Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-03-24

In connection with other war work
which It is doing the bureau OF the census
. is about to undertake
Commodity census Of certain commodi-
ties. covering stocks on
onSuS. hand, production and con-
sumption. At the outset tho bureau IN
tends to take up fibers, except cotton and
wool; dyestuffs, hides. leather. skins and
tanning materials, gums such as .camphor.
chicle. gambler. copal. kaur1, dammar.
shellac and nitrates. Later it is the In
tention. perhaps, to look into the same
situation as regards tin, platinum. an
tirnony, cellulose. mica, paper stock in
Guiding wood pulp, various woods and
such other commodities.
This work has been decided upon
after conferences with the representa-
tives Of various government war agen-
cies and Is intended primarily to sup
ply data which will meet their needs
in connection with war work. Inese
agencies include the war trade ooard,
the commercial economy board. the
food administration, the war industries
board and the shipping board.
Before going into this Work the
bureau Is trying to ascertain the work
Of any similar character which mas
been done or Is being. done oy any
other bureau, organization or agency.
This information is necessary, II Is
pointed out, in order to avoid duplica-
ton of work and in order that the
bureau may utilize any data avallapie
in the results of Investigations already
made before it starts out to make an
Independent Investigation. Officials OF
the bureau say that they have no wish
to encroach in any degree upon any
field already covered by the work OF
wants merely to cooperate with other
government agencies and supplement
their work.
The census which the bureau has
under immediate consideration is lin
tied to small number of commodities.
selected from list supplied by the
war boards. This list included seven
teen commodities or classes of com
modities; but. upon consideration it
was decided to cover at the outset only
the first five already named.
Certain other commodities, in addi-
ton to those already mentioned, for
which the kind of information obtain
able through census may be fully as
important as it Is for those specified,
have not been included in the list, it is
understood, because 1t is believed that
the government is already in a position
to obtain adequate information regard
or being compiled by existing agencies.
X
From twelve to twenty-five hens arc suf-
fcient to provide the ordinary family with
enough eggs and meat to
Domestic render the keeping of the
~. birds worth while, according
1outIy. to poultry specialists in the
Department Of Agriculture The amount
of outdoor space the flock will require may
be estimated at about twenty-five square
feet for each bird. There are instances
in which chickens have thrived with much
less than this, but unless the soil is espe-
cially favorable and the birds receive I'M
usually good care crowding is likely to
prove Improbable.
Poultry specialists do not recon-
mend. however. that every one with
the requisite space at his disposal
should go in for chicken raising. I'm
less there is natural interest in poul-
try or a determination to make the
flock a source of real economy, even if
it does take time and trouble, the ven
ture is not likely to prove successful.
Lack of care may result in disease that
will sweep off the entire flock, and it
is almost certain to cause a reduction
in egg production that will make the
birds burden instead of a help. In
some localities where municipal ordi-
poultry within certain limits, care
should be taken that the poultry yard
is not in a prescribed area. r.,
The experts point out that. while IT
is possible to get along with twenty
FIVE square feet per bird, alarger space
aFording more green and insect food
is very desirable. For one thing, the
ordinary poultry keeper wishes to per-
petuate his flock, and the raising of
young chickens requires as much land
as the keeping of mature hens After
she is two years old the best laying
days OF the average hen are over, and
it usually pays to get rid of her. This
means that half the flock must be re-
cockerels as pullets will be Matched
and certain percentage are certain
to die, it is customary to hatch each
year few more chickens than there
are hens In the flock. With flock
thirty chickens will be raised. The
same space must be allowed for these
as for the laying hens. The cockere1s
are consumed through the season, be-
ing used either as broilers when thew
are about three months old, as fryers Or
as roasters. VI
The specialists say that 1t is also
most desirable as a precaution against
disease to divide the available area
chickens are allowed to range while
a green crop-wheat or oats. for ex-
ample-is being grown for them on
the other. The preliminary turning
under of the soil. the green crop and
freedom from chickens for a period
serve to prevent the land from becom-
ing contaminated.
The actual economy secured by the
keeping of small flock of chickens
depends primarily upon their egg pro-
duction. and this, in turn, is largely
a matter of care. Under favorable con-
ditions. however. it is estimated that
$50 eggs the. first year and 100 the
second is fair return from the or
binary hen. On the other hand, at
least from % to SO cents a year, and
perhaps more now. must be expended
for grain and other feeds. the exact
amount depending upon the amount
of table scraps and green and insect
food available. Where all the feed
must be purchased, from 81 to $1.25
is allowed. Even in the most thrifty
household. however, there is always
large quantity of table scraps. vege-
table parings and other left-overs for
the hens. so that considerable por-
ton of their feed consists of what
otherwise would be carried of the
place by the garbage man.