Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-05-12
.,.oaAHY ADJUNCTS
/ / TO THE HEN ON FARM
Poultry and Animals Compared to
~ Machines in Factory Max
ing Food.
FOWL FOR WASTE PLACES
Geese, Ducks, Turkeys and Guinea
MAY 30 Raised in Areas Which
May Be Otherwise tnproductivc.
Popular Breeds Described.
ny II. ARMSTRONG ROBERTS.

ny H. ARMSTRONG RObENiS'
There is much ado concerning the
wheat crop, corn. barley and other
cereals: we are constantly reminded OF
their Importance in winning the war.
We have been taught 10 look upon them
al the foundation OF our food supplies
and rightly so. Some idea OF their
magnitude can be sicancd from the
fact that in 1917 the farmers in tho
United States harvested mora than
5000, 100000 bushels OF cereals. or at
the rate of sixty bushels. or one and
ore-half tons. for every man. woman
and child in the country.
You don't recall having eaten ono
and one-half tons or cereals last year.
though in effect that is precisely what
happened In breakfast foods corn
mullins and brcadstuffs you may have
consumed 100 pounds OF cereals; the
balance went into your household in a
multiplicity OF ways concerning which
you have probably never dreamed. 1t
was condensed. refined and processed
into butter. milk, cheese, beef. mutton.
pork. fats, eggs. poultry. wool and SO
on. 1t was converted into these fin
ished products through the agency OF
live stock.
without farm animals-cows pigs.
sheep and poultry-the greater part Of
the 5000. 100000 bushels of cereals
worthless TO US as bar OF gold to
drowning man. Furthermore, without
farm animals the 5000, 100000 bushels
OF cereals could not have been grown.
not alone because there would have
been no draft animals with which to
plant and cultivate tho crops but be-
cause without 1.-Two stock tho soil could
not have possessed the fertility 80
necessary to production.
LIVE STOCK on FARM
FOoD-MAI<ING MACHINERY
Farm animals may be compared to
tho machines in a factory; they con-
stitute the medium by which the raw
materials from the fields are converted
into finished merchandise available for
human consumption. They are con-
contractors. Just as the smelter takes
a carload OF silver or gold ore and
extracts from it an ounce or pound
OF pure metal, SO do the herds and
focks consume bulky materials. like
hay. fodder and grain, and convert
them into meat or dairy products. And
not only do they execute this refining
process for the benefit or human kind.
but they give back 10 the soil that
fertility which tho crops consumed.
For example. 1t has been demonstrated
that the average COW yields about ten
tons OF manure year.
The point that wish to establish Is
cereal crops. we must not lose sight
OF the importance of increasing our
live stock in like proportion. because II
we do, our grain will have been grown
in vain. We must not lose sight OF
the fact that farm animals have been
decreasing in proportion to populatio
for ID number OF years. We have 30
per cent less hogs than normal, and
our sheep produce only SO per cent OF
the wool used in this country. Feet
cattle have diminished at an alarming
rate, and more than so per cent OF the
poultry has been slaughtered.
Government statistics indicate that
more than 100000 farms ara henlcss
absolutely without n fowl. Likewise
II appears that the average farm flock
consists OF forty hens whereas /,
should be 100 fowls. These unfortunate
circumstances must be overcome II
we arc to avert a famine in one Of the
most useful and wholesome foods in
our dietary.
SHOULD DE SYSTEMATIC
INCREASE OF POULTR Y
II each OF the million farms which,
are now hen!ess would plan to raise 100
pu!lets. and each farm flock, now es,i-
mated at forty hens. could be expanded
TO 700 fowls, they would produce more
than 100000 tons OF poultry products
which would he OF incalculable value
in supplemertinG our meat supplies.
AZ each farmer and back yard poultry
hheepeF "nL@t from two to dozen
hens. or hatch an equal number O,
eggs in an incubator. the goal can be
reached. True. the Matching season Is
wei advanced, but il is not too late
to make start. Chicks hatched be-
f2Fe the middle OF June have i've
months IN which 10 mature before the
advent OF winter weather
meat can be grown is really astonish- :
sng. The hen can multiply herself
many times annually. With the aid
or an incubator one can hatch hvs or
Blk dozen eggs from each hen. LEI.
TO her own devices, the hen should
raise ten chicks from a single hatch :
ing. In six months these birds will
~e,sn ABOUT thirty pounds. which is
Tour or five times the weight OF the
hen.
Ii beet COW weighing / coo pounds
were TO 90 a. well, she would have "a
produce about two tons OF beer: wber.
as the best that can be expected from
her is a single baby beer, weighing :.
lie" hundred pounds. Hogs and since,
".e IN Ine CLASS with cattle; they ar.
PRONE but they cannot equal TN.
.o~i. The quickest way to renlenist
cur meat supply is through the hen.
mouse. Moreover, poultry is IN,
Sheapes. way. because il reoui-e, in,
;est Dram on our grain supplies. an,
- can be grown by unski!led labor n,
srothd that is otherwise unnroorc,iv.
Notwithstanding. special effort. NV,
oeen made This spring TO increaa,
pouitfy production. it has not receive,
inc attention which il deserves, ,snc
eiaiiy III regard 20 backward oor,,,
ana !arn poultry The oversieb, !
one can cali it such. has not b.en
generate act. but an inadvertenc. =,
the part OF agricultural leaders VII,
hhVe hastenca Ia stress productio, :,
othcr lines. About 10 per cen, q, ~,
farming is done Tor the slppor, =
animals. hence II j. natural Ina, IN,
cereals SHOULD receive the creates, a.
tention, "a: least for the moment
COMPANIONS OF TIE HEN
HAVE VALUABLE. ptAc,
chickens comprise the bulk ~ ~
pouitry industry in this cou,,rr
therefore. when reference is mad. :,
pouit;y. We usually think OF a nork y
mems. The term applies to ali domes,s
lows however such as ducks. reer.
Suiheas and turkeys and an som. r.
spects these companions Of the hen , :
Just as important Il source OF ;una. =