Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1918-02-14
INCREASE POULTRY.
More Fowls and More EGGS Mean More
Meat for Democracy Fighters.

Meat for Dem0crncy's Fighters.
| First. a few figures:
| According to the last census, Of 6.371.602
farms in the United States, 1,527,743 re-
ported no egg production.
This is one Of the big facts on which II
based the endeavor to double this year
the chicken and egg production Of the
United States. 1t Is an almost unbeliev-
able fact to those numerous persons who
have regarded a chicken dinner as the
acme Of luxury and who have paid high
prices every winter for eggs. But It is
fact, and 1t has much to do with the
more-chickens-a nd-more-eggs campaign
| that Is expected to displace millions Of
pounds Of beef and pork in American
menus and send the released product
across the ocean to our soldiers. the allies,
and the hungry people Of the lands de-
vastated by the Prussian war torch. +.
The United States department Of agri-
culture urges as many as possible Of the
farmers who have not raised chickens to
stock their farms this year with focks
large enough at least to supply the needs
Of their own households. 1t does not ad-
wise that the general farmer embark in
extensive raising Of poultry, but warns
against such ventures. But It sees no
reason why every farm should not pro-
duce enough chickens and eggs for its
| own use. and why there should not b
enough surplus to make chickens ana
eggs available to the general public at
reasonable prices and In such quantities
! that there will be markedly less domestic
demand for the meats that are needed
abroad and that can be transported there.
| One big aim in this endeavor is to in
crease to 100 hens the average size Of
| the American farm flock. The present
average is 40 hens. The desired increase.
It IL believed. will bring the desired pro-
duction. The farmer with several hum
| dred hens, Of course. will be merely maxi
ing up for his less fortunate neighbor un.
able to reach the average. This will be
| not merely a wartime increase. It and
| its benefits will remain after Americas
men and women-at the front and at homo
have made democracy safe.
| Furthermore. with all this production
the farmer need not fear that the market
will be glutted by poultry and eggs. A
good profit Is assured always by the
low cost Of farm poultry production.
Further assurance is given by the fact
that with the maximum production urged
by the department OF agriculture there
will still be a great gap between produce
ton and possible consumption. Finally.
many people who eat little or no chicken
meat. and who are only distantly
acquainted with the egg, will come TO
be fast friends and will ask for more.
Chickens as a by. product Of general
farming fnd much of their feed in tho
waste materials that otherwise would
serve no useful purpose. The attention
and labor they require can be given
largely even by children. and should not
require the employment OF additional
chickens practically Fay for themselves
by their destruction Of orchard and vege-
table insects. On others they help to
pay for themselves by their production
OF manure. which when properly used
largely increases the value Of the land.
Fifty fowls will annually produce at least
| ton OF manure that can be made -
valuable az commercial fertilizer.
An essential part Of the endeavor to
insure more chickens and eggs 10 con-
tanned In the maxim-hatch early. The
farmer who matches early In the spring.
| either by incubator or natural methods
seems to have all the best of the arRu-
ment When chickens are Matched early
in the spring they mature in the fall
and lay eggs In the winter Then, in the
spring, they are ready to hatch early.
Late Matched fowls are late in maturing,
do not lay In the winter. and do not sit
until late In the following spring.
To the country at large early Matching
by every chicken raiser means much.
Early Matching will increase the number
and size Of fowls and the number Of eggs
produced next year. It will mean bigger
birds. and birds that will lay In the win.
ter months. To the Individual farmer Il
means more profit. He will get more
chickens. as larger proportion will live;
he will get more actual meat. not only
because more will live. but because his
chickens will be larger: and he will get
more eggs. when eggs are scarce, for
carly Matched pullets will lay In the win.
ter.
The recognized importance OF food In
the greatest war makes 1t seem that the
hen must take her place among those who
are helping to win It for the forces Of
democracy. This place will be an impor-
tant one In proportion to the response this
year to the call for increased chicken
and egg production. The hen. of course,
always has shown q willingness to do her
duty. and doubtless she is willing now.
All that Is to be done Ia for her masters.
the farmers OF the nation, and the city
jewellers who are helping on a backyard
scale. to mako sure that the hens oppor.
tunity will not be neglected.