1907.] DISCUSSION. 107 



it and do it well. Master it and make much of it. There are 

 too many men who, like the hen, jump down off a sure thing, 

 even if it is small, and in the hope of accomplishing a great 

 thing, like the old hen who sought to hatch a crate of eggs, 

 fail to accomplish anything. You never can do it. Stick to 

 one thing. 



I have come to the end of my story. Just one thing more, 

 and that is this. I love the hen not only because of the 

 material prosperity that she brings us, but I love the hen for 

 the real chunks of wisdom and of philosophy that I have 

 learned from her. She is a good, steady old friend. But I 

 love the hen for her patriotic feelings, and for what she has 

 done for New England. As I said in the beginning, but for 

 our friend, the hen, there are thousands of acres on these 

 bleak New England hills that would be abandoned because men 

 could not go there and make a living. The hen has come to 

 their rescue. She has enabled many a farmer to keep his home, 

 and I say to you that the hen, of all animals, is the one that will 

 help us to restore and bring happiness and prosperity to these 

 old hills of ours. New England has raised many a man and 

 many a woman of distinction. They have seen the light of 

 day, many of them, in the homes established on these New 

 England hills. The hen is responsible in no small degree for 

 the sturdy character of those men and women who have been 

 such a benefit to the world. She has done more for her 

 country than the eagle. For my own part, I would be in favor 

 of calKng the eagle down off the American flag and putting 

 the hen in his place. (Applause.) 



DISCUSSION. 



Secretary Brown. The next thing that will engage our 

 attention is what we shall find here in the Question Box. Here 

 is a question for Mr. Almy. " Would a tight house with an 

 open front save anything in the feed bill ? " 



Mr. Graham. Mr. Almy, Mr. Chairman, has been called 

 home. I think that Dr. Wood can undertake to answer most 

 of those questions. 



