Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1918-12-06
Fowls and Eggs
VIII Take Place
OF Meat on Table
ny MXRA KELSEY COX,
Practical Poultrywomnn

BY MyRA KELSEY COX,
| Practical Poultrywomnn
We have been accustomed to COM
plain about the high prices OF food.
| War has taught us to think in terms
of quantity instead Of cost. A body OF
men backed by the government-feod
conservationists. they call themselves
have been hammering into Amcri-
can consciousness the knowledge that
food is scarce. There are two ways
of helping the situation, in the serv-
ice OF which every person in the re-
public can enlist. We can save and
we can produce more.
One of the hardest lessons to learn.
reversing all preceden:s, is economy
in the use Of food. So truly is this
the land of plenty that we coulu
hardly accept the necessity of whole
sale saving. Long ago the Frc1ch
housewife boosted that she could
maintain her household on what her
American friend tossed into the gar0-
age pail. Be that as ii may bread
portions. sugar allotments and meat
less days are teaching US values
which IL is safe TO assume will not
be forgotten in peace times.
The solicitude of the allied nations
that food should be sufficient In
quantity, reasonably priced, and just
ly portioned was evinced in the ap-
pointment of food chiefs. These d.
rect their appeals urgently to. tina
producer for greater production. De-
spite regulations, the Banquo's ghost
of a serious shortage persists. we
must continue to save and to pro-
duce.
Need <or More Poultry
It is no secret that the meat sup
ply is insufficient. The shortage and
high prices will curtail many a fam
ily's ration this winter. Particularly
is this true respecting beef and pork
both Of which are not quickly pro-
duced. A juicy beefsteak arrives at
the end of well-fed three years, ana
a fine nam fro meight months to a
year. Substitutes must be foun1
quickly produced and ready at haho'
This means poultry.
more poultry in backwards and
barnyardS" might we'll be new s!o-
gan Fowls and eggs are wholesome
and may be raised in such numbers
as to relieve the meat situation SEN
sibly. While these fowls cannot be
maintained for nothing, the return
for the general outlay will be much
more than if one contracted by pur-
chase from the general supply Oh
poultry.
Not every backyard is eligible for
poultry raising. The PIN cushion
that did duty as q war garden IS
ID,.k 4 "a nv a.
cant lots conveniently near, and .om-
fortably sized kitchen yards are ere
where a half-dozen hens might vie
in having. The yards should be SUI
ficiently roomy, and harbor creatures
that freely trespass upon nelghbcrS
who eschew poultry and choose gar
dens. The first requisite, then, is
a tight fence, the second, a decent
coon which may be kept sanitarily.
A low-drying undrained plot is I'M
desirable for poultry ana a menace
to health,
Anyone can daily with some kind
of poultry on some scale, to adyan-
tage to himself and the. pu6Ic -oou
supply, if his backyard conforms 70
requirements, thus serving. self and
patriotisrn. The first decision OF the
amateur is, What kind?' Next,
How many?' The latter is by far
the more important. A very small
flock is always more profitable.
The tiniest yard VIII support tWO
or three hens, and it is surprising
what good hens will yield. The back-
ward flock fourishes best in small
towns. where meat is more costly
and harder to secure, ana IN SUI
burbs. -.
The amateur usually chooses hens
for the sake of eggs-a wise cholce.
A largo lot will support -FOUR 70
dozen hons. Six is good NUMBER.
The time to begin is early fall, In.
vesting in six-months-old pullets OF
9nv good breed. Rocks. Rhode Is
land Reds and Orpingtons are pref
cradle TO the leigh orfis, which are
small OF body when eventually useo
for the table.
Modest Poultry Plant
such noisy fowls as Pekins and
guineas should not be considered
1here' neighbors are near. and are
rarely practicable, although the ducks
NAV be successfully raised. Chickens
are best all-round poultry: a lew
baby Muscovys secured in july ma!
be developed into me faII roaSters.
They have the qualification or Delns
uuiet. A pigeon loft is possible with
the drawback that it requires a
larger investment and more Work.
For a person with some leisure, 1t IS
pleasant and profitable hobby. l
know a man In a small town whose
SQUAD business, attended TO OUTSIDE
his mercantile hours, is very respec-
table. ,,.
ington who has & comfortable nome
in the suburbs has converted ms
backyard into chicken PEN mere
the year around he keeps small
flock, paying special attention to their
winter protection and rationS, whose
eggs supply his family and neigh
borS beside. In spring, he sets MS
fifty-egg incubator, sprouts oats, and
feasts later on fried and baked fowls.
He not only adds wholesome rare
to his table, but reduces his own
demands on the butcher.
1t is possible to use very tiny yardS
temporarily In the poultry line. AL
ways may be found in market i'm
mature fowls at lower price which
may be brought home and fattened,
repaying in size and flavor for any
trouble and outlay. A half dozen
turned loose. fed table scraps and
killed as wanted are a distinct ad-
dltion to the meat supply.
The chasn yawning between what
the raiser gets and the consumer
pays for a fowl is not only due to
commission. 1t includes the extra
handling, the dressing by the butch
er, the delivery at the house, all or
which eliminate work for the con-
sumner. but add to the cost In these
days of strenuous endeavor to con-
serve everything from food to serv-
ice, the buyer may well be willing
to assume these duties, and is GER
tainly entitled to the saving. This he
gets when he produces or fattens
poultry for his own use.
Eggs in the Garbage Pail
The Ieedng OF the small yard fiOck
is not onetous. The lows require
small mormon of grain. rev are The
households, whose scraps are not
gOou addILion TO the poultry ration.
mems love the bits OF table scraps.
celery tops, discarded lettuce anu
cabbage leaves lurnlSh winter green
stun. Feelings OF potatoes, turnipS
y nd 20, ~ likA .lhnlIlA