THE FARMERS' MONTHLY, JULY, 1928 



How Much Does A Hen Earn? 



A NEW CONTROL 



FOR CUCUMBER BEETLES 



FRANK STEELE'S FLOCK 



LEADS IN EGG PRODUCTION 



What may be called a "better than 

 average" hen kept under somewhat better 

 than average conditions makes for her 

 Massachusetts owner a labor return of 

 $2.50 to $3.00 per year. Or in other 

 words, after paying for feed and all other 

 expenses including depreciation of build- 

 ings and equipment, and allowing for in- < 

 terest on the investment, the owner of 

 such a flock of hens has left as pay for 

 his labor in caring for them from $2.50 ; 

 to $3.00 for each hen kept. Including 

 time spent in raising chickens, it ap- 

 parently requires from 4 to 5 hours of 

 labor each year to cai'e for a hen, so that 

 a poultryman in this state may expect to 

 receive on the average from $.50 to $.75 

 per hour as pay for his labor on poultry. 



The figures shown in the table below 

 are based on actual records kept by re- 

 presentative poultrymen of the state in 

 cooperation with the Extension Service of 

 M. A. C. through its Farm Management 

 project. 



Not all poultrymen mak e the same 

 labor return, and indeed some make no 

 return at all. In 1926 the lowest labor 

 return was $2.86 per bird and the highest 

 was $7.60, with 557'- of the flocks studied 

 making from $1.50 to $4.00 per bird. In 

 1927 the range in labor returns was about 

 the same, with 60 per cent of all flocks 

 making from $1.50 to $4.00 per bird. 

 Owing to higher feed prices it is probable 

 that the average returns for 1928 will not 

 exceed $2.50 per bird in spite of the high 

 prices that have prevailed this spring for 

 eggs and poultry. In 1926 the average 

 price received for all eggs sold was $.51 

 per dozen and feed cost on the average 

 $2.52 per cwt. In 1927 the average price 

 for eggs was $.50 per dozen but the aver- 

 age hundred-weight cost of feed has risen 

 to $2.64. These price changes account in 

 part for the diff'erence in average labor 

 return for the two years. 



The Market Garden Field Station at 

 Waltham has developed a dust which will 

 control the striped cucumber beetles. 

 These beetles attack cucumbers, melons 

 and .squa.sh very seriou,';ly in some sea- 

 sons. 



The du.st is called B. B. Shot and 15 

 pounds will dust an acre once. Dust after 

 each rain and at least once a week any- 

 way. 



The Market Garden Field Station, 240 

 Beaver St., Waltham, Mass., will express 

 it to you. The cost is $1.00 for 10 

 pounds; $4.50 for 50 pounds and $8.00 for 

 100 pounds. 



C. M. Norris Has Three 



Fifty Ponnd Fat Producers 



C. M. Norris of Westhampton leads the 

 association in the number of fifty pound 

 fat producers on twice a day milking 

 during June. G. H. Timmins of Ware 

 again leads the association with six fifty 

 pound fat producers on three time milk- 

 ing. 



The list of high individuals follows: 



Total $7.01 $7.02 



Credits : 



Market Eggs $4.24 $4.06 



*Poultry for Meat 1.97 2.25 



Hatching Eggs and Chicks .59 1.03 

 Home Used Products and 



Incidental .29 .26 



Continued on page 9. column 1 



*Milked three times daily. 

 Six herds had an average milk produc- 

 tion of over 1000 pounds. 



Lbs. Milk 

 No. Cows per cow 

 F. D. Steele 5 1586 



C. G. Loud 14 1145 



Pelissier Bros. 8 1129 



H. H. Bissell 12 1106 



R. D. Adams 13 1065 



M. S. Howes & Son 10 1053 



Thirteen herds averaged over 30 pounds 

 of butter fat for the month. 



Lbs. Fat 



F. D. Steele 

 C. G. Loud 



No. Cows 

 5 

 14 



per cow 

 54.1 

 39.0 



The report for the seven months' period 

 ending May 31 shows the flock of Frank 

 Steele's to be in the lead with an average 

 production of 142.2 per bird for the per- 

 iod. This record leads that of any of the 

 state. 



If birds on range are showing signs of 

 worm infection such as paleness or going 

 light the birds may be treated by giving 

 individual nicotine sulphate sapsules or 

 by adding 2 lbs. of Gold Leaf Tobacco 

 Dust to each 100 lbs. of mash for a two 

 or three weeks' period. 



The leaders in egg production for the 

 seven months' period ending May 31, 1928 

 are listed below. 



County Iji.Nt 



Hampshire 



No. No. Prod. 

 Pullets Pullets Per 

 Nov. 1 May 31 Pullet 



F. D. Steele, Cum'ton, 347 *339 142.2 

 P. L. Wheelock, Am'st, 315 190 139.9 

 S. A. Clark, Wills'burg, 45 29 105.9 

 Smith Agri. School, 



Northampton, 206 75 104.2 



S. G. Waite, South'ton, 120 63 103.6 



^tate Lists 



Large Flocks ivith 1,000 Pullets or More 



Homer Rowell, Essex, 1101 *1734 118.9 



Elm Tree P. F., Ply'th, 2504 1954 116.1 



C. C. Rayner, Mid'sex, 1005 953 110.1 



Monroe &Nepper, Ply., 1709 1873 107.6 



M. R. Jones, B'stable, 1014 *891 107.4 



E. H. Small, B'stable, 1614 *1243 105.1 

 W. P. Foster, Essex, 1728 1050 103.1 



Large Flocks with 500 to 999 Pullets 



Arrowhead F., B'stable, 519 272 122.6 



C. M. Williams, B'stable, 525 337 119.6 



A. S. Pendleton, Essex, 611 533 118.6 



L. E. French, Ply'th, 680 505 115.5 



C. N. Ward, Bristol, 501 426 110.2 



G. W. Sarano, Mid'sex, 700 429 108.2 



F. Porebski, Ply'th, 525 292 106.5 



Small Flocks90 to U99 Pullets 



F. D. Steele, Hampshire, 347 339 142.2 

 P. L. Wheelock, Hamp., 296 190 139.9 

 R. E. Wheeler, Worcester, 350 335 127.2 

 R. L. Clapp, Mid'sex, 131 95 122.9 

 R. L. Keizer, Mid'sex, 137 55 121.9 

 L. A. Sohier, Mid'sex, 245 144 120.9 

 L. H. Lindsay, Mid'sex, 310 263 120.7 



G. H. Timmins 29 38.9 

 W. H. Atkins 15 36.9 

 H. H. Bissell 12 35.9 

 L. L. Titus 8 35.7 

 Pelissier Bros. 8 34.9 

 R. D. Adams 13 34.4 

 M. S. Howes & Son 10 34.3 

 Vigneault Bros. 30 31.8 

 S. R. Parker 10 31.8 

 A. O. Grise 36 31.4 

 C. M. Norris 18 30.3 



