Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1911-10-10
OF AGRICULTURE
PAYS $1,000 FOR 400 FOR
MATCHING.
GOES INTO POULTRY RAISING
ON EXTENSIVE SCALE
Government Allows Bill Which Calls
for Ratio Of 20 Cents Each-Experi-
mental Poultry Farm for Benefit Of
Chicken Raisers Of Country-WiII 30
Model Of Its Kind.
Especial correspondence


Washington, oct. 1O.-The housewife
who complains about the high cost Of
living isn't having half as much trou-
BILE as Uncle sam. Auditors in the
;rea sury department were astonished a
few days ago Then they came across
a voucher from the department of ag-
riculture reading as follows:
"One thousand eggs---s400
Comptroller of the Treasury Trace
we'll comes from a farming community
in Indiana and because Of his knowl-
edge Of agricultural affairs and also be-
cause he is charged with the duty of
seeing that the officials of the govern
ment do not waste public funds, he
was asked whether the voucher should
go thru without protest. Four hundred
dollars for 1000 eggs, or eggs in the
raw state at about 40 cents each did
not look like good proposition to Mr..
Tracewell and he started an investi-
CATION.
Government Raising Chickens.
The aSric ultural department in
formed the comptroller that it realized
it was probably setting new price
for eggs. but 1t couldn't be helped. They
must have the eggs and they could not
get them for less than 40 cents each.
Further inquiry by the comptroller dis
closed the fact that the department
has gone into the chicken raising bust
ness. It has established a big chicken
farm at Betlsville. Md. Model build
ings with every known contrivance to
add to the health, ccr,fort and produc-
tivity of chickens. have been erected.
When the buildings were ready depart
r..ent experts went out in search of
eggs from thoroughbred chickens. They
gathered eggs of Barred Plymouth
Rocks. White Wyandottes. Rhode
Island Reds (single comb White Leg
horns. and Buff Orpingtons The av
erage price for each egg gathered was
40 cents.
Money Well Expended.
The chicken experts at the depart
ment say the money will be we'll ex-
pended II their experiments prove sue
cessful Chicken farming is grow
ing industry. they say. and the de-
rartment is constantly in receipt Of re-
quests for information as TO the best
methods to be used on such farms.
Wnen tIle CNOuSdllO eSSS iitiNt pNeH
transferred into several thousand little
chicks the department will begin ex-
perimenting. It is announced that the
experts VIII not try to Ak standard
of feeding because OF varying condt-
tions thruout the country but will de-
vote their eue"Sies to cross breeding In
the hope OF producing chicken which
will do It's share toward lowering the
cost Of living by the number OF eggs
1t produces ea"h day.
Fatton Black Bass.
Those members Of the house OF rep
resentatives who are devoted followers
Of Isaac Walton will have a pleasant
surprise in store for them when they
return to Washington next winter.
In the courtyard Of the house office
building is an immense fountain. I'm
mediately after congress adjourned one
OF the officials in charge Of the build
ing went over to the bureau Of fisher
les. captured about 100 baby black bass,
and transferred them to the fountain.
Since that time the bass have been
fed, and pampered and cared for az
only the mythical sacred cod OF Mas
sachusetts was cared for. The en-
ployes in the building have interested
themselves in the fish, and the man
who dares to take one out Of the foun-
tain is certain to lose his job. The fish
have a regular menu: Monday they get
small bits Of liver; Tuesdays, vegetable
matter OF various kinds: Fridays they
get the fys captured in fly traps in
the buildings: Saturdays. bits Of crab
meat. and Sundays bits Of raw steak
The bass are getting 80 fat and lazy
that 1t is doubtful if they could be
induced to rise to bait on hook unless
their food supply il cut off.