4*8 PROFITABLE POULTRY PRODUCTION 



ing abundant opportunity for profitable poultry 

 raising. One thing is essential, namely, to supply 

 the needs of the fowls. No matter how local con- 

 ditions may vary, these ends must be met. They 

 may be met in different ways by different people, 

 under different conditions. All depends upon the 

 poultryman, who must study his fowls under his 

 own conditions of climate, soil, etc., and adjust his 

 management of the fowls to fit the case. Until he 

 lias found by experimentation what is best for his 

 fowls, he should not make radical changes in man- 

 agement but should strive to keep fowls undet 

 what are considered normal methods of manage- 

 ment. 



THE SOIL FACTOR 



Unquestionably a light soil with open subsoil is 

 "best adapted for poultry raising and a heavy soil 

 least favorable. Doubtless many failures are due to 

 mistakes in this respect. Rocky and untillable land 

 is not economical, because the droppings cannot be 

 used to produce green feed. Soils containing ex- 

 cessive alkali should also be avoided, because of the 

 likelihood of damage to plumage and skin. On 

 light soils the droppings are quickly deodorized 

 and easily washed into the soil by rain where 

 plants can utilize them, but on clay soils they form 

 a hard crust which soon becomes foul. 



In order to keep soils sweet, therefore, some 

 green crop should be grown constantly on them, 

 and yards should be large enough to allow of this 

 practice. Alternate yards furnish the best method 

 of arrangement for this result, except, of course, 

 where fowls can have unlimited free range. It is 



