192 COMMON SENSE 
with his stock, he may soon acquire a reputation for these breeds 
that will bring a handsome sum annually into his pocket. But he 
must bear in mind that the breeding and selling of fancy fowls, 
as they are called, is a somewhat speculative business. J’ashion 
seems to have more to do with this matter than has real merit, 
and the bird which would have brought a large sum yesterday, 
and which has cost much to rear, may be unsaleable to-day. 
In closing these pages, allow me to say that they have been written 
as much with a view.to warn people of the difficulties ahead, as 
to encourage them to go into poultry keeping. ‘he tendency to 
adopt some one of the various minor rural pursuits as a business 
is decidedly on the increase, but we see everywhere, that, where one 
succeeds, ten fail. ‘That this is due to the character of those who 
go into it, and not to the nature of the business itself, is easily seen 
from’ the mere fact, that one succeeds, but we hold that one of the 
greatest wrongs and injuries that can be inflicted upon the strug- 
gling classes, is to present a dazzling picture of success, claiming 
that any one may attain it. And yet we see daily paraded in 
various journals, the promise that if a person will only get, a few 
good hens, and take care of them, he may soon build up a busi- 
ness that will lead to fortune. And these promises are backed by 
such an array of figures and statistics, that there seems to be no 
possibility of disputing them. The eager but inexperienced novice 
is, therefore, led to invest his time and money in a business of 
which he knows nothing, and in which he finds out, when it is 
too late, that failure is the rule and success the exception. 
Of one thing I’ am satisfied: Experience on a small scale, 
with a few dozen hens, although undoubtedly valuable, will not 
enable any one to undertake poultry-keeping on a large scale at 
once. The difficulties as well as the opportunities which arise when 
a Jarge number of fowls are kept, are entirely different from those 
which present themselves on the small scale. But those who will 
bring an ordinary. degree of intelligence to the work, and who 
have the qualifications we have already named, may soon acquire 
the necessary experience and skill, and they will find that where 
there is capital, industry and common sense in the poultry yard, 
there is money in poultry-keeping. 
