112 THE FAT OF THE LAXD 



" What do you have to pay for them ? " 



"Ten cents apiece, $200 for two thousand 

 eggs." 



" Well, I should say ! Are they hand-painted ? 

 I wouldn't have had to quit business if I could 

 have sold my eggs at a quarter of that price." 



"That's all right, Sam, but you didn't sell 

 White Wyandotte eggs for hatching. I've con- 

 tracted with two of the best-known fanciers of 

 Wyandottes in the country to send me five hun- 

 dred eggs apiece February 1st and 25th. I don't 

 think the price is high for the stock." 



" Have you decided to keep 'dottes ? I hoped 

 you would try Leghorns ; they're great layers." 



" Yes, they're great summer layers, but the 

 American birds will beat them hollow in winter; 

 and I must have as steady a supply of eggs as 

 possible. My customers don't stop eating eggs 

 in winter, and they'll be willing to pay more for 

 them at that season. The Leghorn is too small 

 to make a good broiler, and as half the chicks 

 come cockerels, we must look out for that." 



" Why do you throw down the Plymouth 

 Rocks ? They're bigger than 'dottes, and just as 

 good layers." 



" I threw down the barred Plymouth Rocks 

 on account of color; I like white hens best. It 

 \vas hard to decide between White Rocks and 

 Wyandottes, for there's mighty little difference 

 between them as all-around hens. I really think 

 I chose the 'dottes because the first reply to my 



