The Colfax gazette. [volume] (Colfax, Wash.) 1893-1932, 1910-01-28
GREAT PROGRESS IN
POULTRY BUSINESS
Widely Known Writer, Fancier
and Poultry Judge Talks.
CoIfax Show Is Up to Best OF Them,
Says Harry n. Coilier--Past Year
Witnessed Improvement in Birds
Everywhere in Northwest.


in poultry" said Harry FL. Collier, who
is judging the Whitman county show,
" than in most all other industries.
The poultrymen are alive to the fact
times they must have the best, and in
order that the people may know what
they are doing, exhibitions Of poultry
must be given.
" This makes my tenth show that |
have judged this season and have found
the enthusiasm at boiling point every
where | have been. In October | judged
Boise, Idaho, and VashOn, Washington
November, Kent December, Olympia,
Enderby and Ashcroft, British Columbia.
This month | have judged at Walla
Walla, Port Townsend, Cottage Grove,
Oregon, and this week at Colfax, | have
found the birds much improved over last
season in all the places | have visited
and the cry has gone forth that the
poultry products OF the whole Northwest
were higher this season than ever before
MANY people last fall sold their focks
down to a very few birds. The high price
of grain scared them and they thought
that they would go broke feeding their
fowls this winter. Some of the poultry
men figured that the high price of grain
would make high price for poultry and
eggs, and those who saved over good
fiocks have been we'll paid for their
trouble. Eggs brought the largest price
in Seattle this year ever in that city's
history, and had it not been for the
grOcerymen selling cold storage eggs as
those from the ranch, the people Of
Seattle would have paid as high as one
dollar per dozen during the month OF
December.
"The workingman who talks OF boy
cotting eggs and poultry on account OF
the price is foolish. No trust has con-
troll over the poultry industry end it
would be an utter impOssibiIity to put
the hens in a combine. A boycott of
poultry and eggs would only hurt the
WOEhluS mdu, tue ldIntI hnd IhC AhhIlCA 4
These people have no way OF controlling
the markets and it is simply question
of supply and demand that makes the
price on eggs.
"Ii the working man was wise he would
get deed to few lots and take up the
raising of poultry. This would bring at
once larger supply of meat, and the
eggs would make a good substitute for
meats other than poultry. There is
hardly family in the small towns but
what could raise their own eggs and
poultry, and the wives could have little
pin money to spend that would save
many calls on the workers wages. My
advice would be to take up pure breds
It is as cheap to grow good fowls as it is
mongrels, and then one can always get 8
good price for the birds when the show
time comes around. The best fanciers
we have are the town lot kind. They
only keep few and they give them the
best OF care. Good stock to start with
makes blue ribbon winners only when
they receive good care. The man or
woman who starts right and then at
tends to the focks each day is the one
that finds the ribbons on their cOOps
when the Judge gets through.
" The boys tell me here that Colfax
and the surrounding country does not
begin to supply the local market with
poultry and eggs and that many are
shipped in. This is not as it should be.
You can raise as good fowls in and
around Colfax as in any part OF the
Northwest. You have the grain, climate,
and the fowls can be had. Many OF your
fapciers have good birds and can supply
you at a more reasonable price than one
could get them for if they sent away.
:" In 1911 the new standard Of perfec-
tion will be issued by the American
Poultry Association. There is one dis
qualification that will be added to the
list that it is well to know, and that is
'scaley legs. Scaley legs is little para
site that eats away the skin on the legs
and causes rOugn substance TO grow
This can be avoided by using sulphur
and lard on the legs of the fowls that
show it and in not Matching eggs under
a hen that shows the least sign OF the
scales on her legs. There will be other
changes, but this is the most radical one
that call to mind at this time.
"The Colfax show, as far as see, is up
to the best of them, and | want to con-
gratulate E. 81. Rosenkranz, secretary,
and the rest Of the management for their
neat coops and general arrangement OF
the show. There are birds in the show
that could give good account OF them
selves in the best of company.