54 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



the industry each year; new poultry plants of larger ca- 

 pacity are being built; the demand for poultry and eggs is 

 constantly increasing. In spite of the great development 

 along the various lines of the industry, we are still unable 

 to supply the demands of local trade, and each year finds us 

 importing from outside sources from four to five times the 

 product of our own poultry plants. Certainly the limit of 

 profitable production has not been reached. There are in 

 many localities large areas of comparatively unproductive 

 land that are ideal for poultry raising. Lands that now 

 yield meager returns to their owners could easily be made 

 to return a handsome profit through poultry culture. Many 

 of these tracts are favorably situated to allow of easy market- 

 ing of products at the least expense. 



The New England poultry keeper cannot compete with 

 the western producer, on account of low freight rates and 

 less cost of feed in the west ; but this should not deter him 

 from engaging in the business when his land is adapted to 

 less profitable use. In a measure there is no competition 

 between the two, for the demand for an eastern product of 

 superior quality has created a market for itself that is 

 scarcely affected by the western product. 



The present price of the different grades of eggs in the 

 Boston market, as quoted in a recent number of our most 

 reliable poultry publication, " Farm-Poultry," bears out this 

 statement : — 



Cents. 



Fancy hennery, 40^1 



Maine, Vermont and New Hampshire extras, .... 35 



Maine, Vermont and New Hampshire common, good, . . 22-24 



Indiana, Illinois and Northern Ohio, selected, . . . 24-2G 



Other iehoice western, ........ 23-25 



Western common to good, ....... 20-22 



Western dirties, 14^17 



A comparison of the prices of poultry shows a similar 

 difference in favor of the eastern product. 



In our local market strictly fresh eggs are selling at 50 

 and 55 cents per dozen. Never before in eleven years has 



