32 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



Instruction. 



How shall the farmer learn the poultry business ? The best 

 starter for any business life is faithful study in the Massa- 

 chusetts common school, — the best of its kind in the world. 

 If the poultryman has the advantages of higher education, 

 they should prove helpful. The fm'ther training of man}' a 

 poultryman has l)een gained by a life course under the du^ect 

 tutelage of that dear but not always beloved teacher, — ex- 

 perience. Some poultry farmers are sufficiently wise to 

 utilize as fully as possible the results of the experience of 

 others. For those who find it possible to be away from 

 home for a few weeks, there are open the advantages of one 

 of the short courses in poultry culture now offered by several 

 of the State agricultural colleges of New England. 



Others who cannot for various reasons leave home may at 

 least gain much valuable instruction b}^ taking a correspond- 

 ence course in one of the several schools offering special 

 courses in poultry culture. This plan of home study under 

 the guidance of experts in connection with continual inter- 

 ested practice on the farm is proving an effective means for 

 thoroughly preparing the poultryman in his business. 



The poultry books and periodicals are another source of in- 

 formation, which if wisely sifted and salted will help to make 

 the industry of the poultryman progressive and profitable. 



Investigation. 



In order that poultry culture may be placed upon a firmer 

 foundation of knowledge, further investigation and experi- 

 mentation are necessary. 



In the matter of incubation alone there is need of intense 

 examination of the fundamental conditions. To-day the 

 poultry business is based on average hatches of 50 per cent 

 of the eggs incubated, and the raising of an average of 50 

 per cent of the chickens hatched to market size or maturity. 



In the matter of breeding there is necessar}^ a series of 

 experiments, which shall demonstrate the actual application 

 of the principles involved to the satisfaction of the practical 

 ])()ultryman, and cnabh' him to manage his breeding birds 



