POULTRY. S87 



on damaged corn, wheat screenings, and such cheap grain. 

 The rooster has weighed about eleven pounds, and the hens 

 from seven to eight. The receipts, including the eggs laid, 

 fowls sold, and chickens on hand, (after making up the number 

 of ninety with which I began the year,) &c., amount to $155.23. 

 Cost of keeping and other expenses, $83.30. Net gain, $71.93, 

 which is about eighty-six and one-third per cent, on the ex- 

 pense. 



The chickens which I offer for premium were most of them 

 raised from fowls that were two years old. I have found that 

 the chickens are much stronger and less likely to droop and 

 die, when raised from old fowls than when raised from young 

 ones. I have raised about one hundred chickens, and kept 

 them mostly, except when small, on cheap grain. This rooster 

 weighs about six and three-quarters pounds ; the pullets five 

 pounds. The cost of keeping, $14.77. The fowls sold, and 

 those on hand, $61.57. Net gain, $46.80. 



Concord, October 4, 1853. 



Statement of Joseph Hosmer, Jr. 



These fowls that I present are a mixture of Shanghae and 

 Cochin with the gray Dorking and native. They were hatched 

 about the first of April, having set three hens on the 7th, 8th, 

 and 10th days of March; they came off as above, with thirty- 

 two chickens, of which I raised thirty-one. Thirteen pairs I 

 sold, fourth of July, for $1.25 per pair, $16.25. 



I regard the change of the rooster, every year, as indispen- 

 sable to the raising of healthy fowls, and there will be no 

 trouble with proper keeping in raising chickens and having 

 good laying hens from any breed. 



Concord, October 4, 1853. 



FEANKLIN. 



Statement of William A. Howland. 



I commenced the present year with fifty hens and four cocks, 

 the same number as last year. As the committee last year 

 reported that they thought my hens were too large to be as 



