Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1917-04-25
POULTRY
CONSULTING DEPARTMENT
One Reason Why Eggs Sometimes
Fail to Hatch

The one great failing we all have in
purchasing eggs for Matching is to
expect too much for our money. Just
because we have invested a few dol
lars in eggs for Matching is no more
reason why we should expect these
same dollars returned to us in the
fall, with others lying by their side
than we should expect that money
invested in oil stock, gold mine stock,
or any other commercial enterprise
should always net us the return of our
money. One rule we should always
bear in mind is: "The greater the op-
portunity for gain, the greater the
proportionate risk for loss" We may
purchase Government bonds and we
are quite satisfied at the end of the
year with our small per cent of in
terest, but where is the poultryman
who purchases SIS worth of eggs for
Matching and who does not expect $25
worth or more of chicks back as the
result of his labors in the fall?
/ can say this is the common fail
ing of poultrymen, and in fact, people
in all walks of life who engage in
some hobby or diversion out of their
ordinary occupation. There is no.
legitimate field of investment that /
know of where the few dollars can be
made to bring as great returns as in
the poultry business. Especially is
this true in the purchase of eggs for
Matching. For a few dollars you can
get in embryo the results Of other
mems study and labor over a long
period of years. One single egg,
costing fifty cents, more or less, may
hatch chick that will be worth twen-
ty-five to fifty dollars or more. This
happens every year in many different
instances. But in purchasing eggs
for Matching, understand beforehand
that you are taking somewhat of a
risk in investing your money in this
extremely fragile and perishable
quantity. Not that eggs do not cas-
lily hatch, or that they cannot be sue
cessfully shipped long distances in
ninety-nine out of one hundred cases,
but because Of the fact yours might
be the one out of the one hundred
cases where some careless or neglect
full express messenger or driver may
have the opportunity. of throwing
them the entire length of the car.
This is one of the many things that
makes buying eggs for Matching more
or less a risk. Then. again, those
who buy eggs for Matching are quite
often more to blame for the poor re-
suits obtained than the breeder and
seller of the eggs. For the purchas-
er of eggs for Matching is often ig-
norant of the laws of Nature govern
ing the incubation of eggs and the
care Of the setting hen. Those who
are not ignorant Of these facts get
as nervous and excitable over their
newly acquired purchase and the pos
sibilities therein contained as does
the old hen with one chicken. With
the result that, although they know
better, they simply will not let the
hen alone to incubate the eggs in Sc
clusion and quiet. Some do not get
"fussed" until the day the eggs are
due to hatch, but even at that late
day spoil the Matching by undue con-
Germ and curiosity over their high
priced eggs.
In buying eggs for Matching, do so
with the understanding beforehand
that you are investing a few dollars
with the possibility of your getting
many fold returns within a few
months. In the end, therefore, you
have practically nothing to lose and
all to gain, provided, of course, you
do not make "mess" of things your
self and spoil the hatch through your
own carelessness. There is no cheap
er or better way to engage in the
thoroughbred poultry industry than
to start with eggs for Matching. In
starting, though, be as willing to live
up to the Golden Rule as you are an
xious that the seller of the eggs
should live up to this rule.
We are quoting herewith letter
which Is an instance of why eggs