The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1908-05-01

at all sure of having our breeding
stock better from year to year. If we
gather up eggs for setting promis
cuously from our flock we are as liable
to deteriorate as to Improve Instead
of breeding out defects we are just as
liable to breed them in Just here the
trap nest comes to our assistance and
if we had our houses fitted up with
them we should not only be able to de-
termine which were our best layers
and to discard those not worth keep
ing but we should be in a position to
select hens for breeders which not only
laid large number Of eggs but those
Of good shape and size. In this man
ner we may build up strain of fowls
from which we may secure the maxi
mum profit with the minimum ex-
pense.
We have other needs besides those
have mentioned. To begin with,
there are quite number of us inter-
ested in one or more varieties of pure
bred fowls, but each one is looking
out for himself as best he can and
there Is no organization or community
interests. What would be the result
Of such lack in other kinds of bust
ness. For instance, take any Hood
river strawberry growers. They have
an organization and some one whose
tail of the business. and ones interest
is the interest of all If we were or
ganized in poultry association there
would be like benefits acrue to us.
Many matters ctsne before us as indi-
viduals which could be handled to bet
ter advantage by an organization. To
illustrate. Last spring when eggs be-
came plenty the price declined to Is
cents a dozen and still they came
more and faster. One store at least 1
knew of held those eggs for weeks
and the market was almost glutted
with eggs Really don't know what
ever become of them but one thing
do know, they were not improved in
quality by their stay in the stores and
I've no doubt the merchants lost
money on them. I saw how 1t was go
ing to result, as doubtless did many
others who took their eggs in to SELL
but we were only individuals and no
single one of us with an output that
would justify our shipping them and
what one could do would make but
little difference in the outcome. But
If we were organized in a poultry as
sociation it would be small task,
fancy. to get enough money subscribed
to build a cold storage plant large
enough to accommodate the eggs pro-
duced by its members Now, want
to ask you what we shall do. Shall
we organize and attend to this matter
and others vital to our interest or shall
we fold our hands and wait till some
Spectator comes in and puts up this
cold storage plant and then sell him
our eggs and allow him to make the
extra is or 20 cents per dozen that
should be in all fairness in our own
pockets? Do you not think 1t time we
became alive to our own interests?
Some may say It is too late to ac-
complish anything for use this spring
which is very true unless we were al
ready organized, but we could get
ready to put up our building this fall
and be in shape to take care Of our
eggs next spring. II anything is ever
done In this matter some one must
take the initiative and start 1t.
There are other reasons why 1t
would benefit u.s. Some Of us have a
few birds that we feel sure would win
in strong competition but we have
no means OF knowing save our own
Judgment. We have had poultry ex-
hibit at each Of the fairs held here
and very worthy effort was made to
make II success. Still we win never
be sure what we have by exhibiting
our stock at that time Of year. for II
II q very rare thing to hnd bird
in show condition IN the fall. What