No. 4.] MODERN POULTRY CULTURE. 99 



I do not believe it is best for every farmer to undertake to 

 follow the specialist ; that he can produce poultry and eggs 

 cheaper and at less risk, — if he does not adopt such extreme 

 methods. The farther he goes from the old methods, the 

 more work he must do, and the greater the care required and 

 the greater the chances of disease. The old pioneers did not 

 have to take the precautions against disease that people in 

 cities now do. If you keep large numbers and follow im- 

 proved methods, your obstacles are greater. The specialist 

 w^ho confines his flocks in yards and provides all their food 

 the year around, may secure a greater product than if they 

 were allowed free range ; but fowls thus cooped are wholly 

 dependent upon their keepers. If you do not give them 

 fresh water, gravel, meat and green food, they sufl'er. If the 

 yards and houses get foul, they cannot get away, and must 

 breathe the fumes. The successful specialist cannot be 

 guilty of such neglect, but it has been my experience that 

 many farmers who attempt to improve are. We do not 

 approve of dropping boards, as a rule, for this very reason. 

 Those who take up advanced methods, build modern build- 

 ings, get good breeds, and then fail to carry out the details, 

 are worse off than if they were following old methods. 



I have seen men who kept bees try to improve, and have a 

 similar experience. They understood just how to keep them 

 in the old box hives, and make a little honey and money 

 every year. It was no great thing, but was pretty sure, as 

 far as it went. A few years after they had taken up modern 

 methods, there were no bees on the place. It was not the 

 fault of the new hives or methods, — they had simply gone 

 farther than they understood, or would carry out the details. 

 The farmer should remember that he must work from a 

 different stand-point usually than the fancier. My advice to 

 the farmer is to adopt the breed and management best suited 

 to his circumstances. It is better even to keep bees in box 

 hives, or poultry in the old way, than to strike too high a 

 key and fail entirely. If he cannot give the extra care, 

 labor and attention, he should not adopt the houses, breeds 

 and fixtures that are suited only to those that do. 



It is usually desired that something definite be said in re- 

 gard to which is the best breed. It is the one best suited to 



