338 POULTRY MANAGEMENT. 



Spring and summer eggs are bought up and put in cola 

 storage at a little above 32 degrees and kept to supply the 

 winter markets, though these eggs cannot bring the price of 

 fresh-laid eggs. It has been found on investigation that eggs 

 in shipment, if close to apples or onions or such like, will take 

 on bad- flavors. 



Egg preservatives are used to keep eggs until the winter 

 months. The egg thus preserved cannot take the place of the 

 fresh egg for table use, but does very well for cooking pur- 

 poses. The lime water preservative is prepared by using one 

 pound of fresh lime in four gallons of water. Stir the mixture 

 well and allow to settle. Drain off the liquid into a crock ; 

 which should be closely covered to prevent the air from enter- 

 ing, as it weakens the solution. Fresh eggs may be put into 

 this every day as they are gathered. Be careful not to put 

 cracked or spoiled eggs in, as they will destroy the others. 



Poultry meat is considered a delicacy if it can be secured 

 in the proper form. In the late winter and early spring months 

 broilers, small plump chickens, weighing from one to two and 

 a half pounds, are in great demand, and because of their 

 scarcity command a high price. Roasters at three to four 

 pounds are in demand at almost any season. Can we not 

 plan to satisfy, to some extent at least, the demands along 

 these lines that are made by the people in our towns and 

 cities? We must carefully develop this industry and secure for 

 our care and labor remunerative returns. Study the markets 

 to find out exactly what is wanted. A creamy, white-fleshed, 

 plump breasted three and one-half to four-pound chicken is the 

 one which seems to give greatest satisfaction to our custom- 

 ers, and these are by all means the cheapest for us to pro- 

 duce. The white breast meat constitutes the most edible, de- 

 licious parts of the chicken. We should aim to secure this 

 kind with short wings and legs and short neck and small head. 

 Light colored birds usually dress cleaner than the darker 

 ones. Customers do not like any feathers on the legs, nor 

 do they like to see any development of spurs. Coarse legged 

 poultry indicates a coarseness of bone throughout and this 

 means a large per cent, of offal. Lean, scrawny chickens will 

 contain about 70 per cent, to 75 per cent, of offal. The well 

 fatted chicken contains a much larger percentage of edible 

 meat and this meat is of a much superior quality, being ten- 

 der, juicy and of delicate flavor, depending, of course, upon 

 the age of the bird. Old cocks and hens are tough and 



