Introduction 



T~^OULTRY has been one of the chief sources of human food 

 K^^the world over, even preceding the days of civilization. In 

 early America nearly every farmer kept a small flock which 

 supplied eggs in season and meat at convenient intervals. 



The rapid industrial expansion in the United States which 

 followed the Civil War brought about the development of large 

 cities and the congestion of our people into restricted areas. A 

 natural demand came from them for those healthful and appetizing 

 foods which they had always known, including eggs and poultry 

 along 'with other perishable farm products. 



The story of satisfying this demand is largely the story of 

 artificial refrigeration. The discovery that eggs can be preservpd 

 when kept cold, the building of cold storage warehouses to prepare 

 during times of plenty for periods of scarcity, the invention of the 

 refrigerator car, have all played a part in supplying our people 

 witte such necessities as eggs and poultry. Armour and Company 

 have played no small part in this service of storing and transport- 

 ing these foods. Every family now considers eggs a daily necessity, 

 and thanks to modern methods, the supply is daily forthcoming. 



This new era in marketing farn. produce has had the direct 

 effect of increasing production. Instead of growing enough poultry 

 to supply the family's needs during the egg laying season, the 

 farmer has found it profitable to enlarge this activity which provides 

 such a sure and steady source of income. The average annual 

 farm income from sales of poultry and eggs for all of the farms in 

 the United States is approximately $100, while many ordinary 

 farms receive $500 to $ 1,000 from this source. The value of all 

 poultry products produced annually in America is now over one 

 billion dollars. While this branch of the farming industry has 

 grown tremendously, there is still room for development without 

 fear of the supply exceeding the demand. 



This book has been prepared for, and is being distributed by 

 Armour's Bureau of Agricultural Research and Economics, to 

 foster the production of poultry and poultry products of a kind 

 needed to meet the demand of the consuming public, to supply a 

 higher grade product for the farmers' tables, and to bring a higher 

 return to those engaged in poultry raising whether on a large or 

 small scale. 



