232 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



well as in foreign countries. It is now being considered by a 

 number of communities in this State, and will no doubt be 

 found advantageous by a few at least. 



From the above it is evident that the poultry keepers of this 

 State have all the advantages possible in marketing their 

 products. Parcel post, express companies, excellent local mar- 

 kets and co-operative associations will in the future enable them 

 to reach the consumer without leaving very much in the hands 

 of the middleman. 



Feeds. 



The fact that all the feed required for poultry cannot be 

 produced in Massachusetts leads many to think that poultry 

 keeping cannot be made very profitable. We believe this should 

 give no cause for alarm, however, for when we compare the 

 prices of grain, poultry and eggs in the great grain-producing 

 sections of the country with those of ours we find the advantage 

 is still in our favor. In October, 1911, farmers in the middle 

 west were selling live chickens at 7 cents per pound, and at 

 the same time they were bringing from 14 to 18 cents here. 

 In September, 1912, eggs were selling in Massachusetts at 40 

 cents when farmers in Wisconsin were getting only 22 cents. 

 On November 20, 1913, a farmer in southern Minnesota wrote 

 me that all he could get for eggs was 24 cents, and the retail 

 price here was from 55 to 70 cents per dozen. On the other 

 hand, we find no such variation in the prices of feed. 



I spent several years of my life at both Warren, Illinois, 

 and Oshkosh, Wisconsin, and it may be of interest to compare 

 prices in these places with those in Massachusetts. Accord- 

 ingly, on November 11, 1914, I communicated with a reliable 

 man in each place who buys his feedat retail. The results are 

 given below: — 



