The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1919-12-30
Nathan w. Sanborn of State
University


/. Is Florida soil fitted for good
poultry work?
The rolling lands of the elevated
sections and the lighter lands that
make up much of the State, are well
suited to poultry keeping. 1t is well
to avoid locations where water stands
for days after rain. AS rule, the
lighter lands are more suitable for
poultry, though some good poultry
work is being done in all parts of the
state. Land that will grow good
crops for feed and supply fine poul-
| try pasture, in sections that are heal
thy and near good neighbors, can be
bought for around $40 an acre. The
Ebest locations for poultry call for
lgood drainage, slightly elevated sec
tons, we'll away from centers known
Ito breed mosquitoes, and within fifty
miles of a good market. Do not buy
land until it has been seen. The
county agent, found in nearly all
counties of the state, should be con-
suited before buying, and his advice
is generally to be trusted. The
Poultry Department Of the Agricul-
tural College, Gainesville, or the Elk
!, pertinent Station Staff, may be called
, on for help and advice. Florida has
les own problems and these men will
prove useful.
g.. Are weather and other condi-
. lions favorable to poultry keeping?
Weather conditions generally, will
help win success with poultry in Flor
ida. Re member that the state is
equal in size to the six New England
states, and varies much in local con-
tditions. With no snow few freezes
rare frosts, green succulent feeds can
! be had twelve months of the year
The greatest rainfall comes during
; the warm months, when these show
! ers cool the air and help grow the
8 length of daylight runs from ter
Z big farming crops of the state. The
: hours in winter to over fourteen
) hours in summer. No need OF light
& ing hen houses in Florida to get large
& egg yields. Absence of storm!
I weather in winter gives all day for thu
) stock to range out in grove or field
& In fact the hens seldom spend mucl
Z time at the feed hoppers in the morn
4 ing, until they have filled up on in
! fsects and green feed off the range
Z and the best laying hens are still GU
Z seeking for last stray bugs and wee
: seeds as night comes on With tn
. same good care that is needed throug
the northern states. Florida poultr
= keeping is not at all hard.
g. What home grown feeds ar
available for poultry? :.
! The feeds to be had for poultry ar
corn, oats, rice, peanuts, chufas, an
shallu sorghum Pasture for poultr
is easily, had by using rye, rape, oat
Bermuda grass, cowpeas, sorghum
peanuts and beggarweed. Some
the waste products are aOailabl
such. as cottonseed meal, peanut an
= peanut feed meal, and velvet bea
meal.
a. What is used for feed?
The scratch feeds in common us
are corn, oats, kaffiir corn, and whea
Equal weights of corn and oats mai
Y lup the usual scratch feed, and 'son
i poultry have been giving good sur
y mer egg yields on oats alone +
scratch. The mashes have bee
largely those to be had at stores al
supply houses, but difficulty in &c
q ting these has led to various HON
made mixtures, Many poultrym'
are using some peanut feed meal
the mash. and few are trying velv
u bean feed meal. Green, succule
IN feeds and poultry pasture help redu
IN cost of feeding and maintain bett
health in the flock.
5. Since the reported yield of co
is so small, why is corr, suggested
the ration?
When the yield Of corn per acre
small, it must be remembered that
the same. field with the corn and
the same time peanuts or vely
beans, perhaps both of these, a
grown While the farmer is prodl
ing fifteen bushels of corn on co
mon unfertilized land, he Is also ra
| ing twenty bushels Of peanuts or I
bushels of velvet beans. A few hi
1 bred pounds of fertilizer will arg
/ increase the yield of these cro
Poultry will help to grow farm GRO
l help to build up the lands, and h
to succeed with citrus or other GRO
/ 6. What about animal food
lnoultrvo