32 Profitable Poultry Keeping. 



of the intending poultry keeper, as to the cost of the 

 houses and runs. We have visited at various times some 

 really palatial establishments, where hundreds of pounds 

 have been spent in erections, and where everything is of the 

 very best nature — planned and placed so as above all to 

 please the eye. And we have, on the other hand, seen 

 yards successfully carried on where the crudest and roughest 

 houses and appliances are in use, the object being to 

 secure the desired end with the least possible expenditure. 

 The fact is, elaborateness has nothing to do with success 

 or failure. So long as certain definable laws are observed 

 all will go right ; and whilst first-class houses may add to 

 the pleasure of the owner, or to ease in working, they are 

 by no means necessary to — nay, we should say almost a 

 hindrance to — profit, as the large amount needed as capital 

 outlay requires a greater charge for interest than should 

 be laid upon the concern. This is, of course, addressed 

 to those who regard the matter as one of profit. Those 

 who do not, can freely gratify their tastes, and can easily 

 make more ornamental any such houses as we shall describe, 

 and in all probability the additional cost will be amply 

 repaid in the extra pleasure thus obtained. But there is 

 as much care needed in the erection of grand houses as in 

 smaller ones; and we have known hundreds of dollars spent 

 in erections that were almost useless. In fact, there is in 

 such places always a danger that utility shall be sacrificed 

 to appearance, and against this we must utter a note of 

 warning. 



It must not be thought from what we have said that we 

 object to substantial and well-built houses, for this is not 

 the case, and wo believe that often the putting of a few 

 extra dollars into a building is a good investment, saving 

 the expenditure of many more afterwards. Nor must it bo 

 imagined that we think any plan is a suitable one, for 



