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attention and knowledge covering this subject must be obtained first 

 hand from the farmer himself. A survey of this field reveals to us shift- 

 less and haphazard methods of management and no particular attention 

 is paid to housing, feeding and breeding. The care and handling of the 

 egg itself, which is the question we are most deeply interested in, appears 

 to be the last consideration of the producer, and as we follow the egg in 

 its journey to the ultimate consumer we shall I hope realize in a measure 

 the reason for this apparent indifference on the part of the farmer. 



The most striking reason for this indifference is to be found in the 

 absurd methods of handling this perishable product, which have been and 

 are still in vogue in many states. Explained in the briefest form, this 

 method calls for the payment of a fixed price, which happens to be current 

 at the time, for each and every dozen of eggs which may be offered for 

 sale, regardless of whether the eggs themselves are good, bad or indif- 

 ferent. In other words, the only requisite necessary in order to con- 

 summate a sale is for each egg to have an intact shell. Under such a 

 system is it any wonder that when John Doe brings a case of clean, fresh 

 eggs to town and receives the same price that his neighbor is paid for 

 rotten eggs, he soon becomes indifferent and cares little or nothing about 

 the quality of future products? 



Without a waste of further words, we can sum up the situation with 

 the adage, "Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap." Egg 

 men, commission men and all others who deal in eggs have only them- 

 selves to blame for existing conditions. The standard which they have 

 established has been well lived up to by the farmers. All this, however, 

 is past history and I take it that this conference is mainly interested in 

 suggestions and plans looking to the betterment of existing conditions, 

 therefore let us leave this portion of the problem and consider remedies 

 which may help to alleviate it. 



We know without further consideration that methods of production 

 on the farm are anything but what they should be and the first problem 

 then for our attention is the improvement of these conditions. This 

 improvement may be accomplished through our agricultural colleges and 

 experiment stations with the co-operation of such organizations as we are 

 now participating in. The colleges and experiment stations are doing 

 everything in their power to help along these lines, but it will not be 

 until the city business man, who makes his money by handling eggs, puts 

 his shoulder to the wheel and helps by inaugurating progressive, common 

 sense methods of buying eggs that we may look for substantial progress. 

 The agricultural worker may talk higher quality eggs until he is black in 

 the face, it will have little effect until the city egg man offers dollars and 

 cents inducement for the producers of the same. Let him also help in 

 disseminating knowledge concerning better methods of housing, feeding, 

 rearing and breeding poultry. Elementary knowledge is what is needed 

 and not dope about the 250-egg hen. Let us first endeavor to improve 

 the 70-egg farm hen before we tackle this rainbow. 



