A. H. BARBER CREAMERY SUPPLY CO., CHICAGO, ILL, 



Those of you who have not made a study of candling should do so; not 

 only for financial reasons, but you will find a certain pleasure in the study, 

 and a positive pleasure in the knowledge that any stock that might be sent out 

 from your hands has another name besides just eggs "Quality!" 



LIVE POULTRY. 



It may not be amiss, herein, to touch upon the subject of farm poultry, as 

 much has been said about the small-sized poultry and eggs. 



Many assert that small birds lay small eggs; others declare they do not. 

 Veteran poultry and egg dealers who have handled vast! amounts of both at 

 wholesale say they fight shy of either if fair to large sizes of poultry and 

 eggs can be obtained instead. 



A veteran, wholesale poultry dealer when asked his reasons for discriminat- 

 ing against small-sized poultry and why he advised against raising them, said: 



"I can not sell the small birds for as much par pound as the larger b^fd 

 often a difference from two to four cents a pound, dressed. If for no other 

 reason, the one given should make them decidedly unpopular for market use. 



"As for raising them, they consume fully as much feed as the larger 

 varieties, and consequently cost "more per bird per pound to feed and care iqr, 

 and bring less per bird per pound on the market. Therefore, in order to beat 

 that handicap, they should be phenominal layers. Some claim, the-y are the 

 raisers of small poultry who inherited the custom from their ancestors." 



Some persons might dispute the poultry man's assertion that it costs as 

 much to feed small fowls, as large ones; but if there is any difference at all^- 

 ^presumably in favor of the small fowls when cooped it would scarcely be 

 heai'ly enough to offset the higher prices obtained for the larger birds. 



: And there is no doubt that there are just as prolific layers among such broeds 

 as Plymouth Eocks, .Wyandottes, Rhode Island Eeds, and the like, as there are 

 among the smaller breeds; as the numerous egg-laying contests in different parts 

 of J ~.e country have proved. 



But in my opinion, the size of the bird does not always determine the size 

 of the egg it lays. I've known Brahma's to lay small eggs upon occasion, 

 and Minorca's large eggs upon occasion; at other times the same birds would 

 perform just the opposite. 



With respect to the small bird as a retail market proposition, the fact is 

 forced upon us, whether to our liking or not, that the average housewife does 

 not like it, principally because it has little fat, and a bird with little fat is 

 scarcely ever a tender one. 



Eaising large breeds of poultry, then, suitable for eggs and market pvir- 

 poses, seems to be the sounder proposition, on account of obtaining for them 

 more money per bird and pound, and at the same or hardly much more cost of 

 feed and care than that expended for the smaller birds, which are forcer! to be 

 sold for less money per bird and pound, as the poultry man said. 



In very hot weather only, small birds might have a chance to Compete with 

 the larger birds in the live poultry market, but never ".in the dressed poultry 

 market, where the price of heavy poultry is always higher than the lighter stock 

 this refers to fowls and springs: not broilers. 



If two farmers drove up, one with a coop of 20 Barred Eock fowls, weigh- 

 ing 100 pounds, the other with a coop of 20 Leghorn's, weighing '60 pounds, -the 

 result should show something like the following: 



20 Eocks, 100 pounds, at 18 cents .$18.00 



20 Leghprns, 60 pounds, at 16 cents 9.60 



Balance in favor of Eocks ....$. 8.40 



: The foregoing is not exaggerated, and at the time of this writing the: price 

 in the country for fowls is 21 1 / cents, . .: . ST.:! 



