150 



of charitable organizations, thus being enabled to help 

 them, as well as to sit down together at the social board 

 near the places of meeting, and with the ladies' assistance 

 help ourselves to abundance of well prepared food. 



David W. Low, Secretary. 



POULTRY ON THE FARM. 



ESSAY, BY O. S. BUTLER, OF GEORGETOWN. 



That poultry raising, is naturally an important depart- 

 ment of agricultural industry, no one can doubt ; notwith- 

 standing very many persons are engaged in poultry raising 

 who have no interest in common with farmers or farming, 

 still it remains a fact that no farm is quite complete with- 

 out its well-arranged poultry yards. But this industry is 

 subject to the same fluctuations as any and all other busi- 

 ness, sometimes reaching the highest standard of volume 

 and profit, and then dropping down to the lowest point of 

 remunerative profit, because the business is overdone and 

 poultry and eggs become a drug in the market. But these 

 fluctuations are felt more by the fancy breeder or special- 

 ist than by the ordinary farmer who raises about the same 

 number of chickens every year, and supplies his customers 

 with new-laid eggs and clean, toothsome poultry at about 

 the same price from year to year. 



The facts and opinions that follow in this discussion are 

 the result of many years of experience, and of very close 

 and careful observation made during the last year, by vis- 

 iting the large poultry yards of this and other states, and 

 by conversing with their proprietors in a friendly way. 



The first question that will naturally arise in the minds 

 of persons contemplating the poultry business as a pro- 



