CRUDE IDLAS AND POOR METHODS. 



57 



Perhaps in a strictly systematic treatment of the subject some of the minor matters should 

 be classified under the others and considered as subordinate to them; but I do not think that 

 to do so would give them any more force, and it seems to me much the better way to consider 

 them independently. 



A number of errors similar to that of selecting a bad location, which has been mentioned, 

 are common. Sometimes these errors are the results of inexperience, sometimes they are due 

 to the prejudices or lollies of poultrymen of experience enough to have acquired good judgment 

 in the matters involved. Of this kind are errors in poultry house construction not the minor 

 errors, but the big mistakes the mistakes that are so absurd that they are serious. There are 

 H great many poultrymeu 'and not all of them inexperienced novices who, when they get 

 an idea which they think would work well in a poultry house, are not satisfied to test it on a 

 ttmall scale first, but must apply it, at whatever cost, to one large building at least If not to 

 tue whole plant. 



Breeding House at Jordan Farm, Hingham, Mass. 



There are hundreds of poultry houses in this country where the incorporation of a few 

 *' original ideas" is costing a great deal in extra work and wasted time; hundreds where 

 wrong construction makes it unnecessarily hard to keep fowls healthy and productive. There 

 is absolutely no excuse for this, for the construction of a good poultry house is about a.* 

 wimple in theory as the construction of a good dry goods box, and it Is hardly more difficult in 

 practice. 



Too many people seem to think that changing a good plan is improving it, especially if they 

 think the idea of the change driginal with themselves; and such people are not apt to accept 

 the testimony of others as to results of putting their ideas into practice. As a rule the mis- 

 carriage of their plan will convince them that it is wrong. 



In justice to the general good sense of poultrymen, however, it ought to be said that the 

 majority of tbem are quick to see errors of this kind when use brings them out, and would be 

 quick to correct them if they could take time to do so, or could stand the expense. , 



