238 BOARD OF AGEICULTURE. [Jan. 



and the consumer gets as much of solids in the milk for seven 

 cents as he o^ot for eig-ht cents before. It has been said that 

 he who makes two blades of grass grow where one grew be- 

 fore is a benefactor of mankind. We are now able to make 

 a little more milk and a little more butter from each cow. 

 The attempts of the formers in the past three years to have 

 something to say regarding the sale of their milk, and not 

 have the dealers alone set the price, have increased the price 

 to the producer over six per cent in the past three years. 

 Does it pay ? 



Adjourned to one o'clock. 



Afternoon Session. 



The meeting was called to order at one o'clock, by Mr. 

 Cruickshanks. 



The Chairman. The lecture due at this time is upon the 

 subject, "How to Make Poultry-keeping Profitable," by 

 Dr. G. M. Twitchcll of Fairfield, Me., associate editor of 

 " The Maine Farmer," whom I have now the pleasure of 

 introducing to you. 



HOW TO MAKE POULTRY-KEEPING PROFITABLE. 



BY DR. G. M. TWITCHELL OP FAIRFIELD, ME. 



The day has arrived when, in measuring any industry, the 

 standard of dollars and cents must determine value. If this 

 be thought too much of a utilitarian view, the answer must 

 be that every surrounding influence, every possible condition 

 entering in, forces to this one standard by which results may 

 be accurately measured. 



The trees in our orchards, beautiful, symmetrical and 

 attractive, are valuable as orchards in proportion as they 

 throw out on bough and twig the l)lossoras of ^lay and the rich 

 fruit of September. The dairy cow on which we are coming 

 to depend so completely, is of service to just the extent that 

 she produces the golden, waxy product in excess of cost of 

 keeping. The sheep must be measured, not by fancy tastes 

 or desires, but by the wool and mutton product. The horses, 

 multiplying so rapidly all over New England, are to be in- 

 creased or diminished just in the ratio of their conformity to 

 this one standard of merit. By their fruits all these must be 



