The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1928-03-08
WASH. FARM
STU ATION

Poultry-Cenditions in the poul.
try industry are showing signs OF
improvement over the lean year of
1927. and taking the industry as
a whole, a better year is expected
in 1928. The industry is entering
the egg storing season with neg
igible amount of case eggs in the
coolers, greatly below the five
year average. Also on Feb. there
was nearly IL percent less frozen
poultry on hand in the country
than on the same date last year.
Fresh egg receipts during Dec.
and the first half of January at
five markets were about 20 per
cent lower than for the same time
in 1926. due mainly to cold wealth.
Ter in many sections. While these
factors are on the favorable side
of the outlook, it must not be over
looked that feed prices have been
higher this winter and are likely
to be above last years price for
the first half of 1928. The index
of Seattle prices of W.S.C. scratch
feed on Feb. Is. stood at 158, COM
pared to 148 for the same date
in 1927.
One Of the new trends develop
ing in the egg deal. is that fancy
storage eggs are attaining an in
creasingly important position. In
the last three months Of last year,
The fanciest storage packs sold at
three to five cents per dozen high
er in New York than during pre-
yious years. This places Washing
ton commercial poultrymen in a
favorable position on account OF
their ability to deliver the very
highest quality of either fresh OF
storage eggs.
Hogs-The swine industry is now
passing through a low part of the
price cycle, due to stimulation OF
production from good prices sew
eral months ago. The estimated
number of hogs in the u. s. On
Jan. /, 1928 was 58,969,000 head
compared with revised estimate OF
54,4O8,0 900 on Jan. 1, 1927. With
this increase of about s percent in
the hogs raised in 1927 over those
raised in 1925, no reduction II
seasonal hog supplies for slaugh.
ter is indicated until next fall and
winter.
Eleven per cent more pigs were
saved from the fall pig crop than
in the fall of 1925, and nearly six
percent more sows were, bred fO1
spring narrowing in 1928 than in
1927. With greater competition
from foreign production and the
consequent lower foreign demand
for our cured pork, it is likely
exports of hog products will
be even lower in 1928 than in
1927, according to the u. S. bu-
reau of Ag. Economics.
In Washington these gains in
hog production have been greater
than for the average of the u. S
as our production fell greatly
short Of supplying our own needs
In Washington ~ percent more
fall pigs were saved in 1927 than
for the previous fall. Also, accord
ing to the December first pig sur
vey. there were nearly 10 percent
more sows bred to farrow this
spring than in the spring of 1927
in the state. Washington ranked
9Th among all the states in the
number of pigs saved per litter
as 6.5 pigs were saved compared
to an average of only 5.8 for the
United States.
Apples-There is. nothing in the
apple outlook to discourage the
commercial apple growers who are
favorably located and who produce
high quality fruit at low cost. The
apple industry is settling to the
more favored sections of the coun-
try. where good yields can be Sc
cured for large percentage OF
the years, Many orchards in badly
located sections have been going
of business. This is evident from
the fact that in 1926 there were
!f64 percent fewer apple trees in the
country than in 1910. On the other
hand, the 1926 commercial crop
was the largest on record.
A factor needing much attention
from the industry, however, is
work in stimulating consumption
of this important fruit. In the past
few years the per capita consump-
ton of both apples and berries has
been decreasing. They have been
replaced by other fruits largely
grown in other sections.
Growers are showing their in
terest in these problems and are
ing their business from many an.
giles. The fruit survey taken the
past summer by the state college
has many interesting details or
costs. In the summary of go Yak.
ina apple growers it was founc
that the cost per box in 1926 was
$1.10, which included interest or
land. The average yield per acre
was 440.8 boxes. The Wenatchet
figures will soon be available.
Dairying - 1t seems probable
that there will be an increase o.
only one or two percent in thu
number of milk cows in the u. S
by 1880. This estimate was made
even after consideration had beer
given to the fact that there is /
4.6 percent increase over a yeal
ago or 21T,000 more heifer calve!
were saved. This gives the dair!
industry a very good outlook TO,
the next two years and possibl!
longer.
Since the dairy industry on tn,