40 POULTRY PRODUCTION 



ing means the growing of non-competing crops specialization 

 is a long way oti'."' 



3. Poultry is receiving increasing recognition as an excel- 

 lent means of roin-erting the farm and table waste into 

 cash, particnlarly wlicn this waste is supj)lemente(l \)X feeds 

 furnishing certain essciit a! ingredients that aie otherwise 

 lacking. Poultry products arc crops for \\diich a constant 

 demand furnishes an outlet, usually at good prices, in either 

 cash or trade, ^^'ith tlic growth of closer relations between 

 producers and consuiicrs and the de\eloi)n!ent of cooperative 

 agencies for buying and <listributing general farm jjroduce, 

 ])oultry products are destined to assume a position of greater 

 though always subordinate imjiortance among other farm 

 prcjducts. 



4. The general farm furnishes such favorable conditions 

 for i)oultr.y that little experience or skill is necessary to 

 succeed in liaiidling it in a small way. Because of the large 

 fields and ]iasturcs which arc cov'ered with greenness and 

 are availabh- for i-a,nges, the variety of grains and insects 

 to be picked up and which demand exercise in the getting, 

 the nmnerous buildings and trees for protection from the 

 sun and wind, antl the fact that tlie flocks are usually small 

 and the farms so large that there are few birds to the acre, 

 poultry thri\e in spite of any lack of skill used in their care. 



The late Prof, (b M. Gowell- saw clearly when he said: 

 "Poultry husljandry is a legitimate agricultural indus- 

 try. ... It occupies a special place in agriculture and 

 will never displace other work except on limited areas. It 

 requires large quantities of grains and concentrated feeding 

 material and but small quantities of bulky foods. Larger 

 animals will always occu]iy the farms and prepare the 

 coarser crops of the land for nuirket." Itobinsoir acutely 

 observes that "the stable factor in production is the farm 

 flock. . . . The natural tendency of the poultry industry 

 is not to develop production on a large scale, but to extenll 

 and improve ordinary small operations as far as possible 



' Carver, Principles of Hural ICfonnmics. 



' Maine Bulletin No. H4. 



' Principles and Pracliee (jf ronlliy < 'ullurc. 



