A COMMERCIAL POINT OF VIEW. 89 



fairly trying if it be commercially possible for England to 

 feed her own people. He goes very fully into figures to 

 show this may be profitably done. Some few, and I re- 

 gret to say but very few, of your numerous correspondents 

 seem to notice his remarks, though none can doubt their 

 importance. This is not very creditable to the poultry 

 amateurs of England, who are ever ready to discuss most 

 zealously and learnedly about the breeds of fowls, or the 

 proper colors of cocks' legs and tails, but who seem to ig- 

 nore such practical dry business details as the produce of 

 hens and the cost of feeding them. 



These are mere questions of detail, and resolve them- 

 selves into a matter of pounds, shillings, and pence ; but 

 the success of Mr. Geyelin' s project depends entirely on 

 the amount and cost of production and the market value 

 of the produce. 



It is not for me to interfere between Mr. Geyelin and 

 " C. S. J. ; ; ' so I leave them to settle as they can, for it is 

 evident both mean well, though differing considerably in 

 their views. I must, however, notice two correspondents 

 in No. 206, one " An Old Subscriber," on the wholesale 

 price of eggs, the other " Barndoor," on poultry food and 

 annual egg produce. Both are apparently adverse to 

 Mr. Geyelin's figures, but in point of fact neither seems 

 to affect him in any way. His scheme only refers to 

 London prices, and to the productive powers of hens fed 

 and lodged, so as to stimulate the utmost powers of pro- 

 duction. It is but fair to Mr. Geyelin and the public to 

 use the utmost candor and sincerity, so as to put the case 

 fairly.* He fixes the produce of hens fed on his plan 

 at one hundred and eighty, while "Barndoor" writes, 



