Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-09-22

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tn produce. The average price paid
FOR firm eggs during the last zen years
was less than l6 cents u dozen. In
deed. in some sections II was difficult
To dispose OF eggs at any price dur
ing tho season OF heavy production.
from March to June. This condition
prevailed for SO long mat II cstau-
lishrd precedent. 1t got the buying
public into II frame OF mind--a habit
which II Is dtficult to set aside
Generally speaking, there has been
such an abundance OF FOOD IN the pas: .
that II amounted TO ovcrproduction.
This "verproduction resulted IN low
prices bargain prices.
The war has changed all this. The
demand has caught up win the supply
II ANYTHING, there Is an undcrproIuc
vanished. Farmers find that they must
sell their crops on tho Same basis as
manufactured goods--that Is. OH tho
basis OF cost OF production.
Cheap eggs are thing OF tho past
The housewife might just as wcii be-
come rcconcilcd to this ract now as
later. To discriminate against eggs
Will result Ia fewer eggs. because
poultrymen are no longer or the nina
TO throw their products on the market
for what they will bring They nav,
done this i'll the past, but they cannot
afford TO continue their pnilanthropy.
They VIII give up raising poultry. AZ.
many have done, and cnangc to wor,i
which Will render them "A living ror
their families.
Few realize it. perhaps, but tho
poultryman's costs OF production are
Just as definite as the manufacturers
To produce a dozen eggs Involves capi-
tai, raw materials. labor and overhead
expenses. to which should he added a
fair profit. The poultryman's invcs,-
and stock represent capital: frequently
this investment Is considerable. inc
feed and Other supplies which he gives
the stock daily constitute raw ma
terials the care of the stock repre-
sents labor; the Incidental expenses.
insurance. telephone. advertising.
craftsmanship. packing materials. post
age. purchasing expenses. shipping ex-
penses. etc. arc the overhead charges.
1t is pretty generally agreed that
the onc-man poultry plant consists or
1000 layers. We viii use this as :,
basis for our estimate. There is any
quantity OF statistics ITO prove that IL
costs 81 a bird 10 start a poultry Farm.
At prewar prices it cost 81 bird TO
erect houses for the stock. To be con-
servative, we will make So cover every
thtnE-houseS. poultry, equipment. lam
and a place OF residence for the labor.
In short. we Will value q 1000 bird
farm at $4,000, which Is modest, in
deed. as the majority Of poultry farms
The stock for this farm we will value
at ~ a head: which the stock would
Prize as stone meat o AS +.
least 50 head. However, on Il meat
basis tho stoc is worth $1,000. Add
TINS TO the NalOc OF the plant ana we
have an investment OF $4,000 This
capital is worth interest at the rate Of
per cent, or s24O year.
Building and equipment will not last
forever. They depreciatc each year.
On frame structures and similar equip
ment 1t is customary TO allow per cent
to cover depreciation and cost OF re-
pairs. Therefore. assuming that tho
buildings amount TO $4,000. on which
we figure per cent depreciation: we
have another annual charge Of 500.
Insurance would cost about SIS per
They total s355 Divide this total bv
1000 TO give the rate for each bird and