224 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



OPPORTUNITIES IN POULTRY CULTURE IN 

 MASSACHUSETTS.^ 



JOHN C. GRAHAM, PROFESSOR OF POULTRY HUSBANDRY, MASSACHUSETTS 

 AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE, AMHERST, MASSACHUSETTS. 



Introduction. 



The rapid growth of our cities and towns during the last 

 few decades, partially at the expense of rural population, has 

 caused congested city conditions, an increased price of agri- 

 cultural products, and, in general, has aided materially in 

 bringing about the high cost of living. As one would naturally 

 expect, these conditions have turned the attention of all classes 

 of city people toward the farm so that at the present time 

 "back to the soil" is heard in the city nearly as often as 

 "young man, go w^est" was heard several years ago. The 

 former expression sounds very alluring to city-bred people 

 who read of the opportunities in various lines of agriculture, — 

 how abandoned farms can easily and readily be restored to their 

 former state of production; what wonderful crops can be pro- 

 duced when handled by the "right man;" and many other 

 similar flowery and attractive stories. 



To be sure, the advantages of rural life over those of the 

 city are enticing. Life on the farm now is not what it was a 

 few years ago. The farmhouse, with all its modern conven- 

 iences, pure air, healthful work and more or less independent 

 life draw many from the city, and we hope it will continue to do 

 so. But let us impress upon the inexperienced that to-day any 

 one of the various lines of specialized agriculture is much more 

 of a business proposition than is general farming under less in- 

 tensive conditions, and one who embarks in any branch of it 



* This article was prepared to accompany the Massachusetts exhibit at the Panama-Pacific 

 Exposition. 



