Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1918-02-12
Monmouth Grange Listens
to Talk On Chickens
at Monthly Meeting
(Capital journal Special servieel

(Capltal journal Special Servlce)
Monmouth, Or, Feb. 12.-Monmouth
grange met Saturday in regular monthly
session with perhaps more members in
attendance than at any regular meeting
during the past twelve months. Two new
members were gi-en +he first and Sec
ond degrees and a number of .eandi-
dates for new members were voted on
during the short morning session.. The
usual good dinner was served at noon,
after which came the open meeting
with a splendid program. Miss Helen
Cornelius rendered a violin solo; e. r.
Ostrom sang humorous song and then
the telling of the story of "The Man
Without a Country, by one of the Nor
NAL girls was very much appreciated.
Following this came the principal fea-
ture, chicken talk by Prof. Brewster
of the o. A. G. Prof Brewster is an
expert in the poultry business and the
talk was most practical. By use of two
specimens each of the White Leghorn
and Plymouth Rock breeds, he explain
ed very definitely what type of bird
was profitable as layer and what ones
to Gull out. He said that a hen must
lay more than l20 eggs per year to
return any profit, that at present prices
of feed, it costs around $500 per hen
per year; and emphasized the import
ance of close culling, as many hens do
not lay because of their shape which
makes it physically impossible for them
to do so, no matter how well fed and
cared for--the pelvis bone being too
close together, often incurred or deform-
ed Such a hen will never lay an egg.
Hatch chickens early, March and April,
sell cockrels and understood pullets as
broilers, and begin to Gull the flock
Sept. LIST. Choose only good sized, heal
thy stock to keep-of yearling hens,
only the late moulting ones should be
kept, as it is only these that have been
on the job most of the time. The Oregon
hen averages so eggs per year, while the
average for the U. S. is only rs; so it
is readily seen that by far, the great
er per cent of chickens raised do not
pay, from the point of egg production.
Another way to tell whether hen
(white leghorn) is laying or has been
laying for some time, is by the absence
of color in the ear lobes, beak and shank
as a laying hen draws on this yellow
coloring matt@, for the yellow Of the
yolk. Hens that have not begun to lay
by January 1st, should be sold for meat
as they will never make profitable lay
ers. Trere were many interested visitors
besides grangers, present to hear this
talk, the writer counting 70. Later,
number of those most interested IN the
poultry business, accompanied the
speaker to a nearby poultry plant,
where they watched him Gull a flock.
Prof. Brewster says that his services
in this capacity may be secured by a
number of farmers or people, by maxi
ing application at the college, and guar
anteeing enough work to keep him busy.
After the lecture closed session Was
called and several matters Of business
transacted. Miss Maggie Butler was cleo
ted as lady member from this district
of the County Agricultural Council,
which is to be organized at Dallas, Sat
urday, February l6, and of which the
county agent, Prof. Larsen, will be the
head.
Saturday, February 9th, was registra-
ton day, for the new semester at the
Normal. When the office closed 347 was
the number of students registered. The
new semester begins Monday and more
are expected to register during
the week.
Last Tuesday evening at O'Clock the
majority of Monmouth IS citizens and
students assembled in the chapel of
the 0. N. s., to enjoy the annual concert
Of the Normal, directed by Miss Mary
Hoham, head of the music department.
The opening number was the singing of
America by the audience, which was fol-
lowed by several numbers by the Train
ing school orchestra, Mrs. Jane Burns
Albert, talented and popular soprano
soloist of Portland then sang a delight (
full group of songs, greatly appreciated
by those present. This was followed by
a number of interesting selections rem
lered by the Normal school orchestra.
The next and main event OF the evening