578 POULTRY CULTURE 



those qualities which command a premium in the food markets. 

 For every grade of pure-bred poultry, from the most ordinary breed- 

 ing stock to the finest exhibition specimens, there is a demand at 

 a price corresponding to its aesthetic value. Not only so, but the 

 scale of prices for the finest specimens is steadily rising. 



Profits from fancy poultry. The profits from pure-bred poultry 

 and eggs sold for breeding and exhibition are rarely greater and 

 often less than those from market poultry. While the scale of prices 

 is higher, the cost of production is slightly greater, and the expense 

 of selling very much greater. Even when pure-bred stock of good 

 quality is used to produce market poultry and eggs, and some of 

 the best stock and their eggs sold at fancy prices, the cost of sell- 

 ing this stock may be so great that the net profit is no greater 

 than if everything had been sold at market prices. A person with 

 an abundance of capital, which he is willing to put out on a pros- 

 pect of future returns, may do a business of this kind at a loss for 

 some years and ultimately make it very profitable. Most persons 

 engaging in the business have to begin in a small way and build 

 up slowly. All such should be very careful not to spend more 

 money to get business than the amount of stock they are likely 

 to sell will warrant. Building up a trade in this line is usually a 

 very slow process. 



Peculiarities of the trade. The producer of market poultry and 

 eggs, wherever located, is in touch with an informal system for the 

 distribution of his products through which he can at any time dis- 

 pose of his produce at prices fixed by general market conditions. 

 The collection and distribution of his products is done by nonpro- 

 ducers. The trade organization is such that a surplus at any point 

 is removed, or a shortage relieved very quickly, and by the use of 

 cold storage a general surplus at one season is carried over to a 

 season of scarcity. The trade in pure-bred poultry and eggs is 

 largely direct from producer to consumer. A comparatively small 

 number of concerns are in this line as dealers. Some breeders, 

 who have developed a demand for more than they can produce, 

 buy to sell again. Most producers sell, or try to sell, what they 

 produce, and a large part of what is distributed through dealers is 

 stock the producer had first tried to sell direct. The business is 

 largely a " mail-order " business. 



