POULTRY SECRETS REVEALED. 7 



central states; the sheep herder Is equally restricted; but the poultry- 

 man has the whole nation for a field. Of course one must breed in 

 certain localities for certain markets. Thus the Boston market 

 demands brown eggs — the browner the better. The New York market, 

 with equal lack of reason, demands white shelled eggs. In catering 

 to the first the so-called Mediterranean breeds would not be as profit- 

 able as the so-called American or English varieties; while for the 

 latter "Leghorn" eggs are most in demand. With these exceptions 

 an egg is an egg, size and quality being the only points that count. 

 Therefore start at home. 



The beginner is often puzzled to know whether it is best to start 

 with birds, eggs or baby chicks. A very careful analysis of each shows 

 that each has certain advantages and also certain disadvantages. If 

 the beginner can invest say $75 for a trio and from $100 to $150 for a 

 pen, that will be the best way for him to start. He can raise his own 

 chicks and, by careful line breeding, can in due time establish his 

 own strain. But under no circumstances should a start be made with 

 cheap birds. Like begets like and cheap birds beget cheap birds. In 

 buying a trio or pen, always go to a breeder of established reputation. 

 The reason is obvious: the man who has been in business for m^any 

 years, whose stock has won the blue at the leading shows, must 

 necessarily know his business. More than that he must necessarily 

 be a man of honor. The lesser breeder may, and often does, have 

 excellent stock. And if his birds are of the line royal, the experienced 

 buyer may find it advantageous to deal with him. But in such cases 

 the beginner takes a chance which he would not do in buying from 

 an old time breeder. 



If one cannot afford to buy first class adult birds, a very good way 

 to start is by the purchase of a number of half grown chicks. Birds 

 of good quality, six weeks of age and upwards, which have passed 

 beyond the dangers of their baby days, may sometimes be purchased 



