POULTRY. 159 



the bleak days of winter that scarcely any ice will be formed 

 for the season. Where it is practicable, a cellar three or four 

 feet in depth will cause a warmer temperature in winter and 

 a cooler in summer. These sashes can be opened when 

 desirable, and the roost aired and cooled. 



After three or four years the old hens should be replaced 

 by pullets for laying. The old adage is truthful, "Young 

 hens for eggs and old hens for chickens." The same rule 

 holds good with regard to breeding poultry that does with 

 our thorough-breeding cows and horses. Thorough-breeding 

 is simply breeding with such care and attention that all suc- 

 ceediug progeny shall be improved, perfect types. It can be 

 done in any herd of native cows, by selecting a well-known 

 cow, of excellent parentage and qualities, and breeding from 

 her and her offspring, rejecting all unlikely ones. In twenty 

 years a thoroughbred herd can be produced, which, if not 

 equal to Jersey or Ayrshire, will be an excellent one. 



The same rule with fowls. Select hens of superior' qualities, 

 and raise none but the finest ; and an excellent thoroughbred 

 flock can be had. Thoroughbred fowls are distinguished for 

 marked qualities. Some are superior layers, like the Ham- 

 burgs or Bolton Greys, but very delicate. These can be 

 improved by crossing with more hardy stock, and produce a 

 desirable combination. In raising poultry don't do anything 

 indifferently ; there is too much farming . and stock-raising 

 done in our country without thought or calculation of the 

 results, without system or design. Calculate, figure, mark 

 down a programme, count the cost of everything, if you desire 

 gains in any enterprise. There is no department of rural 

 economy, if rightly managed, which will pay a higher per- 

 centage on the investment than poultry. The consumption 

 of eggs is increasing slowly but surely in our country. Take, 

 for instance, the New York market, the great business centre 

 of the country. In New York City alone, the sale of eggs — 



In 1870, was 19,900,700 dozen, which, at wholesale prices, 



would amount to . . $4,928,919 20 



1871, " 25,912,210 " amounting to . . . 5,661,973 85 



1872, " 28,360,410 " amounting to 6,292,250 27 



1873, " 31,148,070 " amounting to 6,976,603 35 



