CHAPTER II. 



BREEDING. 



Pure bred poultry will pay best it 

 looks the best it is the best. 



THE KIND OF STOCK. 



Don't attempt too much, especially if you are a beginner. It is 

 better to keep one hundred chickens and make a profit on them than 



it is to keep one thousand and lose 

 the profit on all of them. 



It will pay every farmer to raise 

 only pure bred poultry. You will 

 take more interest and pride in 

 them, and thereby give them better 

 care ; they attract more attention 

 and are therefore in greater demand ; 

 they bring better prices, they are 

 better layers, you can produce more 

 pounds of flesh and produce it 

 quicker with the same quantity of 

 feed; their eggs are of a more even 

 size and uniform color, and there- 

 fore bring better prices; and you 

 sell some of your better stock to 

 your neighbors and customers at a 

 good price. You claim it costs too- 

 much to get started. To this we re- 

 ply, that most farmers have enough 

 old iron about their places if it was 

 gathered up and marketed would sell for enough to buy several set- 

 tings of eggs or a trio of good chickens. Sell half of your flock of 

 scrubs this season and invest that much in pure breds. Next season 

 you will have raised enough pure breds to dispose of all scrubs. 



WHAT VARIETY IS BEST? 



The variety which suits you best as to color, size and shape is 

 the best variety for you. If you don't like and don't feel a pride 

 in the variety you have, you are almost certain not to give them the 

 attention they should have, and therefore will not succeed. No one 

 breed or variety can claim all the good points. Select some of the 

 more popular varieties for which there is some demand, in case you 

 have any surplus for sale. I would recommend some of the general 

 purpose or Mediterranean breeds. If you are simply breeding for 

 pleasure, it matters not what you select. 



HOW MANY VARIETIES SHOULD I KEEP? 



One. Only one. You become an expert and are looked upon 

 as authority if you stick to one variety. You will establish a reputa- 

 tion and sell just as many eggs and just as much stock in the long 

 run and make more clear money if you select one variety and stay 

 with it. Your flock looks much better, you are not troubled with 

 getting birds crossed up with other breeds, and it requires less f encing, 



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