IN THE POULTRY YARD. 187 
sun-flowers, etc., etc., and the chickens picked up during the year 
a great deal of food in the shape of seeds, insects, worms, etc., off 
the cultivated land. None of this could be taken into the account, 
and yet it was all of importance, but it is very obvious that what- 
ever it cost is fully represented in the charges for labor and interest. 
It was amusing to notice the eagerness with which the chickens 
followed the plow, especially in grass land newly broken up. Such 
land would be full of the Jarvze and pupze of cock-chafers or May- 
bugs, and the way the chickens, old and young, feasted on them 
was gratifying on two accounts: ‘he chickens were fed and the 
insects were destroyed. 
‘The first year we were on the place the cow had a very beautiful 
heifer calf, which we raised. ‘This calf was now a cow in full milk, 
and consequently our supply from the two cows was considerable, 
though none too much. We churned all the milk except the small 
quantity used in the house, and fed the buttermilk to the young 
chickens. It paid better than selling the fresh milk at market 
rates. ‘his was an important item, but is fully covered by the 
charges for labor and interest. Whiie the feed bill may appear 
heavy, the labor account probably appears light, for in addition to 
the hands named in the statement there was my own labor, which 
amounted to fully as much as that of any man that I could have 
‘hired, and the house girl gave us a great deal of assistance in pre- 
paring food and in other ways. And perhaps I have underesti- 
mated the amount of work demanded from the man, though, as I 
would have had to have him anyway, his wages might be fairly left 
out altogether so far as my particular object was concerned. But 
in a thoroughly organized poultry establishment, run as a special 
business, his whole time would have to be charged to the poultry. 
The same is perhaps true in regard to the horse. Her keep and 
- expense of shoeing, harness, wagon repairs, etc., would all have to 
‘a 
be charged to the expense account, if poultry were the sole source 
of income; but as it was, I obtained nearly $1,500 per year that I 
would not otherwise have had, and this so turned the balance in 
favor of Ferniebield as a residence, that I have no present intention 
- of leaving it. 
