CHAPTBE VII. 



"PETITS PO US SINS" AND BROILERS. 



In France there has been for many years a consider- 

 able trade done in small chickens, which are found to 

 be in great demand at certain seasons of the year, and 

 sell readily at excellent prices. It may be explained 

 that these birds do not carry a great amount of flesh, 

 though more than would at first be expected, but they 

 are served whole, one to each person, and there can 

 be no doubt that they form a very dainty dish. In 

 this country the demand for them has been increasing, 

 more especially in the West End of London and two or 

 three leading centres of population in the country. Of 

 late the trade has assumed much greater proportions, 

 and we know one breeder who last year marketed 

 about 2,000 birds which realised an average of from 

 Is. 6d. to 2s. each. And a well-known poultry breeder 

 recently sold a lot of January hatched chickens, when 

 about five weeks old, at 2s. 6d. each. Whilst, there- 

 fore, this trade cannot be expected to assume large 

 proportions, still it is desirable that particulars shall 

 be given as to the preparation of the birds, because 



