The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-11-23

ana ulHefent ratlonS used, according to
the current prices of grain in each local.
ity. The birds were killed, dressed, shaped
and packed according to approved meth
DDS, after which they were marketed
Tie stations We're in operation from two
to four months each season, in the fall
and early winter.
These stations were of great practical
assistance to the farmers in the sections
where located. They afforded an excellent
opportunity for the various producers to
actually see for themselves just how the
work was done and what it accomplished,
and as result, numberless private fat
tening establishments were put into oper-
alton. Each government station was op-
Grated for several years, depending upon
the conditions existing in the territory
which 1t served, and was then dropped
or removed to another section. In this
way the farmers of Canada have prac-
tically all learned how to fatten poultry,
and the government work at present is
being largely handled through the exper-
mental farm system.
1t is difficult, in fact, impossible, to
estimate the value to the farmer of this
demonstration work However, we can
cite one concrete example which will
show what it has accomplished in one
locality near Lake Huron, in western On
tario. fattening station was estab-
lished near the little village of Holmes
vile, though the poultry crop in that sec
ton amounted to practically nothing and
the growing of chickens was considered
beneath the dignity of a full-grown man.
When the government station was dis
continued the work was taken up by a
farmers son. who was engaged in teach
ing the local school, After two years this
young man gave up his school and de-
voted himself exclusively to the poultry
business. Last year he handled 229 900
n Of 10 n 1fQ Il
of dressed poultry, for which he paid the
farmers of the locality $4,000 in cash. In
this short space of time the poultry crop
has become one of the big money crops
of the section, to the benefit of the pro-
Queer, buyer, transportation company.
dealer and consumer. Today the poultry
business in that locality attracts the very
men who formerly scorned it.
In order to give some idea of the in
crease in value secured by properly fat
tening chickens let us consider some fig
ures The very first lot of chickens fat
tened at one of the pioneer stations, Carle-
ton Place. Ont, in 1889 gave the following
results
Number of chickens. Observation-Disclosures .12O
Cost per chicken. ........................2 .23c
Gain in. weight ...................2S .2S3 pounds
Gain per chick. k......................2.2 .2.2 pounds
cost per pound gain. ......................61 SIC
Selling price in England. ............... .751bc
Now analyze this. Each chicken sold
in the Canadian market at 90 cents. The
feed cost of fattening each amounted to
14.3 cents, making total cost of 1913
cents per bird. The profit realized amount
ed to 2S.2 cents per head, from which
must be deducted the cost of dressing
and shipping. only few cents per bird.
This profit, figured on a percentage basis,
was astonishingly large and was secured
solely through the adoption of the simple
fattening process.
Better Results Obtained
AS experience was gained better results
were secured Five years later the follow
ing results were obtained at the station
| at Bowmanville, Ont:
Number of chickens. ns....................4 .434
Total weight. t...................... 1882 pounds
cost 1893. "a
cost or reed. .........-............. 2S65
Total cost. Observation-Disclosures. 116 SO
Gain In weight. t...................59 .594 pounds
Cost per pound gain. n...................3.9 &c
Dressed weight. 1873 pounds
Market value. S204 40
FRONT ...................-..,., $SI6 80
This statement does not show the actual
profit on this lot, as it sold for IS cents
per pound, while the figures given are
at the rate of 13 cents per pound, the figure
offered for the output of all stations. On
the 15-cent basis the selling price would
be $235s9 and the profit $119.06, trihe
over p cents per head
In all, 81 stations were established, well
distributed throughout the various prov
inces. The work was continued for many
years, but is now largely in the hands
of private individuals, who have estab
lished quite an industry. Fortunately 1t
has been largely kept in the hands Of the
farmers, who get the profits themselves.
In the United States the work is done by
large concerns who buy the chickens from
the farmers and get the additional price
which results from the fattening process.
The stock from the government fatten-
ing stations was sold both locally and to