198 POULTRT-CRAFT. 



that their substance need not be repeated here. Those paragraphs should be 

 re-read in connection with the following remarks, which are more specially 

 pertinent to the new breeder as a seller of stock. 



The beginner, generally, is a poor judge of stock though generally he does 

 not thus think of himself. He can make broad distinctions between his best 

 and his worst, but when it comes to accurately placing values on his mediocre 

 stock, he is most apt to make mistakes, and in consequence make some bad 

 blunders in filling orders. Mistakes due to ignorance are often aggravated by 

 one's carelessness pricing or shipping stock without carefully examining it; 

 sometimes catching birds in the dark, and cooping them almost without 

 looking at them, filling orders by the catch-as-catch-can method. If one is 

 frank and straightforward with his customer, such blunders are easily rectified 

 without injury to either party, and without ill-feeling on either side. 



Some breeders prefer to have their stock scored, and sell by the score. It 

 is questionable whether there is any real advantage in this. Private scoring is 

 so open to abuses that private scores are generally discredited. The full 

 responsibility of filling orders educates a seller in values more quickly than 

 anything else. 



One of the most serious mistakes of beginners is selling their best birds. 

 A breeder no matter how low down in the ranks ought never to sell his 

 best birds, unless he is sure he can replace as many as he needs of them for 

 less money than these bring him. If he does not keep a little in advance of 

 his customers, he cannot long hold their trade. 



Nearly all new breeders carry too many low class males through the 

 winter. Males of the quality sold for crossing or grading rarely bring over 

 $1.50 to $2 each. At such prices it does not pay to carry them until the 

 beginning of the breeding season, when they will be in demand. Some old 

 breeders say that it does not pay to winter a male that cannot be sold in the 

 spring for $5. The new breeder cannot place his limit quite as high as that, 

 for he cannot at any time get the prices the older breeders get ; but if he will 

 make it a rule to keep over no male which he cannot sell for $2.50 or $3, 

 one of the worst leaks in his business will be stopped. Pullets of like inferior 

 quality can be made to pay their way. 



An unknown breeder cannot expect to get the prices a breeder of wide 

 reputation gets for stock of the same quality, as far as appearances show. 

 At the same time, he ought not to make the mistake of cheapening his stock 

 and himself by offering goods for less than the ordinary small breeder 

 gets for similar stock. At first glance it would appear that if one cannot 

 dispose of most of his eggs for hatching at $2 or $1.50 per sitting, it is better 

 to sell for 75 cents or even 50 cents, than to eat them ; or if he cannot get $3 

 or $2 for birds well worth those prices, it is better to let them go at $i for 

 breeding, than at 50 cents as poultry. Every dime saved this way is a dollar 

 lost in future sales. The beginner who has good stock should keep his prices 

 at a fair medium. 



