The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-01-07

as a cold storage, the farmer would
have to be content with price be-
tween two cents and five cents a
dozen for eggs during the season when
they are plentiful. and the consumer
would have to pay from 81 to IS
dozen if he wanted eggs during the
season when they are scarce"
Professor Lippincott emphasized an
assertion that exhibition poultry must
be classed among the luxuries. He
pointed out that in times of financial
depression the first lines of business
to feel the stringency are those that
have to do with the luxuries and said
that in such times rne public pur-
chases poultry and eggs at good prices
long after exhibition birds have
ceased to be saleable at any price. The
speaker said, however, that this does
not mean that there is no money in
fancy poultry, but that it is at the
best hazardous undertaking.
The much advertised rooster that
sells for upwards of 500 in the show
room has about as much relation to
the furnishing of society with eggs
and poultry as the race horse has to
money rearing and exhibiting poultry,
but in both cases the very many fail to
make expenses.
Made Poultry Profitable.
Commercially, the poultry industry
of today has largely paralleled the
history of the development of the
modern common carriers, and ad-
vanced with improvement of refriger-
ator cars. 1t was not until means
were afforded for transporting poul-
try products from the farm to the
distant cities that production, beyond
tho demand of home needs became
an object, and poultry a source of
considerable income.
Even in its present high state of
development, when the national val
uation of the annual product is
mounting toward a billion dollars"
he continued, "it has essentially re-
manned home industry, providing,
however, considerable surplus which
is handled commercially.
Taking the country over, there are
1874 fowls to the square mile of i'm
proved land. 1 have been unable to
get hold of the exact figures for Mis-
souri,, but I presume that this is not
far from the correct figure for this
state. Japan, 1 find supports 1925
fowls to the square mile without i'll
results, which allows less than eight
| tenths of an acre per fowl. There is
no reason, as far as I am able to
see, why we should not go consid-
erably beyond this with safety, and
hens on any farm of 100 acres or
| more.
ST Profit Per Chicken.
Furthermore, from figures taken
| from western states, 1 see no reason
why these 300 hens should not supply
the home needs, and make a net
profit above feed cost, but not in
Guiding labor of $500. This profit
may be enhanced by the general in
PRODUCTION of the quality payment sys-
tenn in the purchase of poultry and
/ eggs. Another great opportunity for
a large profit in poultry is going to
come with the growth of tho rural
community idea. 1 refer to the intro
duction of community breeding.
J hope we shall live to see the time
/ when here and there over Missouri,
! Kansas and the other western states,
wo shall find localities in which the
people have realized that they are a
i community in interest as we'll as loca-
/ ton, and have gotten together to
such degree that they are ali rails
ing one breed and variety of chick
/ ems"