The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1918-03-07
by MRS. JOHN c. MOSES

Dy MAS. JOHN u. MUSES.
Reports from all sections indicate
a big output of chicks via the ineu-
bator route. After one becomes expert
with the wooden hen the game is in
teresting and fast. When little biddies
commence popping out of the shells
by the hundred the poultry fancier
receives an inspiration that can only
be enjoyed by actual experience.
This spring | decided to take new
start in White Leghorns. l looked the
field over and after considerable cor
respondence decided to get a founda
ton stock from the famous Missouri
poultry section, where the game is
old. Last year a 12months' egg lay
ing contest was held $50 hens, all
bree DIS, competing. Every section of
the country competed and the contest
was staged by regular officials of the
Missouri Agricultural college.
Among the most prominent entries
was Harmons Single Comb White Leg
horn farms of Springfield Mo. Some
215 White Leghorns were entered. The
Harmon farms entry captured one
twelfth of all prizes for hens laying
zoo eggs and over in II months 1t
also captured second prize hen on the
years run. This record looked good
and substantial to me as / wanted
producers as we'll as show birds.
WINTER LAYERS
Is. r. Harmon, the proprietor of this
farm, writes me his hens made their
best laying squirt during cold weather.
This is exactly what should be con-
sidered, when getting into the CANT
buy the best and winter layers. Any
old hen will lay when the weather
breaks.
Preferring an official egg laying
contest record to statements sent out
by various poultry farms, l purchased
$50 eggs from Mr.. Harmon and have
had them in the machine II days. He
guaranteed 80 per cent fertility, but
l didn't expect it after the long ship
ment and cold weather. At the end
of seven days l tested out 25 infer
tile eggs. which left exactly 30 per
cent fertility. This certainly shows sta
! bility in general flock of breeders.
The eggs were packed in ground
cork
On the farm are 1000 hens. Students
from the Normal school at Springfield
use this farm to study poultry. One
of the illustrations shows some of
these girls with buckets of eggs. The
other is flock of March Matched pull
let's the last of July, some Of which
were laying.
START RIGHT
\
During the last eight years 1 have
raised some $4,000 White Leghorns. In
writing this story about Harmon's
farm it is my aim to point out to
| amateurs the Importance of starting
right. Don't just buy eggs with a
name. Buy a foundation that will
stand If starter in poultry don't
care to run an incubator baby chicks
can be bought and shipped as far as
1870 miles safely.
THE TURKEY VALUABLE
The turkey is farm bird, first ana
last and is especially suited to the
farms where there is ample ranging
ground Astounding in such turkey food
as grasshoppers and other insects, weed
seeds, waste grain, such as is left in the
fields after harvest, and nuts of such
varieties as chestnuts, pecans, pine nuts
and acorns. On such farm. the pres-
ent prices of grain affect the turkey
raiser but little. for with the exception
OF what is used at fattening time, the
feed consumed is largely of such kind
as would otherwise be- wasted.
With but little additional outlay to
and should be raised. The small number
of turkeys, per farm in the United Stares
is. surprising. According to the census
of 1910, which Is the latest census that
has been taken, only 1871 per cent of the
total number of farms reported any tur-