128 INTENSIVE POULTRY FARMING 



oughly learned the importance of cultivating and 

 growing crops in the yards to keep them in a sani- 

 tary condition, and his yards all showed that they 

 had intelligent care. 



"One of the most interesting of intensive poul- 

 try farms that I have seen is situated near the Old 

 San Gabriel mission, not far from Los Angeles. 

 Here is another 'ranch* of four acres where 2,500 

 layers are kept, and the same ground has been used 

 continuously for five years or more. We are accus- 

 tomed to saying that it is impossible to keep chickens 

 successful year after year on the same ground, but 

 here is an apparent contradiction. Up to date no 

 serious calamity seems to have befallen the fowls 

 on account of soil contamination. 



"It is, of course, another question whether the 

 farm can be continued for another five years 

 without showing symptoms of collapse; but a few 

 explanations are needed here. A little discrimina- 

 tion is required. The poultry man must be able to 

 discriminate so as to suit his system of poultry keep- 

 ing to his conditions. What suits one man in one 

 location won't suit one man in another, and the only 

 thing that will save the poultry man is his own head. 

 He must be able to decide for himself, after all, 

 what is the best for him in his particular locality. 



" When I say that here for from five to six years 

 fowls have been kept successfully in large numbers 

 on a small piece of ground, I know a great many 



