The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1942-04-23
Maryland Hens Now
Playing Big National
Defense Role
By RICHARD REA BENNETT,
In the Baltimore Sunday Sun

nations biggest defense jobs.
Importance of the Little Brown
Hens job can be gagged best by the
fact that the army operating on an
"egg-a-day" basis for each of its sol
diers. Thus, if the army consists Of
100000 men, it eats 100000 eggs
daily.
Eggs, which are high in vitamins
end minerals, are one of the best pro-
tective foods known.
Vital Food Source
A single egg is said to supply from
three to fifteen per cent of the daily
requirements Of eight of the nine es-
sential nutrients most likely to be de-
ficient in the human diet The miss
ing nutrient is said to be Vitamin C,
which can be obtained from tomatoes
and also from citrus fruits.
Egg producers Of Maryland have
been asked by the Federal Govern
ment to increase their 1912 output
about - per cent over the 1871 pro-
duction figure, according to DR.. Nor
ley A. JUL, head of the Poultry De
partment of the University of Mary
land.
This request takes into considera-
ton, Dr. JUL explained, the fact that
egg production in 1871 was 10 per
cent over that for the year preced-
ing. The increase in 1871 came from
the demand for eggs for the United
States Army and for shipment to
Great Britain.
Second Income Source
The poultry industry, DR.. JUL de-
clares, from farm income standpoint,
is the second most important branch
Of agriculture in Maryland. In max
ing this appraisal, he takes into con-
sideration the broiler industry in the
Delmarva region, in which area one
third of the broilers consumed in the
United States are produced.
Despite the tremendous size of the
poultry industry in Maryland, more
than half the States eggs are produced
on farms as so-calIed sidelincs. The
balance are produced on a strictly COM
mercial scale by producers who give
their entire attention to the business.
Better Care For FlOcks
Farmers Of the State and more par
ticularly their wives, who handle the
major share of the farm sideline pro-
duction of eggs, are being asked by
agricultural experts to take better
care of their focks, to feed them bet
ter and take better care Of the eggs
produced.
Although there has been some in
crease in the size of Maryland focks.
Dr.. JUL said, experts are not encour-
aging this to any great extent and es-
peclally warn against the construction
of new buildings in order to increase
production.
1t is their contention that better
feeding and more efficient production
methods will provide the increase
sought and, in the long run, benefit
the farmer more.
Thus far, according to Dr.. JUL, the
ratio of egg prices to feed prices has
been relatively favorable, so that egg
producers who have operated on an
efficient management basis have made
money in the past year or so.
Food Half OF Cost
Cost of feed, he says, represents
half of the egg production cost. If the
price of feed mounts, then there will
be a proportionate increase in the cost
of producing the eggs.
Because of this situation, farm ex-
perts expect the Government to I'M
pose some kind of price control, prob
abb IN feeds. This, it is expected,
would tend to stabilize cost and then
stabilize price
The poultry feed situation, in the
main, is becoming more serious be-
cause certain ingredients are getting
higher in price and becoming scarccr,
it is pointed out. Dried milk is cited
as a. good example. Great Britain is in
great need for dried milk. This de-
mand is increasing the price of the
product-supplics Of Nitamin G for
chicken growth-to a point where it is
disturbing egg production costs.
Fish Meal Scarce
Fish meal, vital to laying hens. is
becoming more scarce. due to Nazi
submarines which are ranging the At
lantic Ocean near American shores.
Proximity Of the submarines and the
toll which is being taken Of American
shipping is effectively dscouraging
commercial fishing, according to DR..
JUL. As a result, catches are decrcas-
ing and so is fish meal.
Another thing, cod liver oil-used
to control ricketts, in chickens as in
children-may become as scarce as
fish meal. Before the war, cod liver oil
was imported from Japan and Nor
way Since the war, these shipments
have been stopped
May Conserve Oil
The situation is complicated further
for the commercial egg producer, it is
said, by the fact that the United
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