Evening star., 1916-11-26
POULTRY YARD NOTES.

that where pullets are expected to
be good winter layers they must be
Matched reasonably early. This applies
to all varieties. If the Matching and
maturing can be arranged SO the pullet
will lay her first eggs in the first week
of the contest, as rule they VIII
continue laying throughout the winter.
1t is little to be wondered at that
many poultry owners, viewing with
alarm the high price of grain, now at
it's topmost figure, and deeming the
time Improbable for the keeping OF
poultry. have marketed large numbers
of their fowls in order to pare down
the feed bills. This statement is made
by ]. w. Keller of Morton. Pa. well
known as an authority on matters per-
tanning to poultry and poultry-raising.
I'm ninety-nine cases out of a hun
dred." says Mr.. Keller. such action
has been the result of an impulse of
the moment and not the result of an
analysis of the true situation or of
mature deliberation.
admit prices are high and are going
to remain SO. should ge reduce or in
crease our focks? The poultry busi-
ness is subject to just the same laws
as any other business. One Of these is
that the cost of raw materials is of no
Importance SO long as the selling price
of the finished article is correspond
ingly changed.
Egg prices have never been so high
as today: Moreover. they are rising
than supply. New York. Boston and
Philadelphia poultry dealers predict
eggs at a dollar a dozen by Christ
mas Nor is this in the east alone.
r. I h~;p
from Nevada of a poultryman getting
80 cents a dozen for eggs and can't
supply the demand, and a report from
the primitive Ozark mountains Of Mis-
offering SO cents a dozen for eggs and
can't get enough Of them No student
of the problem will deny that prices
are going up and that this years aver
age price is going to mark high
water mark away above anything in
the past.
When we search for the cause Of this
condition we are Immediately con-
fronted with several facts. First the
average income today is greater than
ever before, and everybody knows that
the better off a family is the more
eggs they use. Again. government fig
ures show several million less dozen Of
eggs in cold storage this year than
last. as well as a vastly increased ex-
portation. Again, due to the snap
judgment cited in the beginning of this
article. many have disposed of con-
siderable numbers of their layers, due
to the high price of feeds. so that the
supply of eggs has been curtailed. Do
they make ii appear that eggs are GO
ing to be cheaper or dearer as time
passes: Wise poultrymen say it is a
favorable time to keep more fowls
rather than fewer. for. while feeds cost
more. the prices of eggs have risen in
far greater proportion. 1t is an almost
criminal mistake at this time to send
TO market any hen that can reasonably
| be expected to lay a fair number OF
eggs durinRs the next few months
The high price of eggs attractive
profits and great demand eor poultry
products are going to create great In
| terest in the industry and cause many
persons to take up poultry raising next
year. This always happens. That
means this spring is going to see a
tremendous demand for Matching eggs,
baby chicks and breeding fowls. As
with eggs, heavy demand for these
VIII mean higher prices
Now. If ever, is the golden age at
hand Tor pouitrymen. Keep every go I'd
fowl you can procure, increase your
| flock. If possible. if you can read the
! handwriting on the wall and have faith
| In the poultry industry. The conditions
are All present for such a period of
prosperity as poultrymen have never
known before"