400 



GLKANINGS IN BEE CUl/rURE 



.1 UiNE lo 



Poultry Department 



By A. I. KooT 



THE KELLERSTRASS WAY. 



Two of the weekly poultry-journals, and 

 perhaps more (I have noticed only two) give 

 a page or more to tell at length about Kel- 

 lerstrass selling 15 eggs for $10.00 for each 

 egg, or $loO for the setting. They also give 

 a i)hoto of the check that Kellerstrass re- 

 ceived, to convince the public at large that 

 there was no mistake about it. On i)age 167, 

 March 1, I told you about his wonderful 

 book and a great part of it was occupied 

 in telling us how he got $2.00 an egg for 

 over 1000 eggs, and that his customers were 

 satisfied witli his big prices, etc. It seems, 

 however, from the above that he is not sat- 

 isfied with $2.00 an egg; and finding that 

 there are at least a few people who would 

 " bear it," he has gone u}) to $10.00 an egg. 

 Well, if these people are really satisfied with 

 their purchase, and think the eggs are worth 

 it, I suppose in one sense it is none of our 

 business. There are a few st rains of Keller- 

 strass White Orpingtons near our Florida 

 home. I explained to a neighbor that Kel- 

 lerstrass claimed he raised 8000 pullets, trap- 

 nested the whole of them, and made a selec- 

 tion of BO out of the whole BOOOand the eggs 

 he sold for $2.00 ai)iece were from this choice 

 selection. My neighbor replied, "Mr. Root, 

 if I could be really satisfied that Kellerstrass 

 actually did thati thing, I would be willing 

 to i)ay $2.00 an egg for about half a dozen." 

 By referring to page ;>0:!, May 1, you will 

 notice that the wonderful book containing 

 the account of his great and elaborate ex- 

 periments in years past, "no hot air, but 

 actual exjierience, mind you," after all these 

 extra\agant claims a great part of the book 

 is simply coi)ied from an old jjoultry alma- 

 nac. I confess when I called attention to 

 the matter I exi)ected to hear something 

 from Kellerstrass or some of the ])oultry 

 journals, but not a word of explanation so 

 far. Is that what we are to understand 

 about the much paraded " Kellerstrass 

 way"? If that is the " way " he does things 

 we certainly do not want any moreexam])les 

 of the kind to lie held up before the rising 

 generation, and jiaraded as the wonderful 

 achievements of science, etc. We are oblig- 

 ed to confess that he is an adept in one way 

 — the science of getting $10.00 an egg from 

 people who have more money than . 



OUR FLORIDA POULTRY RANCH IN THE MONTH OF 

 MAY. 



Dear liro. Amos: — I have overcome the trouble 

 with soft-shell eggs. I have not found one for sev-- 

 eral days. I get three eggs now from the Buttercups 

 almost every day. I am also having better luck 

 now with those White Tjeghorn mothers: but if any 

 other chick gets into their coop, whether large or 



small, they will kill it. I have lost several that 

 way. I lind the nesting-places alive with those jig- 

 ger lleas. Those were what made business for us 

 all in the house. I.ee's lice-killer will not faze 

 them. We must use salt and tobacco. 1 am now 

 getting rid of them. 1 have got to make some 

 places for the young hatches. I do not think they 

 do well crowded together. I think 1 will make 

 some coops to hold a brood of 12 that 1 can move, 

 and so make them that the brood can be raised and 

 stay right in the coop for a home. I have lost sev- 

 eral nice little Buttercups by their getting confused 

 in moving and going to the wrong mother, she kill- 

 ing them. I would not keep one ol those white hens 

 for mothers if i had any others, as they are such 

 terrors to other chicks. I keep them all shut up on 

 that account. I have three broods now, and have 

 to keep them separate so the chicks do not get mix- 

 ed. One hen hatched 12 out of 13, and 1 have got 

 them all so far. Another had 12, but one of them 

 got into another coop and was killed. 



I can easily keep larger ones out, but the small 

 ones will get mixed if they are close together. The 

 weather has been fine but very dry. We have no 

 trouble in keeping things sweet on account of heat. 

 So far it beats Arizona for climate. 



I believe I am going to like chickens. I notice a 

 yardlul of Black Lanshans that belong to a Mrs. 

 Hadley, over near Fogartyville. She wants 85.00 a 

 setting. I think I will get a setting and raise some 

 of those big ones to take the place of an incubator. 

 They take 18 eggs all right. Me can get baled alfalfa 

 hay here as cheap as any other hay; and if we had 

 a cutting-box, that is the cheapest way to get green 

 feed. Cut the hay fine, and soak it. 1 think they 

 will eat it. I am going to try it on a small scale. 



I get out at four in the morning and go until I get 

 tired, and then take ray nap and get dinner, and go 

 till bedtime. But 1 like it, as the days go by so fast. 



Mr. Rood is getting up a nice big barn, and has 

 already got the frame up. I have had trouble with 

 only one hawk. He was after the chickens, but I 

 got him before he got a chick. I shot him on the 

 wing. It was a large one, big enough to carry a big 

 hen, Mr. Ten Broek thought it was an eagle. 



Bradentown, Fla., May 22. Bro. .Iess. 



The above letter was, obviously, not in- 

 tended for i)rint; but I want you all to know 

 all about the chicken business in Florida. 

 He writes, June o, that the three Butter- 

 cups laid (35 eggs in the month of May. 



Convention Notice. 



SUMMER FIELD MEETINCi OF NEW JERSEY' BEE- 

 KEEPERS" ASSOCIATION. 



The New Jersey Bee-keepers' Association will 

 hold a summer field meeting at Hackettstown, War- 

 ren Coimty, New .Jersey, on Wednesday, June 29, 

 1910. The full i)r()gram .arrangements are not com- 

 pleted yet, but it will include the following: 



"Profitable Spring Manipulation in the I'roduc- 

 tion of Kxtracted Honey." by Harold Hornor, Jen- 

 kintown, I 'a. 



"Increasing the Sale of Honey by Systematic Ad- 

 vertising in .the (irocery-trade Journals," by F. J. 

 Root, Advertising Manager of The American Grocer, 

 New York. 



" Suggestions on Foul-brood-inspection Laws," by 

 John B. Smith, Sc. D., State lOntomologist, New 

 Brunswick, N. J. 



"Shall the New Jersey Association .loin the Na- 

 tional Association in a Body?" A general discus- 

 sion, led by K. ( 1. Carr, New Kgypt, N. J. A vote 

 will be taken on this proposition. 



"(*omb Honey," by Ralph Fisher, ^'ienna, N. J. 



All bee-keepers in New .Jersey and surrounding 

 territory are invited. 



Bee-keepers and manufacturers are requested to 

 bring any new appliances, bees under observation, 

 hives, or any thing pertaining to apiculture for ex- 

 hibition i)urposes. 



Hackcllstown is on the I)., L. iV- W. R. R., and can 

 be reached from all i)oints on that and connecting 

 lines. Arrangements will be made for .serving a 

 luncli and refreshments. 



A complete program will be mailed to all New 

 .Jersey members and any others who write us. 



I'ittstown, N. .1. Albert G. Hann, Sec. 



