Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-06-07
F ARM EDUCATION
BY DIR. ANDREW M. SOULE

/ the simple reason that buyers are
afraid to make offers too far in
advance, because of the possibility
of a serious drop in the market.
Following are the grade specified
lions as now recognized in these
sales:
1. Hens. We find it impsac-
ticable to pay a premium on heavy
hens, for the simple reason that it
greatly complexities Weighing and
grading. So, all fat hens are paid
for at the same price.
2. Friers, or "broilers," as north
ern dealers call them, which are
young chickens weighing two
pounds or less.
3. Stays, as southern dealers call
them, or chickens" in the par
lance of eastern dealers. These are
young chickens, both male and fe-
male, weighing above two pounds,
but not sufficiently mature to be
called hens or roosters. The mat
ter OF judging the male stays or
Chickens" is very simple, for the
reason that they are so classed 50
long as they have not hard spurs.
some DE6SuS OIL CIIAChClS may WE
as much as four or five pounds and
still be put into this class. If the
button. which later develops into Il
spur, is flat and has not developed
the horny tissue, the male chicken
is still in this class. The grader
will simply have to use his own
Judgment in determining when to
place what we commonly call
outlets" in this class.
d. BOOSTERS. There is no use
further defining this class. Any
male chicken, which has developed
the hard spurs, no matter how short
they may be, comes in this class.
Expenses of sales are usually han
died by taking out 1 per cent from
the gross sales, and this usually pro-
vides ample funds. Some poultry as
sociations and county agents deduct
> per cent to handle the expense
items. 1t takes two good men at
each scale to handle the weighing
and grading. Then, there should be
one good man and at least two la
borers in the car to look after the
loading. If two scales are kept busy,
then two men and four ordinary Ia
borers are needed in the car. Then
YOU will have the expense of tele-
grams and telephone calls and tbs
expense of cleaning out the car.
The buyer, upon arrival at loading
point, arranges with the banker to
pay tickets as they are presented.
The weigher gives the farmer copy
of his ticket which is initiated or
Endorsed by the weigher.' This is
carried to the bank where it is cal
culated by the banker or some one
designated for that purpose, then in
dorsed by the farmer for payment.
BY this means, farmers are soon
through with the sale and ready to
return home.
A very important point which
should never be overlooked is the
furnishing of each farmer with a
small slip of paper on which he is
given a number. Then, as weighing
proceeds, farmers bring their poultry
to- the scales in response to calls for
these numbers. If this precaution is
not taken, then there will be con-
siderable wrangling among farmers
as to whose products shall be
weighed first. You may be surprised
at the number of people patronizing
one of these sales. The number will
vary from over a hundred to nearly
400. In a sale held at Hartwell re-
Gently, $40 people furnished poultry,
and the load amounted to 1900
pounds.
The actual sale of the poultry is
left to the state bureau OF markets
so far as. this office is concerned.
Mr.. Elmo Ragsdale is employed by
the state bureau of markets to help
handle sales, and the sale of fruit
and truck crops. The poultry divi,
sion of the college has given whole
hearted cooperation to the handling
of poultry sales in Georgia.
The organization of active and eft
ficient poultry associations should
be encouraged. Such organiza tions
can relieve county agents Of much
of the responsibility of handling de-
tails in connection with sales. The
poultry specialists and other agents
can make their work much more eff
fective working with these organi-
cations than by dealing with individ.
ual producers.