PO UL TR T- CRAFT. rti 



AUTHOR'S NOTE. 



When this book was written five years ago each chapter was put in type as soon as 

 written, and the pages plated. Thus there was no opportunity for a general revision of 

 the work, and at that time, and for several years following, I thought that when the time 

 came to get out a new edition of the book I would make many minor alterations in it and 

 perhaps omit one chapter and substitute other matter for it. But as time went by and 

 the book made some reputation- on such merit as it possessed, I became more and more 

 disinclined to make such alterations, and finally concluded to make none but a few insig- 

 nificant and unessential ones made necessary by the different mechanical make up of this 

 edition. 



This conclusion was reached because I did not want to have in the hands of poultry 

 keepers two editions of the book, the same in general features and treatment, but differ- 

 ing in many places, and I may say here for the information of any readers of this edition 

 disposed to write me, as many of the readers of the first edition have, asking whether I 

 proposed to change certain things in the book, or what changes would be made in a new 

 edition, that it is altogether improbable that any changes in the text of the book will 

 erer be made by me. 



To say that I think I could take the same plan today and write a better book is merely 

 to say that I think I hare in five years of exceptional opportunity grown a little in. knowl- 

 edge of poultry culture and in ability to impart it. But there have been no such radical 

 changes either in my views or in poultry conditions as to require any substantial changes 

 in the work, and so I prefer to let "Poultry-Craft" remain practically unchanged as long 

 as it can fill the demand which called it into existence. By the time it shall have become 

 a back number I hope to have substituted for it several other books which together will 

 cover the same ground in much, the same way, but more fully, extending as much as any 

 reader could desire many points which the limits of this work made it necessary to treat 

 very briefly. 



There is still, and probably will be for many years, a good demand for a book of this 

 kind. There is also a growing demand for a work too large for the compass of a single 

 volume which will treat the whole list of poultry topics at such length as is necessary 

 to give full instruction to those who are seeking to make books supplement the practical 

 teachings of experience in the poultry, yard. While to meet the latter demand we have 

 only a few loosely compiled' pamphlets which, however good in parts, Hick the unity of 

 purpose and systematic treatment of topics without whichvno book can make a permanent 

 impression, it seems to me that it would be a mistake to give time to the rewriting of a 

 book which has the hold on the public to which the volume of the sales of "Poultry- 

 Craft" bear witnew, and not rather to devote all time available fop such work to-* series 

 of supplementary books which wilt meet the demand for greater detail. 



Reading, Mass. JOHN H. ROBINSON. 



