126 MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURE. 



By 74 chicks sold, . 



39 fowls sold, ........ 



Deduct expenses, . 



Leaves b.ilance of profit, ..... $253 68 



By analyzing the above, it will be seen that Mr. Tuthill did 

 not get fancy prices for any of his stock ; his fowls averag- 

 ing a little over $1 each, and his chickens a trifle over 50 

 cents each, while his eggs average about 26 cents per dozen. 

 From 75 fowls he would make at least 12 pounds of manure, 

 which would more than pay interest on stock and fixtures. 

 Now let us suppose that the fowls of Mr. Tuthill had been 

 some pure breds of some of the popular breeds. It is not 

 extravagant to say that he would have realized at least $2 

 each for his poultry, and at least 50 cents per dozen for 

 his eggs, counting the picked trios, which would bring at least 

 $10, and the number of eggs, for which he would probably 

 get from $3 to $5 per dozen. 



THE DOMESTICATION OF WILD BREEDS. 



This is a subject which has not yet received the attention 

 it deserves. Domestication has produced from the wild 

 Mallard that peerless duck, the Rouen, which is double the 

 weight of the former. There is no reason to doubt that 

 similar results may not yet be obtained by the domestication 

 of many other varieties, as, for instance, the Canvas-back, 

 the Eider, Pinktail, etc., etc. The Brant and Barnacle geese 

 have not yet been fairly tried ; and some of the Grouse family 

 of the West and North-west, some of which, as the Black 

 Grouse of Nebraska, are said to weigh nearly four pounds, 

 may yet come to be classed among the favorites of our poultry- 

 yards. We hope the daily widening interest which is becom- 

 ing more evident among us will yet lead to rich results in 



this direction. 



Edmund Rodman, Chairman. 



