The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1913-02-01
PULLETS ARE
WINTER layers
The Coming Winter Fresh Eggs
Will Be Abnormal
B High :
EGGS At SEVENTY FIVE CENTS
Farmers Should Form Egg Circles
Stamp Their Eggs, and Have One
Person For Sales Agent.

\ n
The time is now approaching when
considerable number Of West Nir'
ginia farmers will begin to market tho
chickens which they have raised this
season. In former years large NUM-
bers OF pullets have been disposed OF
ut practically the same price as cock
erels. This year every vigorous.
healthy, well grown pullet in West
Virginia should be retained on the
farm for the purpose OF producing mar
ket eggs, and in place OF selling these
pullets the old hens should be dis
posed of. Early Matched pullets make
better winter layers than old hens,
The most profitable period of egg pro-
duction is during the first year.
During the coming winter eggs will
be abnormally high in price, due to va
rious factors. At present large, clean,
fresh, white eggs are being sold al
wholesale in New York City 70" as
high as forty.four cents per dozen, and
it is confidently predicted by those who
are in close touch with the egg mar
1Iet, that the highest grade of fresh
eggs will wholesale for seventy.hro
cents per dozen before they are low
er. So instead Of selling Oh the pull
lets at the relatively low prices that
they will bring nov, they should bo
made to produce these high priced
eggs.
Many Of those who have small Aockt
OF fowls may say that they do not pro-
duce enough eggs TO justify their ship
ment to big market, but If the farm
ers in certain locality combine to-
gether and form little marketing as
sociation, selling their eggs co.opera'
lively, they can be shipped in case iot9
and sold to advantage.
There is no better poultry country
in the world than West Virginia. 0ul
winters are mild and almost ideally
adapted 10 winter cgg production, and
in place of eggs being shipped into
our cities during the winter, the farm
ers of the state could, with great profit
not only supply the local demands, bul
thousands OF car loads should be ship
ped into the great consuming centers
The express rate'gfrom PRACTICAL!
any section Of West Virginia is only
about seventy-seven cents per case o
thirty dozen, or practically 90 cents
per dozen. This small charge will dc
liver eggs to any hotel, restaurant
club, or private dwelling in New Yorl
City. ''
| There is no form OF farm activity
that pays better in West virginia thar
the keeping OF good flock OF hens foI
the production of eggs. On the farm
the feed, even at the high prices which
now prevail for grain, will not cos
more than $l.00 per fowl per year. i
pullets are given reasonable care ant
attention, one can expect at least tel
dozen eggs per fowl for the season
These should net the farmer, if they
are marketed intelIigently and to bes
advantage, at least thirty cents do2
en-, or an average OF $500 per fowl 10.
| The eggs. Deducting the cost for feed
there remains Il profit Of $500 pei
fowl, and the farmer has the fowl LEFT
ut the end of the year.
Our farmers should build more ant
better poultry houses. They should
Keep more and better fowls, and they
should feed more literally and intelli
gently, for there is money in ii.
There are being organized now ii
certain sections of West Virginia what
are known rs egg circles. The prr
pose OF these organizations is to mar
ket the eggs of the members to better
advantage A board of directors Is
elected and n sales agent appointed
Each farmer is provided with u smali
rubber stamp. This stamp contains
the name of the egg circle, and the
stamps are numbered consecutively
| All eggs sent out are stamped by the
farmer who produces them, SO that CIV
cry egg can be traced back to the orig
inal producer. The sales agent, then
is in position to guarantee every egg
to the retailer, and the retailer in turn
can guarantee every egg to the con.
sumner. If the consumer finds any bad
eggs they can be traced back to the
original producer, and he can be fined
according to the rules Of his local egg
circle. The very fact that all eggs can
be traced back to the original producer
causes each producer to be more care
full in gathering them. II nest OF
eggs which has been overlooked IS
found, these eggs in majority of
cases, will be consumed on the farm,
and will not enter into the regular
shipment. Each farmer Is provided
by the sales agent with cardboard car.
tons, all Of the same style. These h:s
packed in the ordinary thirty dozen
egg cases. and then shipped away.
Egg circles have been In operation
III certain parts of Canada for the past
two or three years, and they have been
the means OF increasing the produc.
ton and getting more money for the
eggs.
i