372 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



as much to keep a six-dozen as a twelve-dozen hen. If our 

 flocks were cleared of all surplus males and worthless females, 

 of all old, sick, infirm and valueless stock, the saving would 

 be enormous. Many a flock of hens is being kept at no 

 profit, simply because their owner is loading the producers 

 with a burden of waste stock which eats up all the profit. 



In all breeding we have first the tendency, then the habit ; 

 the habit follows the tendency, and therefore it is in the 

 earlier state that control is easiest and most successful. In 

 spite of this, the great majority of flocks grown this year 

 will be allowed to run together, males and females, with the 

 one thought of size and fat on the part of the males, forget- 

 ting that the pullets mature earlier, that fat is an obstacle 

 to egg production, and the natural tendencies are uncon- 

 sciously being turned into habits of fat forming. Viewing 

 the question as an economic problem, these conditions are 

 all to be noted as helps or hindrances to success. Grow the 

 cockerels for the end you desire them to reach, but think of 

 every pullet as a possible profit bearer to you, and let her 

 mature with no thought but of strengthening the natural 

 functions of egg production. There are some things which 

 may be forced, but these are all crude or mechanical : all 

 the higher and finer products come by invitation. This 

 applies equally to the fruit or vegetable grower and the 

 horticulturist as to the crop producer and feeder. 



Another important step which economy dictates is that of 

 protecting stock, crops and fruit from myriad pests and 

 diseases. That this imposes severe obligations there is no 

 question, but it offers the only economic solution of the 

 difficulty. Healthy animals, plants and growing crops alone 

 can return the largest yield and finest quality. More sun- 

 light and fresh air in the tie-ups will retard the activity of 

 disease germs ; better protection from flies will increase the 

 flow of milk. Whatever destroys any portion of the leaves 

 on the growing plant or tree destroys also its power to repro- 

 duce in largest quantity or to mature to greatest perfection. 

 Thus the spray pump, the insecticide, the fungicide and bug 

 destroyer, the solution to prevent scab, and any and all 

 agents which, intelligently used, enable the plant or grow- 



