INTRODUCTION. 



I think I am entitled, witkout egregious 

 vanity, to deem my experience worthy of some 

 claim to attention, as, during the last four 

 years, I have gained iipwards of 460 prizes, 

 in Scotland and England, and personally super- 

 intended the management of forty separate yards, 

 in which have annually been hatched more than 

 1000 chickens. 



I began to breed poultry for amusement only, 

 then for exhibition, and lastly, was glad to take 

 the trouble to make it pay, and do not like my 

 poultry yard less, because it is not a loss. 



All honour to the numerous writers on the 

 subject. I pretend not to rival them. The field 

 (like the world) is wide enough for all. A few 

 portions of this work must necessarily treat of 

 the same subjects as their's, although a good deal 

 that is new, I trust, will be found. I am not 

 a plagiarist. I desire to copy no one. I make 

 no pretence to be scientific, but only very prac- 



