1042 THE PEOPLE'S FARM AND STOCK CYCLOPEDIA. 



poultry raising, when I say that poultry properly managed pays 

 a larger profit in proportion to the capital invested than any 

 other live stock on the farm. When every thing is sold at 

 market prices poultry can be made to pay a profit of from one 

 dollar to three dollars per head, according to locality, price of 

 feed, etc.; and when, in addition to the market poultry busi- 

 ness, one keeps thorough-bred poultry, and sells many of the 

 eggs and fowls at fancy prices, a much larger profit can be 

 realized. 



Poultry on the Farm. Poultry raising is a legitimate 

 branch of the farm business as much so as dairying or raising 

 pork and mutton. With the farmer the question should not be, 

 " Can I afford to keep poultry ?" but, " Can I afford not to keep 

 poultry?" The farmer can raise poultry cheaper than any body 

 else, for the reason that he can give his fowls unlimited range, 

 and there is no disputing the fact that the best and cheapest 

 places to keep fowls are where they can have free range over 

 as much of creation as they choose. In some localities fowls 

 will, when allowed unrestricted liberty, pick up the greatest 

 part of their living from the first of April until quite late in 

 the fall. This foraging greatly lessens the cost of keeping, and 

 also benefits the farmer, by greatly reducing the number of injuri- 

 ous insects. 



Besides the good that fowls do by destroying insects, the far- 

 mer should consider that poultry manure is a valuable fertilizer, 

 and if carefully saved in good condition, will go a long way to- 

 wards paying the cost of keeping the fowls through the winter. 

 Poultry manure is worth at any tannery fifty cents per bushel, 

 and is worth much more than that for any crop to which it may 

 be applied. Pound for pound, poultry manure is worth as much 

 as the best commercial fertilizers in the market. Upon this sub- 

 ject Dr. Dickie says : " The most fertile part of many farms is 

 that largely occupied by poultry. It is true that these portions 

 are usually near buildings, and seldom utilized for growing 

 crops ; but when they are so utilized, the effects of the poultry 

 droppings are plainly observable." 



In regard to poultry manure as a fertilizer for the corn crop, 



