METHODS OF CIRCUMVENTING VERMIN 133 



In order to be an enthusiastic poultry raiser beyond 

 the beginning, then, it will be necessary for you to keep 

 your poultry houses and coops clean, lest you entail 

 disease ; sprayed against the small vermin such as lice 

 and mites; close-netted against roaming vermin — 

 weasels, minks, cats, and even the neighbor's pet dog. 



If you station the coops near a hummocky swale, 

 there is danger of minks, etc. ; if too near a forest, owls 

 and hawks and crows will demand, and will take, a toll; 

 if near a highway, vehicles and dogs must have their 

 chance at your pets and your profits ; if too near infested 

 barns or rubbish-heaps, rats will eat and foul and waste 

 the feed if it be openly free and plentiful, or devour your 

 eggs and chicks if the grains are safe in tin-lined bins. 

 'Possums will have a try at your dainties in the way of 

 eggs, etc., even if they have to enter the houses to get 

 them. Polecats know the juiciness of young chicken 

 meat, and the fox and "the little rid bin" have always 

 been at polite loggerheads. 



Fortunately, few are likely to have to contend with 

 all these trials ; still more fortunately, none need be 

 subject to their depredation, if he work his wits hard 

 enough in advance. I don't know who it was that said, 

 " Inspiration is perspiration," but inspiration and most 

 other things are perspiration to the commercial poultry 

 raiser! Even fretting will induce perspiration, at times. 



Early in the year 19 10, a city woman established 

 herself in the country, just between the places of two. 

 old hands at poultry raising, as it chanced. She was 

 full of original ideas. She lectured by the hour on the 

 true methods of making money with poultry (.original 

 ways, of course) and generously instructed the two hard- 



