CHICKS FROM DYING IN THE SHELL 61 



ries that grow dearer as the years come and go. The diversity of life on a 

 small farm of this kind has a tendency to keep up the interest and make 

 the work more attractive and less irksome to the children than where one 

 line is followed exclusively. 



During the year 1899 the hens in the United States deposited 1,293,818, 

 144 dozen eggs. Now a case of eggs contains thirty dozen, hence it would 

 require 43,127,272 cases to hold the annual output. Comparatively few 

 people know or realize that the hen produces more wealth every year than 

 all the gold and silver mines in the world. The value of the poultry and 

 egg product in the United States in 1890 was greater than that of either 

 gold or silver produced in the entire world during any previous year since 

 the record began in 1493. The poultry and egg products of 1899 exceeded 

 in value the pig iron by more than $21,000,000 and the eggs alone were 

 valued at $144,286,370 



In 1899 all the wool product in the United States amounted to but 

 $45,723,793, while the value of the poultry and eggs amounted to the vast 

 sum of $281,178,247. You see the value of jvool is less than sixteen per cent 

 that of the hen product Isn't it about time for the farmers to begin to 

 study the relative market value of the hen to their other products? The 

 eggs and poultry sold by the people of the United States in 1899 was 

 greater than the value of all animals slaughtered, and was far more than 

 the entire oat crop. Would you believe that the hen produced more cash 

 than the entire wheat crop of twenty-eight states and territories, including 

 Illinois, Iowa, Pennsylvania, Missouri, New Jersey, Texas and Wisconsin? 

 It's a fact. She produced a greater value than the corn crop of eighteen 

 states and territories, including California, Colorado, Massachusetts, New 

 York, North Dakota, Washington, Oregon and Wyoming. The value of 

 all the poultry in the United States reserved for breeding and laying in 

 1900 was fixed by competent authority at $70,000.000; the number of fowls 

 at 250,681,598, yet from this number of fowls valued at $70,000.000 was 

 produced for the market, eggs valued at $144,289.370, and poultry worth 

 $136,891.877 a grand total of $281,178,247, or over 400 per cent on the invest- 

 ment. Can you beat such a record by engaging in any other legitimate 

 business known to commerce? 



Please keep in mind that the above figures apply only to poultry and 

 eggs produced on farms. The vast amount produced in villages of the 

 country added to the above makes the totals more staggering, besides the 

 many millions slaughtered for table use throughout the country, which is 

 not considered in the above report, would bring the real value of the 

 poultry product up to an overwhelming amount. Now isn't it about time 

 for the farmer to give more serious consideration to the patriotic old 

 hen, when it is the most profitable, healthy and enjoyable occupation un- 

 der the sun. 



