The Salt Lake herald-Republican. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1909-1918, 1909-10-11
DURANO HOPES TO
OBTAIN FIGURES
Census Director After Statistics
Regarding the Poultry and
- Egg Industry.

Washington, Oct. ia special effort is
being made by United States Census Di-
rector Durand to secure a list of the
poultry keepers in the cities and villages
of the United States with a view toward
taking in 1910 a more complete and aceu-
rate census of the poultry and egg indus
try than has been possible at any previ-
GUS decenniaI United States census.
1t is stated by Chief Statistician Lee
Grand Powers of the census division OF
agriculture, who is in charge Of the in
quiry, that the list will comprise only
those city and village poultry farms
whose annual output exceeds 800 in value
each.
The appeal for names and addresses is
made to all persons, firms, poultry peri
Odicals and organizations interested IN
the industry, and it is suggested that the
names and addresses should be sent di-
rect to the census bureau.
Former Statistics Incomplete.
In an official letter about to be sent
to the pOltTy trade, Director Durand
states that the statistics of poultry and
eggs secured by the census of 1900 were
incomplete because fowls under three
months of age were excluded from the
reports Of poultry on hand June l, 1900, in
this way eliminating practically all Of the
young birds Matched that year. This
caused the statistics to show a smaller
1890 a condition which is believed to be
quite at variance with the real facts. 1t
is also pointed out by the director that
at the last census, a considerable proper
ton of the poultry establishments in cities
and villages, were omitted entirely by the
enumeTatOrs, many of whom did not con-
slider them farms although the census
rules declared all such establishments to
be farms for census purposes, provided
they had an output of not less than 800
per annum or required the major part of
one persons time.
1t is announced by the director that
the census to be taken April 10 next, will
ask for the number of fowls on hand at
that time, dividing them into two classes;
those under 3 months old, and those over
that age.
In addition, a persistent effort is to be
made to secure complete returns of the
numerous establishments in cities and
villages that are entitled to be classed
as poultry farms"
Not Specifically Authorized.
Director Durand calls attention to the
fact that congress has never specifically
the bureau TO take the census
of poultry, although often requested to
do so. He states that in the field Of ag
ricultural statistics, congress has called
upon the bureau to take complete CEN
sus of the farm" but to collect Stats
tics of domestic animals only, in cities
and towns. He also states, however, that
the bureau, in 1870 will seek to secure
returns from all poultry estab-
lishments that are engaged in producing
eggs and raising poultry in a quantity.
These are, by the bureau, considered
farms"
He points out that the chief difficulty
is to make the enumeratOrs in the cities
and towns realize that such establish
ments are actually FARMS in the CEN
suS meaning of the word, or that such
farms are TO be reported as found in
cities and towns He suggests that if q
way can be provided to check the emu
meratOrs' work with reference to such
poultry establishments it would be posi-
bic to secure the inclusion in the census
returns of from Is to 80 per cent of the
poultry and poultry products in cities
and towns.
The object in securing the list mentioned
is, therefore, to provide check upon the
enumeratOrs' work. which will be af-
fOrded by separate correspondence with
The director hopes to be placed in pos
session of this information before Jan.
next.
An Enormous Business.
The raising and selling of poultry and
poultry products in cities and villages, as
well as in the rural areas, is believed to
have attained enormous developments
since the last federal census.
number of the leading poultry or
CARNATIONS have written the director OF
the census, calling attention TO the sub
ject of a poultry census, and suggesting
methods of curing the presumably un-
avOidable defects in previous decennial
United States census statistics
As an Illustration, the official writing
the director states that the census of 1900
credited Massachusetts with only 1901
ducks. while as a matter of fact, they as
sert, a single duck farm in the state
produced more than that number.
These large poultry concerns express
their approval of the plans for taking the
statistics of the production for the next
census and believe that they will give
as complete returns as could be obtained
so far as farmers In the rural districts
are concerned. Thay especially urge a
revision Of the rule of 1900 by which 10
enumeration was made Of poultry not on
farms, unless the keeping of the poultry
involved one mans time. 1t is main
tanned that this rule excluded from emu
meratiOn all but a very small proportion
of the poultry kept in towns and villages,
the aggregate value and production of
which is claimed to be enormous.
Some Alaska Figures.
In an illustration offered to support
their contention. IL Is shown that the emu
merators in Alaska found on twelve
farms, comprising in all 159 acres, 176
fowls on hand June l. 1900, and total in
come from eggs and poultry in 1893 of
S539. AS against this ii is declared that a
poultry keeper, but not a farmer, on a
town plant, keeping more fowls and with