24G State Board of Agkicui.tukk, &c. 



Farmers should use more eggs and chickens at liome. 

 They arc hixuries in too many families, that cannot be 

 afforded except on extra occasions. I believe in more chick- 

 ens and less pork, especially in warm weather. Every far- 

 mer should raise all he needs for home use at least. It is 

 not best for a beginner to go in too largely. Let him begin 

 with a few, and after he has had experience enlarge his 

 flock. 



Take the papers, by all means, and j)lenty of them. A 

 good work on poultry and one or more poultry papers are 

 absolutely necessary. It always pays to profit by the expe- 

 rience of others. 



Many farmers do not find time to care for their fowls. It 

 would be a good idea for such men, and, in fact, all others, 

 to give their boys a few good hens, fix a place to keep them 

 in, and let them have the profits, after paying, in eggs and 

 chickens, for the keeping. Teach them to keep an account 

 with their hens, so that they can tell just what it costs to 

 keep tliem and how many eggs they lay. You will find 

 that they will take a wonderful interest in " hen farming, " 

 and more of them will be willing to stay on the farm. I 

 believe boys have rights that we are bound to respect. 



I do not recommend the keeping of poultry to the 

 exclusion of other farm stock, but I believe in making the 

 most of everything kept on the farm. If we give our 

 poultry the same constant care, and take as much pains to 

 improve our breeding stock as we do our cattle and sheep, 

 we shall find that hens, although little things, give large 

 profits, and will wonderfully help to make our year's profit 

 on the right side. 



