Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-01-25
THE POULTRY YARD
A FRESH EGG FAMINE.
BY Ed Weber
BY Ed Weber

fNtSeHt statement bN lHe pTesiueilt VI
the Chicago Butter and Egg Board, G.
w. Bull, would indicate that there is
actually to be a famine of fresh eggs.
His statement follows: There are
not enough fresh eggs coming to Chi
cago to make price quotations worth
while. We can not place value on
fresh eggs if there aren't any, and this
seems TO be the condition all over the
country at the present time. The hens
are not laying and that's the whole
trouble. If we placed n quotation il
would have to be an ideal one-one
that would be the price in case eggs
were being brought in. The present
condition seems to be more deeply
rooted. 1t has continued nearly six
weeks. and will last four or five weeks
more. For a time no quotations were
made on the two highest grades of
freshly gathered eggs. viz: Extras and
prime firsts. and at this writing the
board was considering n resolution TO
also suspend quotations on tirsts and
ordinary firsts.'
The sum and substance of the whole
thing is like President Bull says. There
are no fresh eggs coming in. Breed
Chicago for even A. cents when they
can get more at home. And yet we
have the pessimist who goes on
grumbling that there is no money in
the poultry business.
Was there ever a time when there
were more people raising chickens than
right now, and at the same time the
price OF eggs as high? And yet there
GO a al
centers. The demand for fresh eggs
can not be satisfied, and that is why
the price is continually soaring.
Supply Is Not Maintained.
The explanation is simple. There
are not enough people going into the
poultry business for the supply to
equal the ever-increasing demand, and
the consumer will not eat n storage
egg If he can possibly get fresh one,
even at big premium. It goes with
out saying that the law Of supply and
demand governs the price OF any COM |
modify OF which there is a scarcity. |
The butter and egg board may quote |
or suspend quoting. at its pleasure. |
1t has no weight on the price of 4 |
strictly fresh egg which never finds its
way TO their market anyway. Any one |
as to whether the butter and egg board
is being satisfied or not. Ii an article |
is worth so cents a dozen, don't be |
afraid to ask the price. but be sure
YOU supply the goods you contract for
and not an inferior grade. and some
one will appreciate the opportunity OF
being able TO buy them at the price.
Fresh eggs at so cents a dozen dur
no months
line when porterhouse steak is so cents
a pound. There is as much food value
in half dozen OF fresh eggs as there
Is in pound of steak. after one throws
away the bone and the suet, and with
ting tough meat.
The statement Is often heard that
there IS no money in the poultry bust
ness except in raising fancy chickens.
This is indeed very far from the truth
The competition amongst breeders OF
fancy stock is by far greater than that
among poultry men who produce eggs
for consumption. Where there is room
for one fancy poultry plant there is an
opening for a hundred commercial
plants. but the average person who has
never before raised chickens imagines
lllal ali LIdI 10 heSeSSt'S ID " stoSN op
a plant and then sit in the back parlor
and read poultry literature.
We must have the poultry paper:
there must be some one to write for
it and increase our knowledge of the
business but the poultry paper isn't
going to raise our chickens. We must
do our work, and right here is an OPP
perfume time to emphasize the fact
that there is plenty OF it,
II you are tired out in life and have
any foolish notion that the poultry
business is going to give YOU the need
ed rest, YOU are laboring under mis-
apprenticeship. II YOU embark in it with
the above idea, don't blame your poul-
try journals after you have failed, be-
cause failure will stare you in the face
the second day you go into the yard.
Like Any Other Business.
But this is not as DISCOURAGE as it
sounds. What right have you to expect
to make poultry pay without hard
work, or capital. any more than any
other business. knowing as you do that
others with the same foolish ideas have
failed? Weigh this carefully and YOU
solve the whole problem. All your false
illusions disappear. and you embark
with the same feeling Of confidence as
you would if you entered any other line
of business.
There is nothing heavy about it;
semi invalid can do it; you are out
where the air is pure and invigorat-
ing: and you are merely doing a very