V'ol. LXXX. 
Published Weekly by The Rural Publishing Co., 
3.13 W. 30th St., New York. Price One Dollar a Year. 
YORK, AUGUST 6, 1921 
Entered as Second-Class Matter. June 2G, 1879. at the Post 
Office at New York, N. Y., under the Act of March 3. 1879. 
No. 4650 
The Poultry 
T HE PETALUMA VALLEY.—Everyone who is 
interested in the poultry business has heard of 
the Petaluma Valley as being the largest poultry 
producing center in the world. Six or seven years 
ago there were not enough eggs produced in the 
State to supply the local demand, while at the 
Industry in California 
Part I. 
CHEAPER PRODUCTION.—With this object in 
view I have spent over two months in the poultry 
yards of this State studying the business from every 
angle, and from what I can learn it seems very plain 
that production costs are enough cheaper here for 
the average poultryman to more than balance the 
be gradually brought to a higher standard in order 
to meet this Western competition successfully. 
FAVORABLE CONDITIONS.—Natural conditions 
are very favorable for egg production all along the 
Pacific coast, the climate being very even: moderately 
cool in Winter, with delightful Summers, the tem- 
Eastern Nevada Landscape, 5.000 Fret Above Sea Level. Fig. hl’i 
Poultry Farm of is. is. h. night at Feta luma. Fig. gdi 
extra cost of transportation of the product to New 
present time production has increased to such an 
extent that the local demand is cared for. and last 
year over 1.600 carloads of eggs were shipped to 
New York and other distant markets. This year 
the production will be much larger than ever before, 
so it is only natural for Eastern poultrymen who 
York. By "average poultryman” I mean those who 
are starting or have been in the business but a short 
time, and who have had but little practical experience 
along this line of work. For older experienced 
Eastern poultrymen who have been successful in 
perature seldom rising above the comfortable point 
for both hens and humans. California, however, is 
a big State, and you can find almost any temperature 
at any time of the year in different parts of the 
State. The interior sections back 50 miles or more 
from the coast often get very warm in Summer and 
Typical Poultry Scene, Petaluma. California. Fig. .$25 Petaluma Plant Handling 3,500 Cases of Eggs in One Day. Fig. J/27 
are producing eggs and poultry under much different 
conditions to sit up and take notice. It is really 
quite important for them to see what is going on 
in order to meet the Western competition, which 'is 
gradually becoming stronger all the time. 
establishing profitable businesses upon their own 
farms I do not think this Western country is suffi¬ 
ciently attractive to warrant them in making a 
change at this time: but I am firmly convinced that 
Eastern methods of production and marketing must 
quite cold in Winter, especially in the northern part 
of the State, which is very mountainous. The con¬ 
ditions, then, which favor California as a poultry- 
producing State are a mild climate, which allows 
poultry to be kept in cheaply constructed houses 
