The Mena weekly star., 1918-02-14
POULTRY VALUABLE
 AS SOURCE OF MEAT
Extension Division of U. of A. uroes Arkansas People To Increase Their
 Poultry Production.

Realizing that poultry can take the place of red meat and relieve the great shortage Arkansas people are urged to increase their poultry pro duction as quickly as possible In order to aid farmers and poultry men by giving such help and sug gestions as may be needed, MT. H. R, Lansden has been appointed by the U g. Department of Agriculture to co- operate with the Extension Division of the University of Arkansas. He will visit every county in the state, and working with the county agents, will organize Poultry Associations and Boys and Girls Poultry Clubs He will be glad to answer all inquiries coming from Arkansas people.
 In speaking of the present situa- iion, MT Lansden says @The Unit ed States Is short On red meat. and our soldiers and allies must have it. The quickest way to overcome this shortage of beef, pork and mutton is for every household, and every hotel and restaurant in this country to sub stitute poultry for red meat. Tine de- mand for more poultry which will re- suit can be quickly met because of the rapidity with which increased pro duction of poultry can be effected It is therefore up to every farmer and city or village dweller, who has a small back lot, to do their bit in the increase of this poultry food supply. There should be one hundred to two hundred hens on every farm, because these hens can pick up large DOT tion of their living and will consume much material that would otherwise go to waste Every city and village dweller who has small space in the back yard can keep few hens. A half-dozen to a dozen thrifty hens or bullets win produce sufficient supply of eggs for most any ordinary fam lily, and can he fed largely on the scraps from the tahle for which there is no other use"
 Hints to Prospective pouitrymen.
 Hatch chickens early. as it is the early matched pullet that lays in fall and winter when eggs are scarce and high priced.
 Conhne hens and chicks to brood coops for at least two weeks The loss of baby chicks. froa allowing the hens to lead them through wet grass and weeds before they are | ctrorp fc aro,.,,,o,1u
 Dispose of surplus cockerels as soon as they weigh one to one and one l half pounds There is more profit in the first pound than in any time tbere- after. This will not onl. be more profitable to the producer, but will conserve the grain they would con- sume after this age.
 Produce lnfertile eggs. The loss from fertile eggs, from blood rings developing during warm spring and summer, amounts 10 s15o00,000 annu- ally Infertile eggs are produced by removing the male bird from the yard after the breeding season is over.
 Preserve eggs during summer while eggs are cheap by the water glass method. Full instruction for this method of preserving will be furnish ed on application to the Extension | Division.
 Provide comfortable, but not neces- sarily expensive houses. we'll ventilat- ed and kept thoroughly dry. Hens can not produce eggs when subjected to cold rains and storms
 There is every indication that the prices for poultry and eggs will be high for some time-and remember, there is no danger of overproduction.