The Pascagoula chronicle., 1919-06-07
MORE CHICKENS IN SOUTH,
AND STOCK Is BETTER, TOO.

in the general farming sections of the
South, with purchase Of much better
stock, is reported by specialist of the
United States Department Of Agricul
ture who recently investigated the
status and activities of Old Mother
Hen in Alabama, Louisiana, Texas and
Mississippi. Producers are working
not only to supply the home market,
but eggs are also being shipped from
Mississippi, Alabama, and Texas to
Memphis, st. Louis, New York, and
other marketing centers.
The advantage of the South for poul-
try keeping are manifold and include
a propitious climate, which enables
the flock owner to produce the eggs to
better advantage during the winter
season, while he also can make use Of
simpler and cheaper houses than can
his northern associates. Furthermore,
the favorable weather conditions in the
South promote the feeding of green
around
There are cerain disadvantages, too,
such as prevalence of insect pests,
including mites, lice, and in some sec
tons mosquitoes and stick-tight fieas,
as well as the blue bug in parts of
Texas. Furthermore, southern mark
cts are not high paying consumers of
locally produced eggs. This is par
ticularly true in the resort section of
Florida, where for many years the
trade has been accustomed to import
its eggs from the North and West. 1t
does not readily transfer this business
to local producers. In aGdiEin1, tire
southern market for eggs is usually
spotted" due to fluctuation In the
tourist traffic.
During the heat Of summer egg losses
in the South aggregate considerable
sum, largely due to the development of
fertile eggs. 1t is essential that south
ern producers exert every effort to pro-
duce and market only infertile eggs in
order to control this source of loss. A
common opinion prevails that the leg
horns are particularly adapted to south
ern conditions, but according to the
experience of the specialists Of the
United States Department of Agricul-
ture southern poultrymen realize just
as satisfactory results-and In many
instances more favorable returns from
the maintenance of the heavier, general
purpose birds.
A number of failures in. the poultry
business on the part of newcomers in
Florida, who embarked in specialized
production of poultry products, are ex-
planned by the fact that most of them
were unfamiliar with local conditions
and started on too extensive a scale.
A beginner in chicken raising in new
locality should always start on small
scale and expand his operations as he
learns more about local conditions and
as his returns from the business justi-
fly. For the man who is experienced
in poultry raising and who will adapt
himself to new conditions READILY and
not take excessive risks and who is
supplied with plenty of working capi-
tai, the Southern States, apparently,
offer a fair opportunity
Many turkeys are raised in Texas, as
we'll as considerable number in Mis-
sissippi and Alabama and in Western
Florida. AS general proposition these
birds are raised in small fiOcks on
general farms, where plenty of range
is available. Under such conditions
they usually yield profitable income
Not many ducks are raised in the
South, but considerable interest is dis
played in goose production, while on
many farms guineas are raised. Guinea
eggs are used on the home table, as
well as being marketed, but as a rule
the guineas are allowed to run wild
annd are not produced on any scale for
market purposes.