Omaha daily bee., 1911-11-26

Census Director Durand on April Is. 1910.
| The leading turkey states of the union
! in 1900 were Texas with 64s671, Missouri
with 486,665, Illinois with 446,O20 and Iowa
with 42I,SC6 turkeys. But ten years later,
in 1910, Texas had 2S5,OO5 fewer of the
great American table bird; Missouri
1850 Illinois, 2J6OO9, and Iowa. 900, 145
less. Here are the four leading sources
of turkey supply in the United States,
whose aggregate output of turkeys in 1910
was nearly 100000 birds less than it was
ten years ago.
The Ohio turkey crop dropped off 200, 28O
! birds; the Kansas crop 11O,917; and thus
continues the doleful story until you get
down to Rhode Island, where the popula-
ton has increased % per cent and the
turkeys have decreased 315 per cent; and
where there are JOs1a persons to the
square mile and only 1,1O9 turkeys in the
whole state.
In only four states did the turkey really
and truly increase his tribe That was
In Idaho, where the increase was from
1921 TO 1874; in Wyoming, where the
gain in ten years aggregated 22ls Mon
tana, where the increase was from 70. GS7
to 1916, and North Dakota, where 8SO7s
turkeys in 1900 have grown into CLAD by
1910
Disease and Rate sheets.
Why did the turkey Increase I'm these
-FOUR states. while his numbers fell off
from SO TO GO per cent in every other state
OF the union? The rate sheets OF the
railroads point out the answer. As dis
ease made turkey raising on large
scale almost impossible I'm some Of the
eastern states, the middle west and the
south We're drawn upon by the cold
storage companies for turkeys I'm great
numbers. Railroad rates governed this
great movement of dressed turkey. and
here at least in part, is the answer "a
the question why the turkey crop has in
creased in the intermouutain states
named, while in the rest OF the country
II haE been reduced one-half The trans
portation rates from the turkey farms of
Texas 10 tho cold storage plants I'm FUR
key-hungry New England. or TO be speol-
ne TO Boston, an average distance OF 2 a43
miles or hfty-siN hours. Is St9g per 100
pounds IN carload lots Of 5000 popnds
The rates for the same product and same
service from points IN the fourlnter-
mountain states named to New York an
average distance Of 2,29s miles or sixt,-
three hours, is $3.50 from Montana and
N-'o from Idaho in carload lots OF "a ON
pounds. The freight rates on less tbsr
carload lots from these two states are
considerably greater IN proportion tban
from Texas.
But after ALL inequalities in freight
rates alone do not explain the turkey
phenomenon. II is entirely plausible tbat
the turkey supply Of the intermo,intsin
states should remain relatively untouched
as long as the southern. central and
middle western states can SUNNY the
needs OF the country at the present range
OF prices, but il does not explain win,
farmers in the turkey depleted states
nave not increased their supply instead
or letting IL run down
In the case OF chickens. ducks ana
geese this would be a simple problem
merely matter or setting mora hens ~.
buying more incubators. with turkevs
IL ls different There are more fertuo
EGGS In turkey setting than there are
'h a setting Of chicken eggs, 80 agricuI-