THE REARING AND 



Fowls. He says : There are two classes of Fowl-breeders : 

 those who rear them for amusement, and for the convenience 

 of having a few chickens at hand to kill, and a few Hens on 

 the goodness of whose eggs they can depend ; and those whose 

 only object is to increase their stock as fast as possible, as a 

 matter of business, and solely for gain and profit. It may 

 safely be stated that the number of those who can strictly be 

 included in this latter division -is extremely limited. Even 

 the poor cottager who has just a couple of Hens, and is depend- 

 ent upon some richer neighbour for a supply of eggs that will 

 produce chickens, keeps them more because she finds pleasure 

 in seeing the good creatures busying about with their broods, 

 than for any profitable advantage she is likely to get by them. 

 If she be poor, with a large family, she no more presumes to 

 indulge herself with keeping Fowls, than she would with a 

 caged Lark, or Goldfinch, or Thrush.* If she be lone and in- 

 dustrious, and so have a trifle to spare, or be the childless 

 wife of a thrifty husband, she may gratify her pride with 

 Cocks and Hens, to the envy of her neighbours. Even on 

 large farms it is more as save-alls and collectors of scattered 

 fragments, which would otherwise be wasted, that Fowls are 

 serviceable. And if the farmer were to charge his wife with 

 all the corn consumed in their rearing and fatting, we may 

 venture to assert that a much smaller supply of them would be 

 sent to market. These observations are less applicable to 

 Ducks, Geese, and Turkeys; but in no case is any account 

 taken of the time their tending demands, that being considered 

 as part of the household routine, or even in the light of a re- 

 laxation. It is not by those who usually rear chickens , that 

 large profits are made, although the gross sum returned at the 



* A laying hen can be kept on good corn at an expense of only 

 2 cts. per week. Where chickens have a run, they can be raised for 

 half what they may be sold for. ED. 



