14 MY POULTRY DAY BY DAY 
If a poultry-farmer fails to make his business pay, he either gives 
it up or it gives him up. It is the same with any other sort of 
business. Hither it pays or it does not pay. The failure is not 
in the nature of the business, but in the man that runs it or in the 
methods he employs. 
Given the correct conditions, all businesses pay; given the 
wrong conditions, all businesses fail. Luck is always a factor 
leading to success or failure, but luck is present more or less in 
every commercial enterprise. As a rule the weak man blames 
his luck, while the strong man creates his luck. 
One might as well ask: Does banking pay? Does shipping 
pay ? Does shopkeeping pay? The answer is invariably the 
same—sometimes it does and sometimes it does not. Much 
depends on the personal factor. There is a type of man who 
seemingly can make anything pay—‘“ All he touches turns to 
gold,” we say. There is another type who can make nothing pay 
—the apple of Sodom turns to dust at his touch. 
Best MeEetuops 
The question, therefore, is not, Does poultry pay ?—but rather, 
What is the best method to make poultry pay ? And further, 
What are the conditions necessary to success ? 
Strange to relate, poultry-farming is so essentially profitable 
that it can be made to pay, by those who take the trouble to learn 
a few essential details, such as may be found in this book. 
When I began poultry-farming I knew nothing of the game, 
but I had the assistance of an experienced man for the first three 
months. Afterwards I had to depend upon myself. All I could 
lay claim to was a certain amount of “horse sense,” such as is 
possessed by every nine people out of ten. I had no predilections 
and no prejudices. I was open to learn from everyone and any- 
one. But I had to be convinced. I was not swallowing anything 
blind or anything whole. I had to see the proofs where they 
could be produced. I entered into the preliminaries whole- 
heartedly. I read a good deal—all I could lay my hands on— 
