294 MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURE. 



which apply to the breeding of other stock are applicable to 

 poultry. 



We can hardly better elucidate our meaning than by the in- 

 sertion here of portions of a letter and statement received a few 

 days since by the chairman of your committee, which hits the 

 matter under discussion very aptly : 



New Bedford, October 16, 1871. 



Mr. E Rodman : — In compliance with your request, I send 

 enclosed an extract from my poultry account for 1870. I select 

 this year because, while it shows but little actual pecuniary 

 profit, it does show how easily our farmers might change their 

 miserable mongrel flocks, laying six eggs and then clucking two 

 weeks, for really good profitable fowls. 



The fowls kept were mostly White Leghorns, in my estima- 

 tion the hardiest and most prolific of the non-setting breeds. 

 Taking into consideration the fact that these fowls have been 

 closely confined most of the time to about six rods of land, I 

 think the number of eggs^laid very large, while the cost of feed 

 is rather small. Thirty cents per dozen, the estimated price of 

 eggs, is very near the average wholesale price for the year. 



Some objection may be made to my estimated increase in 

 value of stock, butp think no competent judge would consider 

 it too much. I think I can safely say that the chickens raised 

 by me this year (1871) from this stock are as fine as any in the 



One of my pullets, hatched May 4th, 1870, began laying No- 

 vember 2d, and continuing up to the present date bids fair to 

 finish the twelve months. Others, hatched June 14th, began 

 laying December 11th, and still continue. This year (1871) 

 two pullets, hatched March 8th, began laying July 10th and 

 28th (mark the improvement), and I see no reason why, if 

 properly cared for, they should not lay until next August. 



These few facts suggest many others, the results of my expe- 

 rience with this breed, but I will not trouble you with them 

 now. 



Hoping the report will give you a little of the statistical in- 

 formation that you want, I remain, yours truly, 



John Eldridge, Jr. 



