POULTRY-CRAFT. 193 
287. Packing Iced Poultry in Warm Weather.— 
“Leave heads on and entrails in. Strong sound barrels (sugar barrels preferred) are 
best for ice packing, and the ice should be washed before using. Place a good layer of 
broken ice on the bottom of the barrel, then a layer of poultry, commencing in the middle 
and packing in a circle, with heads down, backs up, and feet toward the center; then 
alternate layers of ice and poultry, filling the barrel to within six inches of the top, taking 
care to have ice between the poultry and the staves of the barrel; top off with large pieces 
of ice, and cover the barrel with bagging, (which insures its being kept right side up), 
and mark with brush or stencil. If shipped from any considerable distance, put an extra 
large piece of ice on top, and if properly packed, the poultry can be on the road fifty 
hours without injury; and if heavily iced and shipped in refrigerator car, can safely be 
four or five days in transit; but even for short distances, it is better to use ice, as poultry, 
especially if not drawn, packed without it in warm weather, if only for an hour or two, 
will turn green across the back, and become almost worthless.” (W. H. Rudd, Son & 
Co.’s instructions to shippers). 
288. Shipping Dressed Poultry in Cold Weather. — In cold weather 
a great deal of dressed poultry is shipped by freight. Shippers are usually 
advised to send small lots going a considerable distance by express, especially 
if transfers are to be made en route, because under such conditions small lots 
are often delayed, and arrive in poor condition. The greater cost of transpor- 
tation by express is more than offset by the better returns received for the 
shipment. 
289. Hints on Selling Poultry and Eggs to Family Trade. — 
Establishing a Route. — A poultryman producing choice goods, can get 
. better prices by selling direct to the best family trade than a provision dealer 
could get from the same people for the same goods. If located near enough 
to a large city or town to make regular deliveries, weekly or bi-weekly, one will 
often find it most profitable to retail his own produce. A good route is not 
established in a day. Into whatever territory one goes, he finds the field 
already partially occupied. He has to work for what trade he gets. The 
quality which most appeals to the largest number of consumers is cheapness. 
-The only object a poultryman can have in selling direct to consumers, is to 
get the highest price obtainable. He finds some customers ‘‘ready made;” 
but while building up trade, his work is largely in the line of educating 
buyers’ tastes to the point where the cheapness of eggs and poultry no longer 
appeals to them. This process takes time. The work of building up a 
good route of desirable customers whose requirements can be calculated to a 
nicety in advance, who buy freely and pay promptly, is not often completed 
in less than two or three years. 
Regular Deliveries cannot be profitably made oftener than twice a week 
when poultry products alone are handled; nor is it to the interest of the pro- 
ducer to make them less often. Eggs a week old are too old for this class of 
trade. Tuesdays and Fridays —the days éefore baking-days —are the best 
for delivering eggs,—especially if one has more eggs than his established 
trade takes, and desires to extend his route. Most people — when they want 
