POULTRY. 305 



The pullets commenced laying February 1st, the hens soon 

 following suit. In the six months ensuing, I sold from them 

 94 dozen of eggs, at an average of 15 cents,:=|14.10. I also 

 raised 60 chickens, worth on an average, 30 cents each. The 

 present value of these, (cost of raising deducted,) plus the 

 value of eggs used in the family, I think a fair offset to the 

 expense of keeping the fowls ; which would leave the above sum 

 received for eggs, about 814 as the profit from 20 fowls in' six 

 months. 



I have never been able to reach the large profits of newspaper 

 accounts ; partly, perhaps, from being obliged to keep my hens 

 shut up most of the time, on account of the mischief they do 

 in the garden, and partly from not being able to attend to their 

 wants so closely as might be desirable. The above, however, 

 shows I think, a reasonable return for time and cash invested. 



Framingham, September 21, 1858. 



WORCESTER NORTH. 



From the Report of the Committee. 

 The raising of poultry is unquestionably profitable, the returns 

 being speedy, sure and large, in proportion to the capital 

 invested ; and were it not for the somewhat too common 

 tendency to regard it as " rather small business " — as " well 

 enough to keep a few hens ; convenient, perhaps ; don't 

 amount to much either way," &c. <fec., this fact might have 

 become more apparent. Two things may be observed in this 

 connection ; first, that no business can properly be considered 

 small, that pays a good per cent, on the capital ; and secondly, 

 waiving even this, and granting, that, as often conducted on a 

 diminutive scale, the receipts are small, the net profit small, 

 and the business small, still the trouble and outlay are also 

 small, and if it is really too Liliputian to be reputable, why not 

 make it better worth attention, by increasing and extending it. 

 It may be thought hardly worth while to keep a hen a year, 

 and only get a dollar for her services ; but a thousand hens 

 yielding a thousand dollars net profit, sounds difierently. We 

 have no room, in a report, necessarily brief, to go into detail in 

 this matter, but we have carefully investigated the subject, and 

 can give what is, after all, the only thing possessing interest, 



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