Vashon Island news-record. [volume] (Vashon, Wash.) 1919-1954, 1920-10-07


recently from a trip to Washing
ton, D. C. and other eastern cities,
the main object of which was to
attend to various duties connect
ed with his profession, found time
to make quite extensive investiga-
ton of the eastern poultry indus
try. Believing the information
and conclusions secured from it
may be of interest to Vashon Is
land poultrymen, the following
statement as to his findings and
their bearing on our local industry
has been secured from him:
"While in the east | conferred
with poultry specialists of the u.
S. Department of Agriculture at
Washington, visited the plant of
the Newtown Grant Incubator
Corporation at Harrisonburg, Va,
and also looked over a hatchery
and large poultry fattcning plant
there. | also visited a concern in
Baltimore which distributes large
numbers of baby chicks, and spent
a day at the Vmeland, N. J. Lay
ing contest.
"'The main inquiries | made
which may be of general interest
to Vashon Island producers, had
to do with the rate Of expansion
of the poultry industry in the east,
the productivity of eastern poul-
try and relative costs Of egg pro
duction there and here.
AS the rate of expansion of
the industry in the east, Depart
ment of Agriculture specialists
stated that there was still scar
city of poultry in New York and
New England, but that farm pro
duction of poultry is again in
creasing, Commercial plants they
thought were not increasing as
fast as on the Pacific coast, but
some that discontinued during the
war are filling up again. At Vine
land, however, there seemed to be
a rapid growth of commercial
plants taking place. On the whole
it is clear that increase Of produc-
ton is much less rapid in the east.
" AS to cost of production it APP
pears that feed tends to be cheap
err in the esat, chiefly on account
of local production Of corn. Beef
scraps We're selling at the price of
fishmeal here. Wheat is somewhat
more expensive as a rule. 1t is
evident from the above that com
mercial egg production in such
volume that we have to sell in
eastern markets is going to meet
keen competitor in the east.
Essentially there is only one
thing that can save us, viz. the
high production per hen that we
maintain as compared with the
east. Department of Agriculture
specialists stated that average
productivity on commercial plants
did not exceed 100 eggs per hen.
Production at the Vineland, n. J.
contest, containing the pick Of
eastern hocks, averaged about 100
eggs per hen. Since we now fire.
quently get commercial flock re-
cords of 200 eggs or better, it is
evident that We at present have a
clear lead in this respect Every
person | talked to in the east
comedies this but most of them
attribute it to the climate condi-
tons. This is, of course, large
factor but in view of the fact that
we here have many low producing
tlocks, | am personally convinced
that our large production is main
ly due to the years of painstaking
work put in by the breeders of
the Pacific Northwest In this
connection it is worth mentioning
that the Hollywood Farm pen at
the Vineland contest stands at or
near the head of the list there.
Unfortunately our other breeders
made no entries there. The sup
erintendent of the contest partic-
ularly requested me to urge other
breeders to make entries in the
contest starting November l next.
To do this quick action will be
necessary.
81 believe the policy that Va,
shon Island producers should fol,
low for the best results is very
clear. Having a goodly share OF
tha biuh. nrnducinp S+nnly IF +be