IXTKODUCTIOTf. Yfl 



era, as well as for their brains ; since, it actually contains as much 

 matter as the Dollar Works. 



Lastly, I give as a reason, that I write in hopes of receiving a com- 

 pensation ; at least, in some measure, for my time spent in the produc- 

 tion of this work. " The laborer is worthy of his hire," and I hope 

 to benefit myself, while I benefit my fellow-men. I give you the 

 result of a life jspent in the pleasing occupations of the fowl-yard, to 

 a great extent, in connection with other branches of rural economy. 

 I give you the essence of all the works of the day of any merit. 

 Where compilation has been necessaiy, it has been divested of vague 

 and undefined hypotheses, and of all other useless matter : the wheat 

 being thus gleaned and sifted from the chaff. 



The rapid growth of our cities and large towns is daily increasing 

 the demand for poultry and eggs ; and this demand will continue to 

 increase, and hence it is highly important that farmers, and all other 

 persons who can keep fowls, should awake to the advantages of 

 procuring the most profitable kinds, and to learning the best methods 

 of management, that they may realize the greatest annual profits. 



The quantity of eggs consumed daily in the city of New York is 

 not less than four hundred barrels, or about 400,000 eggs! Some of 

 the large hotels in that city use about two hundred dozen per day. In 

 a year the enormous number of 146,000,000 eggs are sold there, worth, 

 at least, $2,000,000, taking the high prices of winter into the account. 

 The sales of poultry and eggs amount to about $3,000,000 ! 



The sale of eggs in Boston in 1849, amounted to about $1,000,000 ! 

 So say the Committee of Supervision of the great Poultry Fair, held 

 in that city in November, 1849. 



The value of poultry in the State of New York, according to the 

 latest census returns, is about $2,500,000, and in the whole United 

 States, $15,000,000. 



Are not these facts sufficient to arouse the public mind to the im- 

 portance of raising poultry and eggs ? Our Railroads can now carry 

 poultry 500 miles to market in about twenty hours ; yet with all the 

 new facilities for rapid transportation, both poultry and eggs continue 

 to rise in value. 



It will also be my special aim to give the most reliable information 

 in regard to fowls that can possibly be obtained. My correspondence 

 with the breeders in this country is very extensive ; and I can assure 

 the public that no labor, nor expense has been spared, to furnish a book 

 in which they can put the utmost confidence. That the work will 



