CHAPTER XII. 



A Market Gardener's Hens. 



We, that is my wife and I, own a small farm of 30 acres, which we 

 are devoting to a variety of interests ; chief of these are the growing of 

 small fruits, market garden and truck crops; but we also keep two cows, 

 about 20 hogs, a dozen hives of bees and a flock of from 125 to 130 hens. 

 We have kept accurate records, and find that in four years during the six 

 months that require more or less housing the flock has averaged 37 eggs to 

 each 100 hens per day. The flock comprised quite a number of older hens 

 a part of the time. A difference is plainly seen in the last year of the 

 table below, when the entire flock consisted of pullets. The number of 

 dozens laid each month is as follows: 



1899. 



1900. 



November 29 



December 64 



January 145 



February 143 



March 162 



April 162 



There has been something of a variety of breeds in this flock. Good 

 grade mongrels with a large dash of Leghorn blood, purebred Barred 

 Plymouth Rocks, Black Minorcas and White Wyandottes all figured largely 

 in the flock at some time during the period, and they showed very little 

 difference in their laying qualities. What slight difference I could detect 

 was to the credit of the Wyandottes, and the entire flock is now composed 

 of that breed. As the hens have occupied the same quarters, and the treat- 

 ment has been practically the same during the whole period, I will describe 

 both in detail. Small fruits and truck crops are grown in considerable 

 quantities ; these are largely sold at retail, and between managing the work 

 in the fields and marketing the crops my time is pressingly occupied during 

 the Summer; but as we do not board the help my wife, who is a true lover 

 of hens and chickens, rears the young stock and takes general oversight 

 of the poultry department. Under her care the pullets are always in prime 

 condition in the Fall.- Only Summer crops are grown, and the men are 

 hired only for the busy season. So after the season is closed by frost in 



