Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1917-04-22


tributes TO the farm mobilization meet
ing in Tucson, called by the state uni
yersity, was that of NJ. E Bemis. of
the farm bureau of the Phoenix
Chamber of Commerce. Mr.. Bemis de-
livered his talk on Saturday, taking for
his theme the ability to increase poul-
try and egg production and also to con-
serve poultry feed, in Arizona He
said:
Seventeen years ago ! was dele
gate from my local grange to the state
grange of my native state Vermont.
At that time there was beginning to be
heard much talk of conServatiO not
the conservation of food but the con-
servation of natural resources. includ-
ing the reclamation of the deserts by
storing the waste of the streams and
rivers that for unnumbered centuries
had gone down to the sea unchecked.
That was the period when the United
States government was contemplating
the building of such storage reser-
voirs as the Roosevelt dam. We in
the east were suffering from a period
Of low prices for farm products, and
we were being told that there was an
over production. 1t was therefore only
logical that we farmers in the east
should make a vigorous protest against
this western conservation, which
meant that millions of acres We're to
be added to the acres already under
cultivation and which were then pro-
1ucing too much. Nearly all the east
ern oranges and if | mistake not the
Nation Grange passed resolutions of
protest against the government financ-
ing or aiding the reclamation of desert
lands.
Looking backward, with the light of
all the knowledge that we had at that
time. while we know now that the
reclamation act passed by congress
was wise. | cannot say that we were
unwise in our protest Wheat that
year sold in Minnesota for an average
Of So cents the bushel, and other pro-
ducts were proportionately low in all
states throughout the nation Why
should we not object to the govern
ment spending our money to aid in
raising more food products to COM
pete against US? Yet here are we today
gathered many of us from farms that
have been reclaimed from the desert,
TO discuss ways and means of raising
more and more food to feed the nation
and the world
have been asked to discuss with
you means by which we may produce
more food from the farm poultry
though just why | should be expected
know MUNICH about poultry | don't
know, and no doubt before | have fin
ished you will wonder too, why | was
asked.
In reviewing in my mind some of
he things which might be done to in
crease the products from poultry. to
save loss and in short to produce
more eggs and poultry. means simply
he more general and the more deter
mined adoption of those methods
which have been found practicable and
profitable by the most successful
poultry men and which have been adj
vocated by agricultural colleges and
farm papers.
So as / look at this I cannot do bet
tier than to outline to you some of the
things which in. my observation aug
mented somewhat by a limited exper-
ence, l have found to been instru
mental in making poultry profitable.
{ am aware that this is not a time or
IN occasion when we should consider
he profits of production, our sole en-
1eavor at this time being to produce
more food, but since no business can
De permanent Mess it does show a
profit and since the profitable poultry
-anches are profitable because they
lave produced poultry products, it is
| .ogical that these methods are the
| ,nes which should be followed.
Considering first the hens, because
| more common, and for the majority of
| farmers as well as other people the
| most profitable, we may first of all
| consider whether we should produce
/! lsh or eggs. If we are to follow out
| this plan of the conservation of food
| products and use those foods which
supply most energy for the least money,
! hen we should with equal logic en-
l 1eavor to produce the food products
with most energy values which have
| required the least sacrifice of other
| food products. Now if a dozen eggs
supply the same energy that a pound
| If poultry meat does. / think you will
produce that which requires the least
/ Feed, and | think there is no sort of
doubt but that a dozen eggs can be
produced on considerable less feed than
t"kes to produce pound of poultry
meat.
i \ MS does not mean that We should
rot raise as many chicks as possible
quite the contrary as this is necessary
in order to produce more eggs, but it
S simply that in my opinion we can
produce more energy food with less
ost of the precious grain than we can
: of flesh in fowls.