428 THE BEGINNER IN POULTRY 



revel in System and Secret books, and come off scot- 

 free ; this is, at an Experiment Station where he was 

 taking a poultry course. Being then able to ask ques- 

 tions of those of stable mind and experienced hands, and 

 to discuss every questionable statement with those who 

 were interested in the same thing, and many of whom 

 would have more experience than himself, he would find 

 the sawdust pulled out of practically everything that 

 might be " stuffed," and the real inwardness of it laid 

 bare to an inquiring public. And just this is the treat- 

 ment required by hundreds of schemes that spring upon 

 us out of the shady paths of life, from cooperative rub- 

 ber plantations and gold mines and cigar stores and 

 whisky stills and scores more, to gold mines that the 

 faithful hen digs out of the lap of that dear Mother Earth, 

 who feeds all her creatures with something. Let us 

 hope none of us may bite on sawdust or tenpenny nails 

 when we have supposed ourselves to be chewing care- 

 fully and Fletcherly on " nutriment." 



We have reached the point where a large part of the 

 efforts of the state and federal governments in the 

 Agriculture Division is expended in trying to protect the 

 Beginner and the farmer from those who would fleece 

 them. Ignorance makes any man vulnerable, and good 

 judgment must be based upon knowledge and experience. 

 Is it not a time for us to " conserve " our common sense, 

 to increase our knowledge, and, if we cannot protect our- 

 selves, at least to flee to those who can protect us, and 

 not into the open arms of our Exploiters ? 



Every Beginner with poultry is surrounded by a 

 legion of invisible " influences," who might be named, 

 as a certain Health System names the invisible workers 



