POULTRY. 105 



of it, and we hoped our six eggs for which we paid three 

 dollars might turn out likewise on a small scale. Out of 

 those six eggs, in due time, came four chicks ; and, as they 

 feathered out, there proved to be three pullets and a cock. 

 But they never grew up on our hands ; for, when about half 

 grown, a gentleman of taste came along and got his eye on 

 those chickens, and inquired the price of them. We thought 

 we would be sure and set the price high enough : so we 

 told him he could have the four chicks for sixteen dollars. 

 He drew his portemonnaie, passed us sixteen dollars, and the 

 chickens were soon caged and taken off ; and we had reason . 

 to believe afterward that that man would just as soon have 

 given forty dollars for those four chickens as the sixteen dol- 

 lars which he did pay. But we received thirteen dollars for 

 raising four chickens to half their full size ; and, had our ope- 

 rations always been as good in other transactions, we should 

 have been better conditioned than now. 



We have never known an instance where a person suc- 

 ceeded in breeding and raising a superior fowl, or creature 

 of any kind, that he did not get good pay for it. So much 

 for fancy fowls ; and we now come down to the real matter 

 of fact of raising eggs and poultry for the market. It is just 

 as much a science, if we may so speak, to take care of and 

 make fowls profitable, as any other branch of farming ; and 

 we certainly think, that, according to the money invested, 

 there is no live stock about a farm that pays a larger per 

 cent than fowls. We know of a young man, now only eigh- 

 teen years of age, who, two or three years ago, conceived a 

 notion to keep a few fowls. With his own hands he built 

 a moderate sized hennery, which improved his mechanical 

 talent, which is ever a benefit to a boy ; and, wlien it was 

 completed, a limited number of hens were purchased, and 

 placed in this building. He then, while attending school 

 and doing many of the chores, took the best of care of these 

 fowls ; and in little over a year — from a year to a year and 

 a half — he cleared net profit, after paying for every thing 

 these fowls consumed — we mean he got for his time taking 

 care of these fowls, which was no more time than he would 

 have ordinarily spent for a little daily amusement, and rest 

 from work and study — a hundred and forty dollars, and put 

 it into a savings bank. The niunber of his fowls ranged 

 u 



