50 CHOOSING A POULTRY FARM 
5. The use of a driven well and compression storage tank oper- 
ated by a gasoline engine will be found an efficient and economical 
method of furnishing water where natural sources are absent. 
The one point of most importance in laying out a water system 
is to take the water from above the plant and carry the waste 
water below, thus doing away with contamination. The more 
naturally this system can be brought about, the more desirable 
is the location, as'a greater economy in labor and equipment is 
secured. 
Size and Shape of Land.—The area of land secured will 
largely influence the system of housing and yarding which will 
be followed. A farm of forty or fifty acres will allow of develop- 
ing an immense business on the colony plan, as well as giving 
ample space for growing much of the feed at home. A farm of four 
or five acres will take care of approximately 1000 layers on a very 
intensive community basis, and provide range for raising young 
chicks. No feed except pasture can be grown on such asmall area. 
If possible, some land on the place should be in trees, prefer- 
ably fruit trees, so as to have shade available. Artificial shade 
can be constructed, but it is not as satisfactory as the cool, moist 
shade provided by growing trees. 
The shape of the land is an important factor. A square lot 
of land has the following advantages over a long, rectangular one: 
1. If the area is large, it is better to place the buildings in 
the centre near the dwelling house and work the farm all ways 
from this centre location, thus saving much time which would 
be spent in going long distances many times a day to do the work, 
as is required when the farm is narrow and the buildings located 
at one end. 
2. It is peanteally impossible to have all the flock constantly 
under the eye of the attendant when they are too scattered; the 
danger from loss by hawks and thieves of all kinds is apt to be 
much greater. 
3. If the plant can be planned to have all the runs arranged 
as nearly as possible in the form of squares, the cost for fencing 
and posts will be less and the amount of green feed grown in them 
will last much longer than in long, narrow yards. 
Plan of the Plant—The common systems of poultry keeping 
which have given success in all parts of the country may be classi- 
fied as follows: Community, Semi-community, and Colony 
Systems -(Fig. 31). 
