386 BROILERS, ROASTERS, AND CAPONS 



ing is undoubtedly more profitable when carried on as a side line 

 to some branch of agriculture, for its season is short, and the 

 amount of labor required from hatching time to finishing is small. 

 The returns are very satisfactory, but the cost of producing 

 varies greatly, this depending upon the amount and kind of range 

 for grazing. There are two great advantages which the roaster 

 growers of the New Jersey district have, namely, large fields 

 for range after grain crops, or green pasture following the first 

 cutting of hay. These areas serve admirably for supplying plenty 

 of the required nutriment at so little expense that the cost of 

 production is materially reduced. 



Roaster growing on an exclusive basis may call for the in- 

 vestment of a large amount of capital in buildings and equipment, 

 and the production must be considerable to pay an interest on 

 the investment. Some returns are coming in constantly, yet the 

 heavy demand and high prices are in the first two summer months, 

 and the poultryman must plan to sell much of his product at that 

 time. Expenses on a specialized roaster plant are almost con- 

 tinuous, and they must be met by a short period of heavy income. 



One disadvantage of the industry is the long time which one 

 has to carry his crop before it is marketed, and this is expensive. 

 An endeavor has been made to combine broiler and roaster farm- 

 ing, but with little success. This is largely due to the fact that, 

 with a given location and certain conditions, either one or the other 

 will be found to be the more profitable, and by attempting both 

 the poultryman fails to make as much out of either. If they are 

 combined, he must carry two distinct types of breeding birds 

 which need entirely different management, hatching must take 

 place at different seasons, and there must be an altogether dif- 

 ferent method of finishing and marketing; therefore it is wise to 

 confine one's endeavors to one branch and to master it. 



To succeed in the growing of prime roasters, a poultryman 

 must become familiar with the following general factors: (1) 

 What the term " roaster " implies; (2) market types of roasters; 

 (3) natural seasons of demand and variation in price; (4) features 

 of a desirable roaster; (5) breeds best adapted to roaster growing; 

 (6) special points in management. 



What the Term Roaster Implies. A roaster is a young, quickly 

 developed but fully grown bird, with tender meat of fair weight, 

 and, owing to its large size and good quality of flesh, in prime 

 condition for roasting. 



