134 POULTRY FOR PROFIT 



which goes through the country picking up eggs and 

 poultry. The first method is the most profitable. 

 Large poultrymen who can contract for a given num- 

 ber of dozen each week are often able to sell very 

 profitably to hotels and restaurants. Smaller pro- 

 ducers sometimes find good customers in the soda 

 water fountains, but a good private trade is the 

 best. There are many well-to-do people in all large 

 cities who are willing to pay the highest market price 

 the year round for eggs of guaranteed quality. A 

 few will pay a little over the market price, but this 

 cannot be counted on. 



Sometimes selling direct to the retailer is as profit- 

 able as selling direct to private customers, but most 

 retailers want too large a profit. The country grocer 

 pays from five to ten cents a dozen under the market 

 price. Some city groceries, which have particular 

 customers, will take guaranteed eggs at two or three 

 cents under the retail price. The producer who 

 makes a point of quality can usually find some re- 

 tailer who will do the square thing. 



Now that parcel post is no longer an experiment, 

 it is possible for the small producer in many cases to 

 work up a family trade in eggs and dressed poultry, 

 and such a trade, if goods are first class and attrac- 

 tively packed, should pay well. 



Packing Eggs 



Eggs shipped to commission men or the city grocer 

 are packed in cases holding thirty dozen, and should 

 be very carefully graded as to size and color. If you 

 do not grade them yourself you will have to pay some 

 one else to do it. 



The postoffice department requires that eggs sent 

 by parcel post be first wrapped separately in excel- 



