70 VERMONT AGRICULTURAL REPORT. 



and would go over into the garden, into the barn, or over into the 

 meadow, and there, under a burdock leaf, find a hen sitting and just 

 shoo her off, put the eggs into the basket and go to the grocery store. 

 We had them in unknown quantities, but they were not to be relied 

 upon, and the groceryman realized the fact. Sometimes we had eggs, 

 sometimes we had chickens, and sometimes we had — something else. 

 And the price was accordingly. So, you see, there was not a dollar in 

 it for us. 



But I want to tell you how I became interested in poultry. I became 

 very much interested in a little boy — no kin to me — who lived about 

 three miles away. The boy had grand prospects. He was earnest in 

 three miles away. The boy had grand prospects. He was earnest in pur- 

 pose and honest in heart; chuck full of vim; such a boy as that is nearest 

 my heart. We became so much interested in each other that he came to 

 our house every day, and he finally concluded that he did not want to 

 go home at all. So, I saw his father — he had nine children, and this was 

 the baby — and I told him that I wanted the boy with me, and he said: 

 "Take him and do as you please, and it will be all right with me." And 

 it was all right with me, too. The better I knew him the more I loved 

 him. And one morning I said to him: "My dear boy, if you will furnish 

 the brains I will furnish the money and give you a course at Cornell 

 University." And the boy went. During his absence I purchased the 

 interest that my brother had in the home farm and my brother pur- 

 chased another farm and moved five miles away. 



My wife and I, having no children, were lonely; and I want to say to 

 the people here to-day, there is no household complete without children, 

 music and flowers. That has been thoroughly demonstrated at my own 

 home. My wife and I talked the matter over, and we wrote and told the 

 boy we would like to have him come and stay with us. He left the 

 university and I drove down to the station to meet him, and on the way 

 home I saw at once that he was very enthusiastic in regard to poultry. 

 Returning home, we sat down for the purpose of reasoning together, 

 as Paul says. Fathers, you should respect the opinion of your sons. 

 You should encourage thought. Thought is the power behind the 

 throne. Thought rules and governs this nation to-day. You don't 

 know the possibilities of a boy, except — when he presents an idea that 

 is feasible, pat him on the back and encourage him, and he will develop 

 a love for agriculture and become the pride of your heart in your de- 

 clining years, and will love the homes and the farms that you have 

 worked so hard to pay for. 



Well, the subject seemed feasible. We talked the matter over, and at 

 once we went into the poultry business. The first thing we did was to 

 purchase a Prairie State Incubator; two-hundred-egg capacity. We put 

 it in the cellar of our dwelling-house, but the insurance company took 

 our insurance away. I said to the boy, fire or no fire, we will go into 

 the poultry business. The first thing we thought it was ne< ior us 



to do was to start with thoroughbred stock, because the chickens that 

 we had on hand were of all ages, all colors, all denominations; they 



