The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1912-01-05
VIESI VIRGINIA
PlgLTRIlDErs
PARADISE
INTERESTING FACTS REGARDING.
POULTRY IN STATE GIVEN IN.
BULLETIN BY PROF. HORACE
ATWOOD.

/
Prof Horace Atwood. assistant az
riculturists OF the West Virginia Ag-
rIculturaI Experiment station, at
iMorgantown. in a'Bdlledh;yust issued
referred to West Virginia as the
Ir.Poultryman's Paradise" BY re-
viewing some Of the features OF West
virgtnia's soil and climate, her re,
markabIe adaptitude for poultry rats.
ing is shown. All
This State is aSfegion OF hills and
valleys with many coves SO sheltered
from storms that poultry may be per.
mitted TO run free practically the en-
tire year, says Prof Atwood. In these
regions also the grass sprouts much
earlier than in other sections and as
this induces the fowls to live an out
door life, healthy and profitable
stock can be raised The climate is
also ideal in most parts of the State,
being neither as hot as the more
southern States in summer, or as cold
as those north in winter.
AS regards soil, West Virginia can
hardly be improved upon. The sue
cess or failure OF the poultry bust
ness depends largely on the character
OF the soil upon which the plant is To-
Gated, for Il the soil Is too heavy or
tenacious there is tendency of dis.
ease germs to accumulate, so that in
time the fowls become unthrlftly and
hence Improbable. Practically all
the upland soils of West Virginia are
well drained and little trouble is ex-
perienced from disease If the ordl-
nary methods of cleanliness are en-
ployed. Not only is the land well
adapted to poultry raising in this re-
spect. but land can still be purchased
very cheaply, even close to good mar
kets.
Practically all the soil adapted to
fruit culture. is also we'll adapted to
poultry for the reaHon that they both
require we'll drained land The pro.
duction OF fruit and poultry may be
carried on on the same land, the
trees furnishing the shade so neces'
sary to poultry in summer. and the
poultry picking up the insects so dan
gerous to the fruit The work can be
so arranged that the slack period in
the care OF the flock will come when
the busiest season is on with the
fruit. Thus double income can be
realized from the same piece of land.
AS regards markets, Prof. Atwood
says West Virginia Is splendtd1y 16'
Gated, being in close proximity to
many Of the larger cities, and having
an exceptionally large egg sconsumpr
ton herself.
This position of West Virginia in
the poultry business is not to be de.
spised when one looks at the enor.
nifty OF the poultry business in the
United States. In 1899 the poultry
products Of the United States were
valued at 1922 100000; five years
later they were valued at $5OO,OOO,OoO,
and In 1909 at $10O,OOO,OOO The sta
tIstics for last year have not been
completed but Mt. Atwood asserts
that the valuation will doubtIessiy
reach one billion dollars. These fig
ures sound rather extravagant, but to
give an intimation OF the vastness OF
the egg business, say that every per-
son in New York city would eat two
eggs for breakfast. According to the
last census there we're 4,75O,OOO people
in New York, or practically 100000
at the present time. Give each one
OF these persons two eggs valued at
2 cents each. and 1t would require
100000 to pay the bill.