12 POULTRY FARMING 



grading are not appreciated, and are handled so carelessly that 

 the quality is often very bad when they reach the point of consump- 

 tion. Conditions are worse during late spring and early summer, 

 when the weather is warm and extra care is necessary to cause 

 the eggs to reach the market in good condition. 



The eggs produced in this section are sold to local merchants, 

 " case count," and often hauled many miles over rough roads and 

 exposed to hot sunlight before being sold. They are then often 

 held many days, and are finally shipped by local freight to some 



FIG. 8. A typical farm flock in the Middle West. (Photo by U. S. Dcpt. of Agrir-ulturo.) 



central shipping point where they are candled and graded. The 

 loss during the warm months is very great. The price drops all 

 along the line, because the quality is poor. 



Improved methods in marketing can best be attained through 

 cooperation. A general practice on the part of merchants to buy 

 all eggs " loss oft 7 " will do much to increase the quality. This 

 will bring greater returns to the poultry raisers in this great 

 territory (Fig. 8). 



The Petaluma district of California is well known by the gen- 

 eral public and poultry raisers as one of the most intensive egg- 

 producing centres of the country (Fig. 9). The industry is con- 

 fined to a limited area near Petaluma, California, and is carried 

 on by very intensive artificial methods. The chief product is 

 white-shelled eggs of high quality for the large markets on the 

 western coast. The farms are small, ranging from five to fifteen 



