THE COLONY PLAN. 19' 



In the diagram, Fig. 1, the quincunx order is shown, 

 and the position of the wagon path is indicated by the 

 dotted lines. The alternation of the colors of buildings 

 will be understood from the white, black, and shaded 

 dots, but the diagram represents only a small portion, a 

 corner merely, of the main area of the farm occupied by 

 the colony buildings, and the reader should imagine the 

 roads extended a great distance at the right in the cut. 



While pursuing the experiments which led to this sys- 

 tem, we early perceived that while a flock thus situated 

 would stay near home so long as no person approached, 

 when feeding them we were followed by birds from 

 neighboring flocks and there was confusion. Besides, 

 so accustomed do fowls become to associating the sight 

 of their keeper with a boon, that they will follow him 

 from one station to another, when on his rounds col- 

 lecting eggs, or attending to other matters. True, their 

 ability to find their way back is wonderful, but fighting 

 follows the meeting of birds that are strangers, and thus 

 the quiet and order so essential to laying are impaired, 

 and also frequent association of this kind will, after 

 a while, break down all distinction between neighboring 

 flocks. Such a trouble would be fatal to the whole plan. 

 The solution of this difficulty is original with our sys- 

 tem, and the key to its success. The feeding business 

 is the cause of the trouble, and the only reason why 

 fowls follow their keeper. The remedy is to bring about 

 the feeding indirectly. From earliest chickenhood the 

 birds, or the greater part of them, are brought up so as 

 to never perceive that the keeper has anything to do 

 with their feed. The small coops for young chickens, 

 on a separate part of the farm, have boxes where the 

 feed is placed, and a simple contrivance attached, that 

 does not admit the chickens until some time afterward. 

 This device will be explained when describing coops and 

 other fixings for young birds. Adult fowls are given 



