MOLDS, SMUTS, AND BACTERIA 115 



the slough, when they have made the same mistakes, 

 then, and then only, does the advice gain the ear of 

 the inner consciousness, so to speak. 



It is just because this is the average habit of mind, 

 that we so often say that it needs a person of syste- 

 matic mind, and one who can exercise forethought, to 

 care for poultry most successfully, and with the least 

 charges " to experience." Consider that these are 

 often the heaviest charges against the industry, in 

 specific instances. These are the real cause of small 

 profits, and of losses, when these last are met. And 

 it is because one can go over the work and put his 

 finger on the point of loss and failure so much better 

 if he has kept accounts, or a diary of work, that these 

 are urged. They are the beginnings of system ; but 

 they are not more than beginnings, unless the worker 

 go over them carefully at the beginning of a new season, 

 and find out exactly what they teach, and then take 

 steps to do better. An irresponsible person will not, 

 or cannot, do these things; hence, such a one is bound 

 to be more or less of a failure as a poultry raiser. 



The above may seem to be a digression. To me, it 

 is not ; because, it leads to the chief point I wish to 

 impress, viz., the necessity of forethought. How much 

 feed shall I be likely to want ? What is likely to be 

 the capital required for this ? What is likely to be the 

 normal loss ? The normal product ? Where will dis- 

 ease and disaster be likely to sneak in on me ? In 

 other words, one needs to go over the whole work, 

 preferably on paper, and block out a system of han- 

 dling every important item of it, remembering that, 

 where arbitrary figures are to be used, it is the normal. 



