The Vashon Island record. [volume] (Vashon, Wash.) 1916-1919, 1918-12-26

which has been contracted for by
a prominent seed house.
To write of Rosebank Farm
and not mention the rows of Dor
othyPerllins roses, which bank the
spacious lawn on either side,
would be AN objectionable omis-
son. In July, when these roses are
in full bloom, they form a notable
feature OF the landscape. And here
word OF caution, this time from
the writer; Should it transpire
that Prof. kirkland s example be-
came contagious, and that every
property owner between Vashon
and Center should beautify his
premises in similar or otherwise
equally attractive manner, there is
grave danger that this district
would become known as the most
beautiful drive on this or any
other island in Puget Sound.
In 1914 p. Butcher joined the
Nashon poultry colony. For five
years previous TO that he had been
engaged in building construction
in Seattle, and before that in the
grocery and meat business in Chi
cago. Though he had had no pre-
vious experience in raising poul-
try, his connection with the meat
business had given him an insight
in both the buying and the selling
ends, most naturally, then, il came
about that after Matching and rear
ing his chicks he should desire to
sell them TO the near consumer.
In addition to taking his poultry
and eggs to the public markets
and grocerS in Seattle, he buys the
output of many farms on the Is
lands. All the poultry thus secur-
ed is crate fattened and dressed
before taking to market. Mr..
Butcher says that the market for
table poultry here is away behind
that of the East. In Chicago he
used TO pay Sl2 per dozen whole
sale for broilers weighing less than
one pound, while this year he sold
such birds to the big Seattle ho-
tells at 80 per dozen, that being a
better price than he had ever re
ceiyed. Until tbere are more peo-
Pile willing TO pay high prices for
choice products, Mr. Butcher does
not believe that the production of
poultry for meat alone will be
profitable. He pays premium for
clean, unwashed eggs, also for the
trapnested ones for the Alaska
trade.
At present Mr.. Butcher has 600
hens and 400 pullets. The pullets
were early February hatch, and
began laying in June. They were
at their best in October when an
average of Sly per bird was re
ceived from the sale OF their eggs
for that month. Just now many of
them are going through the moult.
The hens will be used i'll the breed
ing pens.
Mr.. Butcher in addition to
Matching his own stock does com
mercial Matching. He has incuba-
tor capacity for 1000 eggs and cx-
poets 10 bring off five matches, or
10000 eggs all told next season.
Mr. Butcher pas modern plant
in every particular. His laying
houses are of the unusual double
deck variety, but OH account of the
sloping ground they are entered
without stair climbing, SO that the
work of caring for the fowls is
not more t:laD in the single-fioor
house, and there is the advantage
of having the large space under
meath for dust baths and exereis-
ing grounds. The feed house is
20x70 feet, giving ample room for
storage of the large stock oil grain
carried. Mr.. Butcher usually buys
his feed in carload lots, but on ac-
count of uncertainty III prices al
this time he is not doing so.
In an ell at one end of the feed
house is the water system. An
electric pump forces air and water
into a horizontal tank having 600
gallons water capacity, from
which il is distributed under pres
sure to all buildings. Mr.. Butcher
mixes his own mashes. and for IA
time tried grinding hisfeed but the
grinder not working to his salts
faction was dispensed with. Just
now he is supplying green stuff III
the form of kale, but another year
he intends to substitute mangels,
believing that he will get better
results with less labor. AT present
he is feeding 40 geese and a few
AL. r.. a. l,oIe.l... 49,. IL.