POULTRY. 43 



for the interest of every farmer to keep fowls of some kind on the 

 farm, as there is always in warm weather some waste or spare 

 matter about the premises to feed them, and at the same time they 

 are of much service to their owner by destroying- numerous 

 insect depredators. The hen and her brood of chickens, the hen 

 being confined in a coop, placed in the vicinity of the kitchen 

 garden, not only keep the insects from destroying the plants, but 

 they destroy the insects themselves, and convert them into a 

 source of profit instead of loss, by devouring them as food. 

 Poultry of all kinds usually do much better when allowed to run at 

 large, than when shut up in narrow limits, in coop or yard. Their 

 health is improved, their flesh is finer and better flavored, and they 

 produce more eggs when at large than when confined. To have 

 poultry healthy, vigorous and profitable, they should not be kept 

 until very old. There is no objection to preserving a favorite 

 cock, so long as he is active and lively, but hens after three years 

 will not produce so many eggs as when one or two years of age. 

 Much, however, depends on the breed kept, but more on the 

 manner of keeping them. Old hens are better to breed from than 

 young pullets. Fowls that are nearly related, should not be bred 

 together. Most of our poultry is bred in this way : A person 

 procures a setting of eggs, and hatches them, a brother and sister 

 or sisters are selected and kept for stock-raising purposes, they 

 breed ; an accident happens to one .of the parents, and the other 

 breeds the next season from its own offspring. A. obtains a setting 

 of eggs from these, and the product goes through a similar course 

 of in-and-in breeding for many years, and then the breeder comes 

 to the conclusion that the birds are delicate and difficult to raise, 

 and consequently they are discarded. It is wonderful, however, 

 that any so bred are left to breed from. 



Birds of the largest size and the best forms, those that mature 

 early, should always be selected and kept for breeding purposes. 

 There is great difference in the shape and hardiness of fowls, as is 

 known by every one who has paid any attention to the subject ; 

 some are hardy and profitable, others are weakly, and scarcely pay 

 their way under the most favorable circumstances, the kindest 

 treatment, and the best management possible. A lady giving 

 her experience in keeping poultry, says : 



" For persons living in the country, and having no constant 

 social occupation, it is possible for a little fowl fancier-ing to 

 become very interesting. It is really amusing to watch their end- 



