The Glenwood post., 1911-09-02
POULTRY CULTURE IN
THE GRAND VALLEY

IH6 SIhAN u VALLEY
Plans are completed and work al
ready well under way to make the
Grand Valley the hen metropolis of the
Rocky mountain country-a second and
larger Petaluma, says the Denver News.
1t started at Iona, the youngest
things, it was born of necessity. Iona
is an orchard country; but the orchar Is
are new. They are specializing in ap-
pies in that district;. and it takes five
years to get even small crop of apples
Tens of thousands of people would like
to go into the orchard business, but
they cannot live for five years without
an income, and do not feel able TO
pay 10 have their orchards cared for.
The last is an unsatisfactory way un-
less one is uncommonly lucky.
Hits on Poultry
The Iona Land Sales company look
ed around for an industry that could
NE operated while trees were growing;
and decided that the poultry business
offered a good start. After consider
able investigation, they hired c. H.
Burgess as poultry expert, and turned
him loose.
Burgess was IN Denver as the repre-
sentative of the Iona. company at th+
poultrymen s. convention, and here are
some of the things he said about the
present and future of his project:
"Three years ago when I first came
TO the Grand valley, there Were less
than 10000 hens in the valley. Today
there are 100000. All this growth has
taken place without any special work,
and entirely without organized effort.
The conditions of soil, climate and
water in the valley are splendid, and l
think are exceptionally good at Iona.
L have Investigated the poultry busi-
ness all up and down the Pacific slope
tions at Iona and in the Grand valley
are much more favorable than any
other place / have seen.
Central Hatching Plant
1--WE are organizing the business
much as it is organized at Petaluma
Cal, but with some changes, which we
think are improvements. We are
building a central Matching plant,
where incubators will be handled by
experts. More than 80 per cent of the
eggs can be turned to chickens when
care is used.
"The grower will bring in his eggs
and take away his chickens. The
charge will be very low, actual cost
plus small return on the investment.
The company's present plan is to fix
charges so as to yield per cent and
turn back all the rest to the settler
We figure that. in this way, the bust
ness can be made absolutely perma
nent, as good as 5 per cent bond.
The state agricultural college is
cooperating with us in every way; in-
are being held, demonstrators
given. and the company is building a
lot of portable chicken houses, to be
moved from place to place among the
trees. We are forming an egg ex-
change, and already We think we can
ship car of eggs out of the valley
every other day this winter,
If the eggs are to be sent east the
car will start at Iona, and keep on
loading till it gets to Palisade. If
they are to go west, the car will start
Egg Exchange Big Thing.
1.-The egg exchange is the big thing
You have got to standardize the eggs
in size and color and insure their being
absolutely fresh. One bad egg will
ruin reputation worth $4,000. The
egg exchange must be operated like
the best handled fruit growers asso.
run on a cooperative basis,
guarantee absolutely the quality of the
stock and eliminate the waste and ex.
pense of rehandling. AS far AS posi-
BILE the eggs must go from the ex
change straight to the consumer. 1t
pays both.
Burgess then told some of the quirks
II the chicken business.
"It's curious thing, but the white
,QQ has the call in the WAst ha