The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-08-22

poultry management as part or tnelr work. Each member keeps record, or business account, showing accurate hg- urea on expenditures, receipts and profits, number of eggs set, number of chickens raised, etc.
 RESULTS OBTAINED
 During the year 1917 these Boy ano Girl club members matched 98,273 chicks and raised 8O,31O matured fowls. Over s17, ,90S.2 25 worth of poultry and eggs for market and breeding purposes were sold or consumed at home and the total value of their receipts, stock on hand ana prizes won amounted to $H,Sl242. In addition to the exhibits of fowls ana eggs made at county fairs and otner poultry shows, these poultry club mem bers are now demonstrating i'll many instances their ability 10 judge pou'try and to carry on the various phases oi poultry work such as setting hens, op' erating an incubator, preserving eggs caponizing cockerels, killing and dress ing fowls for market There were 104 1 exhibits held where 624 members ex- i hibited 62S0 birds and 329 dozens Of eggs. l The total value of special and cash prizes awarded to the members making these | exhibits amounted to $3O9O.75. POULTRY CLUB WORK
 | Another feature of poultry club work that has heen inaugurated is that of | holding short courses at various state i schools and colleges for the benefit ot | poultry club members who have made a good showing in their work. On such occasions members are sent to one of the state schools with all expenses paid and there given a course of instruc : | tion in poultry Such courses not only | provide a valuable course of instruction, but promote the various forms of amuse- ment in a more favorable attitude io' ward education and what the social side l of farm life can be made to be. Another l feature that is being taken up IS pou- | try management contests. These con l tests are conducted by the poultry club
 agents and seemingly are going to arouse ] much enthusias sm among the club mem
 bers and will be the means of their op- taining a most practical course of in struction and the proper methods or handling and caring for poultry.
 Girls and boys poultry clubs are a
 proven instrument in nationwide pou' ltry culture, not only on account or the very satisfactory development, but more
 especially in the manifest enthusiasm
 displayed by the boys and girls.
 DETERMINING CHICKENS AGES
 A common way ofetesting the age of
 dressed poultry, as described by home
 economies specialists of the United States department of agriculture, is so take between thumb and finger the end
 of the breasIbone, farthest from !nf
 head, and attempt to bend it to on'
 side. In a very young bird. such as i"broiler' chicken or a green goose, II
 will be easily bent, like the carthage
 in the human ear: in a bird a year ol
 so old it will be brittle, and in an ole
 bird, tough and hard to bend or break
 Tricky dealers have been known te
 break the of the breastbone before
 showing the bird, thus rendering 'h'
 test useless.
 POULTRY MANURE VALUABLE
 Poultry manure is more valuable tha'
 the manure of any other common farr |animal, it's analysis shows. and i
 ticularly well adapted to gardenln''
 Poultry raisers should either use 1t o'
 their own garden or sell it. thus increas ing the profits of their flocks.