AMERICAN POULTRY CULTURE 
thought. The fancier must pay as much money for 
one breeding male, or for a good hen with which to 
retrench his blood lines, as he could reasonably ex- 
pect to receive for half a dozen of his own birds. 
The breeder with the big reputation can ask prices 
for his stock and eggs, and get them, that the be- 
ginner would not dare to think of asking for his 
own goods; and this is reasonable and proper, too. 
Then, again, from twenty-five to sixty per cent. 
of the chicks from every ordinary mating will 
prove to be culls which will honestly bring no 
more than market prices. Half of those left after 
culling will be worth only a dollar or two a 
head, and it is from the remainder that the profit 
will have to be made, and it will be made if the 
matings which produced them were of good 
quality. 
Then, too, the beginner in the fancy will find 
that, while he will experience no difficulty in dispos- 
ing of all his eggs and surplus stock from a small 
flock of fowls if he does not ask exorbitant prices 
for same, as soon as he becomes overly ambitious 
and enlarges the scope of his operations the supply 
will have exceeded the natural demand, and he 
must secure new quarters for his wares by advertis- 
ing; and this is a great drain on the profits the first 
year or two, or until one gets his name and busi- 
ness well established. But the man who can 
weather the storms of early experience will find 
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