The Loyal F. Payne Collection materials relate to the history and development of the poultry industry in the United States from the early 1800s through the 1950s. Catalogs, brochures, and production records of three early poultry-breeding companies describe increased egg production of chickens between 1942 and 1966. Papers include a copy of a manuscript by George F. Carter, "Pre-Columbian Chickens in America" (1968), and a list of early poultrymen in the United States between 1890 and 1925. Collection contains catalogues, brochures, and production records of three early poultry breeding companies: DeKalb Agricultural Association of DeKalb, Illinois; Hy-Line Poultry Farms and Ames In-Cross, both of Des Moines, Iowa. The collection also contains the tables of contents of the Reliable Poultry Journal (1905-1930); programs from various state and national poultry meetings during the 1920s and 1930s; and records of the Poultry and Egg National Board (1940-1959).