48 LOCATION AND SITUATION 



and turkeys on a large scale, since they do much better on free 

 range and the cost of feed is reduced to a minimum. The cost of 

 labor per bird is usually high where a system of this kind is em- 

 ployed, but by the use of wagons or feed carts it should not be 

 excessive. 



The colony system works out to very good advantage in com- 

 bination with other branches of farm work, such as fruit growing. 

 The colony houses may be scattered among the trees, thus making 

 the same land produce two crops. With dairy or beef farming, 

 the houses may be scattered about the permanent pastures, where 

 they can be easily attended and do no damage. 



Climatic and Soil Conditions. Poultry will do well on nearly 

 all kinds of soil and under nearly all climatic conditions. But 

 there are certain soils which should be avoided, or expensive means 

 will be necessary to correct them. 



Dry air should always be chosen for a site. Along the banks 

 or valleys of large streams and along seashores it is apt to be too 

 damp during the winter months and foggy at other seasons. Poul- 

 try will thrive well during very cold weather, providing the roosting 

 quarters are kept above freezing. Fowls always do better in well- 

 ventilated, cool houses than in close, stuffy, damp, warm ones; 

 the latter are unsanitary. Sudden changes in weather are to be 

 avoided. The weather record for many years back should be con- 

 sulted to find the average conditions which are to be expected. 

 The prevailing wind direction, its velocity, and the character of 

 weather which it brings should be determined. 



A mild climate is to be desired rather than an exceedingly hot 

 one. The most southern States will never be as desirable for 

 poultry keeping as the more northern latitude, say above 35 de- 

 grees, owing to the extreme heat during the most of the summer 

 months. Dampness from the Gulf Stream is a drawback for the 

 southeastern States. High dry areas are very desirable, one of the 

 best ones in the country being the central plain running from 

 Dakota to Texas. Birds of maximum size can be more easily and 

 cheaply produced in this section than in any other region of 

 similar extent in the United States. With the perfection of cold- 

 storage systems and improved means of transportation, the Central 

 West will undoubtedly some day be the poultry centre of North 

 America. Especially will this be true as the centres of population 

 keep moving westward. 



The type of soil best suited for poultry keeping is a sandy loam. 



