12H THE TRAP NEST TEXT BOOK 



earing for unprofitable hens has been saved to the credit of our trap 

 nests and records. If we will carefully note the condition of our hens 

 as we handle them during' the day when taken from the nests, we should 

 consider that we are thus saved the necessity of looking them over at 

 night after they have, gone to most: a time-consuming operation that is 

 universally practised by careful poultrymen under the ordinary system. 

 The question is not how much time will it take to care for a certain 

 number of hens under this system, but how can we best apply our time 

 so as to get the best results. If 200 hens will la> :!0,000 eggs in one 

 year it hardly seems reasonable that we can save time and money by 

 housing, feeding and caring for :i00 hens in order to get the same 

 number of eggs. 



We should consider that it is very difficult to gel any reliable basis 

 for judgment by comparing the methods and results obtained by different 

 operators. The man rather than the method may be the determining 

 factor. 



No man can justly compare the individual system with the common 

 system of breeding and maintaining poultry until he become -familiar 

 with both systems. 



A practical trap-nest system given thorough and adequate trial is 

 essential in order to obtain evidence of the comparative merits of the 

 new and the old. The trap nest does not provide an easy way to keep 

 hens for profit. Neither does anything else. There is no easy way.. 

 Successful poultry keeping under any system requires hard work and 

 a careful attention to details. Trap nests are not essential to success. 

 They contribute to success by making available information that can be 

 obtained in no other way with large flocks, and not without more time- 

 consuming labor with small flocks than would be necessary with them. 



I shall be glad to hear from any reader at any time in the interest of 

 the persistent layer and her owner. 



Tf a reply is desired a self-addressed and stamped envelope should 

 be inclosed unless the matter directly concerns the Ideal Nest or 

 specialties. 



1 have no means of knowing how many practical nests exist, but I 

 do know that u very few that, are good are, or have been, to some extent 

 commercially available. It is hoped that this text book will be found 

 useful with any, should they be preferred to the Ideal. 



The Km >. 



"Genius is two per cent, inspiration and ninety-eight per cent, 

 perspiration." Thomas A. Edison. 



