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ANNUAL REPORT OF THE Off. Doc. 



Breed for vigor and you are breeding for eggs and you will estab- 

 lish not only an egg-laying strain, but a strain that will lay hatch- 

 able eggs. Vigor is the first essential for a profitable flock. 



PROFITABLE EGG PRODUCTION 



By H. R. LEWIS, New Brunstvick, N.J. 



Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen: It is with a great deal of 

 pleasure that I have been able to spend these two days visiting with 

 your Pennsylvania poultrymen. I have enjoyed greatly the trips 

 of inspection to nearby poultry farms under the guidance of Mr. 

 W. Theo. Wittman. I have come to tell you, witli the aid of the slides, 

 of some of the methods which have proven most profitable in my 

 own state of New Jersey. New Jersey is, as you know, one of the 

 greatest egg producing states in the Union. We have more large 

 poultry farms probably than any other area or state of similar size. 

 There are four factors which are essential in the successful manage- 

 ment of a flock of poultry for eg^ production. These factors are 

 the man who manages the business, the birds who are the machines 

 used to produce the finished product, eggs, their house or environ- 

 ment, and lastly their food supply. 



THE MAN 



The man managing any business enterprise is really responsible for 

 the success of failure of that enterprise. Successful poultry keeping 

 is no exception to the rule. Hence a few of the requisites of the man 

 behind the flock are outlined here. 



Poultry keeping is a business of details, and an eflScient poultry- 

 man should be capable of paying close attention to details. It is 

 lack of this one quality more than any of the other which has doubt- 

 less caused most of the numerous failures in this work. The poul- 

 tryman should be conscientious and careful in this work, and a good 

 student and observer. He should make a close study of the habits 

 and condition of his various flocks, and should try to make the in- 

 dividual as much as possible the unit of study. He should be will- 

 ing to try new ideas, and to profit by the experience of others. Poul- 

 try keeping is today in its infancy, as an art when compared with 

 the other branches of animal husbandry, and new thoughts and 

 improved methods of feeding, housing and breeding are constantly 

 being brought to light. "New ideas are what make progress," and 

 progress makes greater profits. 



It is important to remember that success in a business requir- 

 ing constant thought and attention to the various details of manage- 

 ment calls for a natural aptitude or liking for the occupation. With 

 this natural love for the work, and a good practical training, the 

 production of market eggs should bring a good living to the poultry- 



