Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1916-03-25
Recognition of Poultry Cul-
ture as One of Our Fore
most National Industries
BY &. X. Smith
Author and Practical Poultryman
copy RIGHT 1916.


This is an age of miracles. You can
sail ON the sea, UNDER the sea, or
ABOVE the sea. You can sit in an
easy chair in New York City and talk
with your friend In San Francisco.
The Wireless pulses your message
through five thousand miles of ether
rs quickly as YOU could dictate II 10
Stenographer. Our modern wizards OF
progress are performing greater won
ders than the ancient masters OF the
BLACK Art" ever attempted.
The featS of science are equally as
founding in the animal kingdom. Min
nesota announces that one of her Hol-
-FI1esian cows, Duchess Sky
lark OPmsby," has produced an aver
age of more than 4 pounds of butter
"a day for twelve consecutive months.
And now we have the amazing output
of three and "a -half-pound Leghorn
hen-314 eggs in 365 days! What
does il mean? Let us see.
|. Economic Value of the Hen
CHE has proved her worth. She
has the goods and can deliver
~ them. This astounding perform
ance makes plain the wealth of posi-
bilities in every mans dooryard flock.
The expert tells us that there are
more than 1000 latent eggs in the
normal hen. One individual has
shown that she can lay hundreds OF
these hidden, dormant, potential pos
sibilities in twelve months. If one
can do it, then others can. No one
expects seven thousand eggs from any
hen, however long she may live. But
every one knows now that he need not
go round the world to find his Acres
of Diamonds" one American hen
has shown us that there is as great
economic value III her as can he found,
weight for weight, in any animal in
the world.
What then? Simply this: II is up
to us to make the most of the domes-
tic fowl. She has the eggs and she is
never happier than when laying them.
The hen that can lay 200 eggs in
year has become common. Her dis
covery is of recent date. however. A
dozen years ago there were few who
believed that such n producer could
be bred. To-day the 30O-egg hen has
been discovered in various parts of
the country The evidence is so over
whelming that millions of the Amer
lean people are challenged tn dig for
the diamonds that are hidden away
in the common hen. Yes, The pro-
ducing power is in the little hen-not
a shadow of doubt remains. What are
we going to do about e? She is able
and willing: are we willing and able?
1t isn't a matter of q particular
breed. There are a dozen breeds OF
fowls that can be depended upon for
the high economic values If rightly
handled. The egG-laying contests in
various parts of America as well as
in Australia prove that most of the
common breeds Of fowls have mar
velous possibilities in egg production
when handled rightly. While the
heavier breeds may be slightly inferior
to some of the smaller breeds in aver
nj q
of superiority in other respects that
make them of equal value. The man
behind the bird is the determining
factor.
Lady Eglantine" with her 314~egg
record has set the whole continent in
search of poultry possibilities Prac-
tically everybody outside the large
cities keeps fowls This amazing
years work of one hen has been her
aided from ocean to ocean, 1t Will
mean q powerful stimulus to the
movement already widespread to make
the most of the utility value of the
backyard flock as we'll as of the tens
on the million-egg farm. @
The average yearly yield of the
farm flock is about 10 eggs for each
hen. This is the finding of the De-
partment of Agriculture at Washing
ton. We write it and read it with
SndIut. II is surely a. lOH5p lOI6 way
from 20 to 314l The world is on fire
to-day over Economic Efficiency"
Most certainly the figures that are
before the American people to-day
will mean a mighty stride forward in
egg production. Otherwise we prove
our economic deficiency.
farmer told me the other day
that he keeps 75 hens and that they
'eat their heads off two or three times
year" It's long look from such
story to that of another farmer who
kept 400 layers last year and reports
profit of $1,100 above the cost of
their feed.
The man who can't get paying re-
suits from a flock of hens to-day must
hold himself responsible. II he does
not resort to, every possible method to
increase his egg production he must
confess that he is not interested in
poultry. culture, or that he is hope:
lessly sunk in the ruts of a former
generation.
What splendid stimulus Ne have in