226 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



portant point for the man to note who intends to embark in the 

 poultry business or increase his output is the fact that as long 

 as consumption in the State is several times greater than the 

 production there is no immediate danger of the business being 

 overdone. 



Climate. 



The climate in this State is very favorable to poultry culture, 

 for we do not have the extremely cold spells in winter nor the 

 prolonged hot ones in summer which are found in the more 

 central portions of our country. At first thought, one might 

 suppose that a section of the country having warm winters or, 

 in other words, perpetual summer, is better suited for poultry 

 than ours, but in reality it is found that under such conditions 

 more work is required to keep down disease and such pests as 

 lice and mites than to care for the poultry. Long, mild au- 

 tumns and snow not remaining on the ground usually before the 

 last of December are factors which are conducive to finishing 

 off the pullets and bringing them to lajung maturity before real 

 winter sets in. 



Last winter (1913-14) was considered one of the coldest in 

 years, yet poultry were kept in open-front houses without 

 freezing their combs, and in general the egg production was 

 excellent. On many farms production was above the average. 

 In some sections of the country many hens are lost during the 

 summer on account of excessive heat. Such losses are com- 

 paratively few in Massachusetts, however, as the nights are 

 always cool. This climatic condition not only adds to the com- 

 fort of the fowls, but is conducive to high summer laying. 



Another point not to be overlooked is the fact that the 

 greater part of this State is free from fogs as compared with 

 some sections of our country having a more moderate climate. 

 We are fortunate in this respect, as fogs cause heavy dews in 

 spring and summer, decrease the sunshiny days in winter and 

 dampen the poultry houses at that season of the year. In some 

 States near the coast poultrymen are often obliged to keep their 

 cloth screens closed in order to shut out the fog and mist. On 

 account of the moderate climate, in the eastern part of the 

 State especially, the early hatching and rearing of chicks is 

 encouraged. The result is the production of early broilers, 



