428 COMMERCIAL POULTRY RAISING 



pense, or there would be no incentive to do business. The sum 

 total of all expenses and profits is therefore quite considerable. 

 Admitting that the poultryman is put to a similar expense when 

 he markets his goods direct to the consumer, the profits on these 

 expenses, at least, are diverted to his own bank account. 



In talking to poultrymen on this subject I have heard remarks 

 as follows: "It doesn't pay me to sell eggs retail. I haven't 

 the time to bother with small shipments. I'd rather take a 

 lower price and ship to a commission merchant — let him peddle 

 the eggs. A private trade is all right in a way, but the pay is too 



I ■" ■ " ■ ' ^ 



(Courtesy U. S. Dep't AgriruUure) 



Fig. 275. — Well-equipped feeding plant. Note the complete lighting and 

 ventilating system. 



slow. I've got feed bills to meet, and I've got to get my check 

 for a shipment promptly. Besides, when you ship to customers 

 direct, and there is breakage or a delay of some kind, there are 

 too many complaints. Let the other fellow do the worr},ing." 



Retailing Troubles. — There is a great deal of truth in the fore- 

 going remarks ; it is troublesome to sell eggs retail ; >-et it is the 

 only way to get the greatest profits from the business. The de- 

 tails of any enterprise require close attention, and it behooves the 

 man in charge to evolve a system or scheme whereby they are 

 simplified as much as possible. Certain it is that if the middle- 



