6 PROFITABLE POULTRY PRODUCTION 



as a necessary nuisance, tolerated mainly because 

 they lay the foundation of custards, cakes and other 

 dainties, the enjoyment of which offsets somewhat 

 the losses of grain and garden truck. This is still 

 the case, even now, in many sections. Frequently 

 eggs could be sold or bartered only with difficulty 

 even at the minimum price of 6 cents a dozen. 

 Though prices have risen, there is still complaint 

 of low figures, but this is among those who do not 

 manage their poultry well. 



It is little wonder that poultry raising has had 

 difficulty in shaking off the disrepute in which it 

 was formerly held. The whole trouble has been 

 in the mental attitude of the farmer. This has sub- 

 jected the fowls to systematized neglect. Hens 

 relegated to the stables, wagon sheds, fences or trees 

 for roosting places ; to the mow or the manger for 

 nests; to the barnyard and field for feed, cannot do 

 well. A'Vith starvation or butchery as alternatives 

 and treated with such neglect what wonder that 

 eggs are few and chickens that reach maturity 

 fewer? This condition of affairs is happily being 

 replaced by better management, because better 

 management pays. 



GROWTH OF THE INDUSTRY 



About 25 years ago estimates of the eggs and 

 poultry production of the country were derided, 

 but when the census published its reports these esti- 

 mates were found to be very conservative. The 

 new figures greatly exceeded the former estimates, 

 even though census statistics were acknowledged to 

 be imperfect. Between 1890 and 1900 the increase 

 in egg production was about 58 per cent, the aver- 



