CHAPTER XI 



THE OLD HEN IN A NEW ENVIRONMENT 



"Ma Duck, she lays a bigger egg 



Than the helpful hen can lay; 

 But when she's through she cackles not 



But simply walks away. 

 And so we scorn the silent duck; 



But the helpful hen we prize; 

 Which is only another way to say 



That it pays to advertise." 



THE garden and the little family orchard, how- 

 ever lovingly cared for, supply but a part of the 

 luxurious fare that must be brought within reach 

 of every household. The good old family hen ! What 

 visions of fresh eggs and fat spring chickens are evoked 

 by the mention of her name ! What is breakfast without 

 a fresh egg? And how rare is a really fresh egg in these 

 days of urban congestion ! Who ever had too much 

 chicken — especially fried chicken? These things are 

 the staples of life; and the garden home without a 

 poultry yard would fall far short of fulfilling its mis- 

 sion. 



This does not mean, as the reader may hastily assume, 

 the old sort of poultrycraft that turns the chickens loose 

 to run all over the lot, destroying the garden and 

 annoying the neighbors. We are to have the old hen, 

 but in a new environment — in other words, the intensive 

 hen to go with the intensive garden. There have been 

 wonderful developments along these lines during the 



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