Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-12-03
.POULTRY KEEPING HAS
BECOME REAL BUSINESS
Numerous Chicken Farms Prove
It Can be Operated on
Large Scale.

- generation ago tho person who
seriously engaged In poultry keeping
as an occupation was rNgarded by the
community az being bit queer.
"keepin' chickens excepting as a
more or less bothersome and uncer-
tain side line on the farm or the VIII
lage lot, was too often considered the
last refuge of the inept. those who
had failed IN other occupations.
Under the conditions maintaining
In the poultry industry during that
rot far distant period such an atti-
tude on the part Of the general publ"
may have been justified. But not to-
day. If you are interested In poultry
you need not keep the fact a dark
secret because the poultry industry
of today is not only tremendous in
size but Is of vital economic impor-
tance TO our country: the business OF
the poutrymau is necessary to the
life of the Nation and Of the indi-
vidual; IL is an honorable calling and
may be made a highly profitable one.
Kho Chicken crank" has become u
business man.
/ Many different factors have con-
uibuted TO this great Improvement
in the poultry business. Through the
work of enthusiastic breeders our
various breeds and varieties of do
mestic fowls have been greatly inn
proved and new ones created to meet
special needs. Thus far better stock
has been made available TO the rank
and file of poultry keepers. Highly
efficient poultry equipment, which
insures better results and cuts pro-
duction costs. has been perfected and
made available 10 all. Properly bal
anced, ready mixed rations contain
ing needed feed elements not com
monty found In all local markets
have been so widely distributed that
they may be secured almost any
where. Methods of collecting, pack
Ing and- transporting poultry products
have been revolutionized, with con-
sequent reduction OF costs and losses
Storage facilities and methods have
been perfected. thus stabilizing the
business and insuring the consuming
public supply Of eggs and poultry
'fthe year through.
one Of the best proofs that poultry
keeping is now a real business and
that II can be profltably operated or
a large scale is the number and size
Of farms devoted exclusively to poul.
+ try production. Prior 10 1900. tber,
were very few of these. Today yol
: VIII find everywhere, especially il
the Eastern States, farms carryinl
thousands of birds and yielding yer,
satisfactory returns. Mass production
In this field is at last an accomplishe,
fact.
] In view of the fact that poiIItrl
5 farms are increasing in size an,
number and general farmers are gen
orally enlarging their flocks. one ma
/. naturally ask whether there 10 an,
immediate danger of the busines
. being overdone, whether we may ex
pect TO see production so far excee,
normal consumption as TO force price
= OF poultry products 10 ruinousl,
= low level. ] can see no danger of sucl
condition, especially I'm the Eastern
STATE. where such a large proportion
or our consuming public is located
Take the matter Of eggs alone. Egg
come TO our great New York nlarke
from China, from California an,
!. Texas. And they sell readily. TIL
'. cost of transportation is a big iten
!. and the length OF time required {
;. move them certainly does not improv
: their quality. In my opinion, nearb
V producers will always have first ca
d in this, Americas greatest market
and it will be a long time before ou
egg crop from this territory begins I
meet the demand that exists or ca
be created.