Milford chronicle., 1951-05-04
Poultry Contestant
Planning T0C0ard 1856
Chicken Dinner
continued from nrst pager

judgings are scheduled during tho
second week of June.
DelaWares two entries in the
contest are Newton and Townsend's
Inc, of Millsboro. They were select
ed for the national finals on the
basis of their showings in state
and. regional contests during the
last two years.
/ The crOss-breed of Cornish and
Barred Plymouth Rock strains
which Newton has entered in the
contest is the first step in his long
range goal of a fast-growing, eco
nOmical, tender broiler in 1856. Te-
dious selective breeding with other
pedigreed strains will produce the
desired broiler if the program goes
on schedule.
The breeding program at New
TONS modern farm outside Bridge
vile is a teamwork matter. New
ton, who started mixing his special
reeds by the shovel and elbow
grease method "a years ago. has
supplied the facilities and general
direction.
Or. John c. Hammond. has charge
OF the scientific breeding work and
William Stephens is responsible
for much of the technical work and
physical selection. Charles viii
llams, meanwhile, keeps tabs ON
the commercial or practical side
so that the research is always
pointed toward the customer.
The Newton team sent two cases
OF eggs to Arkansas earlier this
spring and the birds of all con-
testants were Matched and are be-
ing raised under identical condi-
tions. Each 40O-bird entry will be
judged both alive and dressed with
hnal scores depending on size.
quality, economy of production and
other factors.
The two cases of eggs sent nv
Newton represented months and
years of painstaking .record-keep-
ing of the Sc separate pens of il
to IL hens each. Every egg was
given a case number and fhe
chicks every move and meal care
fully recorded. Then families"
would be culled and re-bred for
best meat characteristics
Hammond, who formerly worked
for the U. S. Department of Agri-
culture experiment station at Belts
vile, Md, and received his advanc- !
ed degree at the University of
explained that great
strides have been made in the
breeding program with the impetus
)f the Chicken-of-Tomorrow con-
.ests.
I'VE set some high goals several
1ears ago." he said, "and we
sure whether it would take
10 years or 90 years to reach them
Jr maybe we never could reach
5ut in seven years we have already
passed these goals and now have
et our sights on chicken that is
ven more economical tender and
'etter in every way"
NeWtOn's vision and gOal-settinp
vent into action in the poultry field
n 1916 when he graduated from
he University of Delaware and re-
urned to the family farm. The
mail flock of Leghorns were pro-
luclng poorly, and he decided to do
omething about it.
Young Warren Newton went hack
o schOOl-this time to Cornell
University which offered the hest
oultry course in the East. One I
,lnter's course gave him enough !
ieas about balanced feeds and he :
anne home to combine feed i'm
roVement with better breeding and q
uild a profitable flock.
Breeding hit a critical snag in
954 when range paralysis practi- g
ally wiped out the fOcks. But some
arred Rocks and New Hampshire {
reeds survived and provided the 5
for the hardy focks TODAY
Since that time his feed and
reedlng projects have branched 9
Ito major enterprises EMPLOYING l
early 100 persons. One important : :
-deline is the repair and sale of !
lfm machinery.
But his major attention is on q Z
roller breeding, particularly ON :
BPS first prize of $4,000 in the a
atiOnal contest. Any prize money Y
i'll be put back into the breeding :
rogram, Newton said. q q
Ten years ago I wouldn't have .
fought it possible that we would .
producing these excellent broad g
'easted chickens today" Newton ?
I'D. "But there is room for i'm y y
'ovement, particularly in econom- = =
al feed consumption" q a
More chicken per dollar of ex- \,
'nse is our slogan" he added. "If ~
ings go along all right / think "
ell have tastier broiIer and also q,
more economical one in 1856 :,
sOOner!" g g
nyV Mans Chi,.A no-,sO.,, III