AMERICAN POULTRY CULTURE 



thought. The fancier must pay as much money for 

 one breeding male, or for a good hen with which to 

 retrench his blood lines, as he could reasonably ex- 

 pect to receive for half a dozen of his own birds. 

 The breeder with the big reputation can ask prices 

 for his stock and eggs, and get them, that the be- 

 ginner would not dare to think of asking for 'his 

 own goods ; and this is reasonable and proper, too. 

 Then, again, from twenty-five to sixty per cent, 

 of the chicks from every ordinary mating will 

 prove to be culls which will honestly bring no 

 more than market prices. Half of those left after 

 culling will be worth only a dollar or two a 

 head, and it is from the remainder that the profit 

 will have to be made, and it will be made if the 

 matings which produced them were of good 

 quality. 



Then, too, the beginner in Che fancy will find 

 that, while he will experience no difficulty in dispos- 

 ing of all his eggs and surplus stock from a small 

 flock of fowls if he does not ask exorbitant prices 

 for same, as soon as he becomes overly ambitious 

 and enlarges the scope of his operations the supply 

 will have exceeded the natural demand, and he 

 must secure new quarters for his wares by advertis- 

 ing; and this is a great drain on the profits the first 

 year or two, or until one gets his name and busi- 

 ness well established. But the man who can 

 weather the storms of early experience will find 



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