i88 POULTRY-CRAFT. 



poultry keepers, farmers especially, who could ship one or more cases of eggs 

 weekly, and would like to send them to one of the larger markets, and get a 

 little better price than they can from local buyers, if they could sell through 

 a reliable commission house. Small shippers, who cannot make personal 

 investigation of the standing of the parties to whom they consign goods, are 

 inclined to be shy of commission merchants ; and not without reason, for they 

 and their neighbors have lost again and again through commission merchants 

 of the here today and there tomorrow variety, who offer them big inducements 

 to ship goods, and then fail to make returns on shipments received ; but 

 there are plenty of reliable commission merchants, and in all the large cities 

 there are firms well known by reputation to all readers of poultry papers, to 

 which the small shipper may send his goods with full confidence that he will 

 be treated fairly, and receive every cent due him. Nearly always the large 

 houses are. glad to get even small shipments of first class stock, if they are 

 sent regularly irregular consignments they do not care so much about. In 

 establishing relations with such houses, the best method is to send a sample 

 shipment, at the same time stating the quantity that could be shipped 

 regularly. The best time to begin doing business with these firms is when 

 eggs are not very plentiful. Having eggs to ship when eggs are scarce is, in 

 the eyes of the commission man, one of the best recommendations the shipper 

 can have. He feels from the first that this man is to be depended on for 

 regular shipments ; while he is always uncertain about those -who are ready to 

 begin when eggs are plenty, for his experience has been that in a very short 

 time most of them fail him. 



275. When to Sell Poultry. In producing poultry specially for 

 market, one ought to aim to have as much as possible of the product market- 

 able when prices are best, and to have everything sold before prices reach a 

 point too low for profit. There is some demand for poultry throughout the 

 year ; but the demand for chickens is so much lighter between August and 

 February than during the remainder of the year, that the producer's profit, 

 on stuff sold in the fall and early winter, (except on extra choice stock), is 

 small. 



The broiler season is from February to September, prices being good 

 throughout that period, and at their best in April and May. Many of the 

 broilers shipped in September, October, and November, are put in cold stor- 

 age and held until the beginning of the next season. The market for roasters 

 is most active throughout December, January, and February ; but better prices 

 are obtained in May, June, and July, when, though the demand is more 

 limited, the supply is much more limited. Capons are in demand from 

 December to May, inclusive, and bring best prices at the close of the season. 



The egg farmer marketing his cockerels and cull pullets, and the breeder 

 of pure-bred poultry disposing of his culls, can hardly if their chicks are 

 seasonably hatched for their purposes get the top prices for much of what 



