PROPAGATION 
which also leads to thorough assimilation 
of the food consumed. 
Good digestion and thorough assimila- 
tion mean health and strength to the 
chicks and economy in food. Economy in 
food and health to the chicks lead to large 
profits, and that is what the most of us 
are after in the poultry business. My 
opinion is that a little fine, sharp grit fed 
to the chicks before they receive their first 
food is indeed a very good thing, and my 
experience sustains this opinion; there- 
fore my advice is to follow this practice. 
The grit should be followed by a little 
buttermilk, If the chicks do not readily 
drink the buttermilk, they should be 
picked wp, one by one, and their beaks 
dipped into it. 
Soon after they have had a little but- 
termilk they may be given their first solid 
food. All this may seem to be a great 
deal of trouble, but it pays to do it. Un- 
less you are interested enough to take a 
little pains to get the little chicks started 
off right, you had better stay out of the 
poultry business. 
Somebody will suggest, I presume, 
that Nature has no buttermilk to feed her 
5 63 
