72 LESSONS IN POULTRY KEEPING — SECOND SERIES. 



ing for all his experience aa he goes, but it is the most expensive way to learn, and also the. 

 most tliscou raging, and where one persists and makes a success scores give up either from dis- 

 couragement or lack of funds. Even with plenty of capital it usually takes three or four yeais 

 ti) get a'poultry plant started this' way in running order and netting anything above expenses. ^ 

 A niiin who knows the business may begin with only a few hundred dollars, a good reputation, 

 and good .credit., and liy hard work and the most rigid economy, boih on the plant and in the 

 household, may get along und ahead, but it is not an easy road to affluence. 



What Poultry Keeping Offers Those For Whom a Change of 

 Occupation is Desirable. 



To a great many people engaged in occupations injurious to their bealtb, or utterly distaste- 

 ful to them, or in which compensation is small, and chances of advancement smaller, poultry 

 cuiluie seems to oft'er a way of bettering themselves. Yet I have found comparatively few, 

 even of these, who were willing to work themselves into the bu^ille^s in ways that gave reason- 

 able assurance ot their being sible to continue in it peimaneu tly. TJie bane of the poultry busi- 

 ness seems to be the desire of everyone starting in it to "bo>s," to be his own boss if possible, 

 if not to secure a position as manager and "boss" for someone el.-e. 



There are many poultrymen in the business, making livings of all grades, from a bare sub- 

 sistence to comfortal)Ie independence and a bank balance that shows a gratifying increase 

 nearly every year, who got into it from one of the classes we are now considering; but so far 

 as I have known them tbey have worked into poultry culture gradually. Either they went to 

 work for poultrymen and learned the business thoroughly, or they found it possible to build up 

 their stock of poultry in the days and hours which had they had only their other occupation 

 would have been idle. In a great many instances, too, the help of one or more of the other 

 members of the family has been an important factor. Perhaps the most common case is where 

 u' wife equally interested with her husband looks after the poultry when he is unable to do so. 

 Occasionally — perhaps I should say often — the wife is the better poultry keeper, and better 

 manager of the two, though rather averse to being known to the world as the head of the con- 

 cern. In most instances where women successfully carry on a poultry business in their own 

 name the male members of llie family give such assistance as they can, though occasionally a 

 woman is left entirely dependent upon her own efforts and such help as she may hirf. 



In general it may be said that to make a satisfactory exchange from some other line into 

 jioultry keeping requires exceptional conditions. Many who would like to do so cannot, and 

 some who would be better for the change could it be effected find it impossible. It should be 

 said al>o with reference to poultry culture as a business for those not in robust health that their 

 a<laptability to it will depend more on whether tbey can stand steady work and exposure than 

 nijon ability to do hard work. A poultry keeper must be about in all weathers. He may 

 lurange his plant to make his labor as light as possible, and to have everything adapted to the 

 enmfort ot fowls and chicks; but still occasions will arise when in heat, or cold, wind, rain, or 

 Miow he must get about and look after his stock, and it he cannot stand such exposure, and 

 cannot occasionally work long hours he had belter not go deeply into poultry keeping. In 

 some diseases long hours and exposure are not injurious, provided there is not too much over- 

 time, and one takes proper cpre of himself after exposure, and in such cases poultry keeping 

 may be unexcelled as a healtb iostorer. The great thing is to keep the business within the 

 limits which will not make it too great a burden. 



What Poultry Keeping Offers Those With Money to Invest or 



Land to Occupy. 



Under this heading we consider poultry culture as an Investment for men who do not intend 

 to give their poultry plants their personal supervision, or who plan to hire an expert to run 

 the business until under his instructions they become qualified to manage it for themselves. 



A great many people every year contemplate poultry culture seriously from this point of 

 view. Men with money to Invest, having heard reports of large profits from poultry, Imagine 

 that by investing money in a poultry farm they can have their money pay them ten or twelve 



