The Athena press. [volume] (Athena, Umatilla County, Or.) 18??-1942, 1912-06-21
POULTRY KEEPING PROFITABLE.
Prof. Dryden Of o. A. c. Advises Farm
ers to Increase FIocks.

Oregon Agricultural College, Cor
vallis.-"There has been an enormous
Increase In the production of eggs and
poultry in the state in the past two
years, but in spite of this the demand
has far exceeded the supply, and prices
are still as high as ever" said Pro-
fessor James Dryden Of the Oregon
Agricultural College in discussing the
object Of the present tour Of the poul-
try demonstration car sent out over
the Southern Pacific lines by the col
lege.
"If the farmers of Oregon would
keep, on an average, 100 hens instead
Of about 80, It would shut out the inn
ports and add 100000 or $5,000,0O0
q year to the wealth of the state.
"The purpose of the demonstration
car Is to stimulate greater production
Of poultry and eggs. The quickest and
best way Is to increase the flocks Of
the farmers rather than to have poul-
try keepers start large egg farms. The
demand cannot be met by the estab-
lishment Of large, exclusively poultry
farms. II the general farmer goes out
Of the egg producing business there
will soon be an egg famine-possibly
serious financial panic.
Though there are opportunities for
profit along special lines in poultry
keeping, the market for specialties Is
limited, and 1t would be folly to advise
everyone to go into special lines. l
am free to confess that we have kept
more people out of the poultry busi-
ness than have gone into 1t as an ex-
elusive business. have received
great numbers Of letters during the
past year from all parts of the state
as well as from other states, In which
the writers stated that they were go
Ing into the poultry business on large
scale, and a large majority Of them
said they knew nothing of the busi-
ness. Our plain duty was to advise
caution. II every one OF them had
gone into the business as they intend
ed and invested their all in 1t, 1t is
safe to say that there would have been
thousands Of dollars lost in every coun-
ty of the state. and the poultry bust
ness would have received black eye.
Poultry keeping is not difficult
business unless we make 1t so. II
conducted along sane, common-sense
lines, there is profit In 1t. The two
points on which special emphasis Is
laid In the demonstration car are feed
Ing for eggs and housing. Egg rations
are on display, feeding charts show re-
suits OF experiments, breeding charts
show results of breeding for eggs, DIFF
ferent grades and qualities of eggs are
exhibited. marketing possibilities are
demonstrated, and the equipment for
successful Matching and brooding of
chicks is displayed The walls Of the
car are covered with signs and charts
containing lessons in practical poul-
try keeping. A knock down colony
house is taken along and set UP out
side the car at each stop.
"While chickens may be made to
do we'll In different houses, 1t may be
said In favor of the colony system and
free range that there Is no noted poul-
try district in the United States where
has been permanently
successful. where the colony house
system was not followed. The colony
house, moreover, was the house used
at the Oregon Experiment Station last
year for the hens that made the high
est egg records ever made in the Unit
ed States SO far as official or authentic
record is concerned The demonstra-
tors on the car explain how those hens
were housed and cared for, and answer
any questions as to their feeding and
treatment"