I4<J MAINE AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. I907. 



always occupy the farms and prepare the coarser crops of the 

 land for market, and upon their number and quality depends the 

 prosperity of agriculture. 



Poultry is kept in small numbers on almost every farm as 

 gleaners or scavengers. Hatched and brooded by natural 

 means, practically unrestrained, they find the exercise necessary 

 for their existence, and such varieties of food as are common 

 about the farm are condusive to their welfare. If the food sup- 

 plies are generous and shelter and shade sufficient, life with 

 them is at its best and it is doubtful if returns from any other 

 source come to the farmer with so little expenditure of material, 

 work and thought. 



With this common knowledge of the earnings of birds, has 

 come the desire to increase their numbers and make their keep- 

 ing a department of the farm or a special extensive industry. 

 That this is practicable is demonstrated by the many plants in 

 successful operation. The factor that has brought success to 

 these plants is the skill of the operators. 



The skill required in successfully rearing and keeping birds 

 in large numbers, by artificial means, for continuous years, is 

 not beyond what may be acquired by the common person, pro- 

 vided he will train himself to see and do what should be done. 

 Great skill is not secured in a single year but it comes to those 

 who try. The purpose of this, and other bulletins issued by this 

 Station on poultry matters is to make known our methods of 

 work and the results of the investigations conducted. 



It is not claimed that our systems are perfect, or better than 

 all others, but they are the best, for us, of any that we know. 

 We are constantly trying to learn more about every phase of the 

 industry and the information gained is given to the public in 

 these bulletins, as it is secured. Some of the matter in this issue 

 has been given in a previous bulletin, but as the supplies of that 

 issue are exhausted and the calls for the matter so great, it is 

 rewritten and printed again. 



BROODER HOUSES. 



Portable brooder houses of several different sizes and styles 

 of construction are in use, sufficient to accommodate 2,000 

 chickens to maturity. The style of house that has proved most 

 satisfactory, with us, is here described. 



