Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 179, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 August 1918 — Eat More Chicken [ARTICLE]

Eat More Chicken

Utilize Part of the Poultry Increase to Supply Meat for the Home Table

(Prepared by the United States Department of Agriculture.) As a matter of business foresight and economy, as-well as of patriotism, farmers who Increase their production of poultry and eggs this year should plan to use a considerable-part of the increase on their own tables. Much of the benefit of increasing the supply of products capable of very rapid increase, but perishable and bulky, will be lost if producers adopt the policy of marketing all the increase. In that case there would be no substitution on the farm of poultry products for the cured and compact meats which it Is desired to reserve as Jar as possible for military use and shipment to the allies. ' .

Many farm families could easily use several times as much ’poultry as is now consumed on the average farm. Analysis of the figures of the last census shows a very light consumption of poultry and eggs on the average farm. For the whole country the average yearly consumption of eggs per farm is only 137.5 dozen —2.6 dozen per week;, of poultry, 60 head—or one bird every six days. The highest average consumption of in any state is 211.2 dozen —four dozen a week. The highest average consumption of poultry in a state is 124.6 head-one bird in 2.9 days. Such averages indicate that farmers who use poultry and eggs freely on their own tables use from six tor ten dozen eggs and four to six head of poultry weekly. . In view of the extent to which large flocks can be made self-sustaining during the greater part of the year on most farms, this liberal scale of consumption of poultry products would seem practical generally. The consumption of eggs on farms may be greatly Increased and farmers still receive the benefit of good prices for fresh eggs in the season of scant production aind give consumers the benefit of a larger supply and more moderate prices, if all farmers who can do so will preserve as many eggs when eggs are cheap as they can use at home when eggs are dear. The average farm price of eggs in the United States in April, May and June, 1917, was 29 cents a dozen; in October, November and December, 38.7 cents. In 1916 the average difference in farm prices in the periods compared was 12.3 cents a dozen. There is a period of from five to six months In every year when the average price of fresh eggs on the farm is about ten cents a dozen more than the average price during the season of heavy production. Inasmuch as eggs can be preserved In water glass, or In lime water, and kept In perfect condition for from six to nine months, and usable for a year or more, a farmer who preserves eggs when they are cheap for his own use can use eggs freely the year round and still have eggs to sell all through the season of high prices.