us to secure
enough poultry from the farmers to
meet our demand and we are obliged
to purchase frozen dressed poultry
from the great packing houses in the
north and oftimes this is not salts
factory deal. If we could make a
contract with grower of poultry to
furnish us with given amount each
day through the season, dressed or
undressed, it would be most satisfac-
tory to us and more SO to the guests.
The trouble is we cannot get our sup
ply from the farmers, and we must
have it daily and ample to supply the
demand. Wake up the farmers and
get them interested, supply the de-
mand both for poultry and fresh eggs
and we will purchase from them in
stead of sending to Chicago or Kansas
City for our supplies"
PENSACOLA BUS