FIFTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART VI. 413 



As early as April, indeed many in March, began to take frequent rests. 

 True, they were easily broken of this notion. But also after laying five or 

 six eggs more, they would settle down to the evident conviction that that 

 feature of their work was accomplished. From that time on there was a 

 perpetual conflict in our opinions as to quality and kind of work needed. 

 Indeed as I kept but few old hens over, 1 never wholly converted them to 

 my ideas, but they went to market still "set" in their own way. 



Since or until then we can develop the perfect fowl, we must adapt our- 

 selves to the means at hand. We must keep the best laying breed that we 

 know and rear just enough of these chicks to supply our houses from year 

 to year. For the table and the market depend upon your neighbors who do not 

 raise such fowls for the eggs for hatching. If your neighbors are as enter- 

 prising and obliging as mine, this proves no difficulty. Many around here 

 keep a choice strain of pure bred Plymouth Rock, and they as willingly sell 

 the eggs to the individual as to the store. If he in turn acts in good faith 

 and does not infringe upon their special rights when it comes to marketing. 

 The combination gives to us a more nearly all around purpose hen. 



You have noticed that I have given no place to the broody hen. I do 

 not. There are always enough who ' 'by hook or by crook" have escaped 

 the kettle or the dealer to fill in the niches where such material comes handy. 

 But pin your faith to a good incubator. If you trust explicitly to the ma- 

 chine to do all the work itself, you will always be of the opinion that incu- 

 bators are humbugs. It means work and attention every time, but it is 

 work that pays if well bestowed. While one incubator is great, two are 

 greater. Set them up as early as it is possible to care for the hatch, push 

 the growth of the chicks rapidly, and market them as soon as they will 

 weigh three pounds or over. In ihis climate, under ordinary conditions, 

 they will nearly all be sold by September at frorn thirteen cents to a higher 

 price per pound. I do not tell of fancy prices, but the actual one that pre- 

 vails in this vicinity. Should you live near a city the figures for fryers run 

 into the fabulous. 



By the starting and marketing of poultry early, the advantages of short 

 and less feed, less time and consequently less work, and better prices are 

 secured, while the ravages of lice, hawks, minx, etc., which becomes so an- 

 noying later in the season, are largely avoided. 



Were not this paper too long already I would like to speak of the cold 

 storage of eggs. I believe this to be a branch of the profit easy, feasible 

 and practical to every farmer or it might be to a small community in 

 common. 



I have said nothing of the warmth, ventilation or cleanliness. Nor have 

 I used that other expression, second in popularity only to the term "stren- 

 uous life." I refer to the "balanced ration." All of these items tend to 

 make up that success which is called profit. 



I wish simply to emphasize the plan. First, as large a number as con- 

 venient to keep of the best laying strain for egg production. Eggs for 

 hatching from some good table breed, those most common in the locality 

 preferable because cheaper and easier to secure. Early hatching, early sell- 

 ing and that eternal vigilance ail along the line which terminates in success. 



