Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1918-03-25

Mlllef place auJOlHuS "ele oola "
Swan Raenburg for $4,000.
Early Chicks.
What are Hamilton county farmers
doing to increase poultry production
this year?
In it's campaign to increase poultry
production the agriculture department
puts special emphasis upon the i'm
portance of early Matching. While
chicks can be Matched at any time OF
the year, it is the chicks Matched early
in the spring that give the better re-
suits. Unless a special effort is made
to hatch early on the farms through
out the country, the Matching season
comedies too closely with the plant
ing season, and Matching operations
are reduced on that account.
Early Matched chicks give the best
results. They are, as a rule, the
strongest and most vigorous because
they are produced from eggs laid while
the hens are in their best breeding
condition. Because they are more
thrifty and vigorous, early Matched
chicks make quicker, better and cheap
err growth than late Matched. Thrifty
chickens get more from given guam
tity of feed than others. Weak and
understood chickens often consume as
much feed as larger and better de-
veloped birds and still make no per-
ceptible growth.
Lice and mites are most numerous
and troublesome in hot weather, but
early chicks develop to the stage
where they can better withstand ex-
IRENE heat, and the attacks OF para
sites, by the time the weather is very
hot. Late chicks are likely to be
caught by the severe heat just at the
stage of their growth when heat is
most injurious to them.
Early Matched cockerels are ready
for the market when prices are high
est. Early Matched pullets lay when
prices Of eggs are highest.
Shortage Likely in Farm Labor.
While present indications would
not show lack of farm help in this
vicinity this spring, shortage is
bound to develop later on, due to
withdrawal OF large numbers of men
from civilian life and to high wages
paid unskillcd labor in industrial oc-
equations. To meet this shortage, the
Boys Working Reserve has been
organized, composed of high school
and other boys, sixteen years of age
and over. However, only with the
cooperation of the farmers can the
movement be successful.
The selection of the boys, who are
to work on the farms, is one OF the
important features of the work, as
well as the attitude Of the boys them
selves. A good many of them can
do just as much work and just as
good work as the average trained
farm hand. A sixteen, seventeen or
eighteen year old boy can take many
mans place successfully. under in
telligent direction.
Over ninety per cent of the city
boys who left Chicago to work on
farms last summer were successful.
Between twenty and twenty-five boys,
whd enrolled in the reserve from
Blairsburg, have already been placed
on farms in that vicinity. County
Agent Christensen has, perhaps,
twenty-five boys enrolled at his Office
SO far. The boys will not be sent
onto the farms entirely without train
ing, as the agent will go over the
work they are expected to do thorou-
ghly before sending them out.
Many city boys are willing to start
work on the farm at $40 month
with board and laundry. The average
farm hand in this county is drawing
at least $50 month. High wages
paid by farmers in the country for
help has brought in almost a surfeit
Of farm labor. Lately there has been
more farm labor applicants than it
has been possible to place in this |
This condition is undoubtedly tenn
porary and when harvest time comes
many inexperienced men will have to
De used. To utilize such labor sue
cessfully, farmers must learn to
handle men less efficient than them
selves.
WIS S.
In The District Court.