The Lubbock avalanche. (Lubbock, Tex.) 1909-1922, 1922-07-21

Nationally speaking the hen Is a
Millionaire. The poultry industry In
Texas Is Of much greater value than
many Of us realize. IL overtekes
carrying according 90 the United
States census bureau Of 1920.
The value Of poultry products pro-
duced in this State was S3S, 1870 ,j6S
600. IL equals the combined value
Of swine and wool.
While the Texas hens law enough
eggs in one year TO reach around the
world at the equator and start on the
second lap with only 10000 miles TO
go, she has not yet produced enough
TO supply the demands Of Texas con
summers. Her efforts would pave
road sixteen feet wide from the Gulf
Of Mexico to the Red River, and al
low 65,000,000 eggs for breakage
and careless handling, yet she does
not do enough. We must have more
hens and better ones.
It's true that many carloads of
eggs are shipped into other states.
But il is also true that we buy these
same eggs in their cold storage con
dition, at fancy prices later on. This
suggests the advisabllity OF the es-
tablishment Of a few cold storage
plants and a saving Of freight in both
producers and consumers.
There are 436,033 farms in Texas.
10000 Of which have no poultry at
all The average farm has about IS
birds. Every farm should have from
100 10 200 good standard-bred-to
lay hens. At a very conservative es-
innate each hen viii produce n net
profit of $500. This alone would
make the eggs worth S36,l25, ass. F..
The average hen in Texas produces
about 81 eggs per year while il takes
an average Of 100 eggs to pay the
expense Of a hen.
These figures do not apply 10 the .
hen on the range which receives but ]
little attention, for as producer .
they rank lowest. They do their own .
foraging a large portion Of the year
Such poultry may be classed as Meth .
er profitable nor unduly expensive.
Texas needs "More poultry and
better poultry" and thorough and
systematic stamping out Of the scrub
chicken. Standardization of both
poultry and poultry products is need
ed Just so long as we have the
Dukes mixture just that long will we
have a variation Of sizes, shapes and
colors of eggs. The egg that brings
the best price is the egg that is uni
form in size, shape and color. The
egg itself should not only be attrac
tive, but il should be put up in at
tractive containers. Standardization
OF breed would mean much TO the
poultry industry
Not only Is an attractive product
desirable, but a product that will
keep is absolutely necessary. The IN
fertile egg will keep indefinitely
Texas loses annually about Sl,250,-
10000 on fertile eggs from May nm
iii October. The male bird is not
needed on the yard except during the
breeding season. To produce infer
tile eggs during the season means the
death of thousands Of roosters. Il
also means a saving of bushels Of
feed. In addition 20 the amount Of
money saved by the production Of
eggs that viii keep, because the de-
mands for poultry and poultry pro-
ducts are still on the increase
In speaking of pre-war and after
war condition Assistant Secretary of
Agriculture, DR.. Ball says. "Poul-
try showed an actual increase in pur-
chasing power, while all other farm
crops except buckwheat showed a
decrease" According 10 the FEEDER
al Crop Reporter the prices Of chick
ems are So per cent above the five
year pre-war average; eggs are 73
per cent higher.
There has been no material slump
in poultry and egg prices in spite Of
the fdct Tl,at the hen has continued I
on the job every day in the year.
Instead, there has been an increase
in production and consumption Of |
both eggs and poultry.
Mexico furnishes an attractive out
let for the poultry market in Texas.
Reports and data obtained at the |
port Of Laredo indicate that during
the period from January 1921 TO
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