316 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[July, 
Poultry Raising as a Business. 
BY r. H. JACOBS. 
Those who contemplate raising poultry on alarge 
scale, must divest their minds of the idea that it is 
an easy and pleasant occupation ; yet it is so, com¬ 
pared with ordinary farm operations, although 
much hard work must be done, and many failures 
are to be expected. As managed on most farms, 
poultry is not profitable, simply because no atten¬ 
tion is paid to breeds, shelter, or feeding. The 
eggs are gathered wherever they can be found, the 
chicks are surrendered entirely to the hens, and 
feeding varies from twice a day to once a week, 
according to the inclination of the person in charge. 
A flock of ten hens can be comfortably kept in a 
yard, 20 feet wide by 50 feet deep. An acre of 
ground will contain forty such yards, or 400 hens. 
No cocks are necessary unless the eggs are desired 
for incubation. To estimate §1.50 as a clear profit 
from each hen, is not the maximum limit, but 
the profit accrues according to the management 
given. Poultry thrives best when running at 
The breeds have special characteristics also. The 
large fowls must be hatched in March, if early 
pullets are desired for winter laying. This applies 
to Brahmas, Cochins, and Plymouth Rocks. If 
the manager finds this impossible, he should 
at once substitute cocks of the Leghorn breed, 
which, crossed with large hens, make good market¬ 
able chicks, and produce pullets that mature 
early. A knowledge of the characteristics of the 
several breeds is indispensable to success. Crossing 
pure-bred cocks with common hens is excellent, 
but “ fancy poultry ” is not profitable to any but 
those who understand thoroughly the mating and 
! selection of the several breeds. 
Is it a suitable occupation for ladies or delicate 
persons? is an oft-repeated inquiry. The ordinary 
work of throwing on the ground a few bushels of 
com weekly and gathering the eggs seems an easy 
matter, but to keep large numbers, there is the 
additional work of cleaning, watering, regular feed¬ 
ing (early in the morning), closing at night, attend¬ 
ing to the chicks, and marketing the produce. In 
winter, very often, there are places from which the 
snow must be shovelled, to say nothing of hundreds 
A House Costing $2,500. 
We present in illustrations 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, plans 
of a house, containing ten good sized rooms, a large 
veranda—costing §2,500, and presenting a neat and 
attractive appearance. The building is of Queen 
Anne style, now becoming so very popular, and 
makes a very handsome and commodious residence 
for town or country. The general arrangement 
was suggested by a woman, who determined to 
dispense with the conventional main hall and stair¬ 
way, occupying the most prominent place in the 
the front part of the house, and provided instead, 
a vestibule entrance outside the house, from a part 
of the veranda. This puts the stairs in a less con¬ 
spicuous place, with approaches from two directions 
at the foot, thus making them serve equally well for 
general or family use from the main house, and as a 
private stairs from the rear extension- Ex¬ 
terior (figs. 1 and 2).—The outlines are angular, 
i and somewhat picturesque. The body is two feet 
above ground, and but a few easy steps are required 
1 to reach the entrances from the outside. The ex- 
Fig. 1.— FRONT ELEVATION OF HOUSE, COSTING §2,500. Fig. 2.— SIDE ELEVATION OF HOUSE, COSTING §2,500. 
large, but this applies only to small flocks. Hens 
kept by the hundred become too crowded while 
at large, no matter how wide the range, and sick¬ 
ness and loss occur. Large flocks must be di¬ 
vided, and the size of the yard required for a flock, 
is of but little importance compared with that of 
the management. There is much profit to be de¬ 
rived from the sale of young chicks—and, where one 
pays attention to the business—they receive the 
greatest care. Each brood, like the adult, is kept 
separate from the others, in a little coop, which 
prevents quarreling among the hens, and enables 
the manager to count and know all about tbe 
chicks. This is very important, as there are 
many farmers who hatch scores of broods and 
yet cannot tell what became of two-thirds of 
them. Hawks, crows, cats, rats, and other depre¬ 
dators take their choice, and the owners are no 
wiser. Each sitting hen should be in a coop by 
herself, and each coop should have a lath run. The 
critical period is the forming of the feathers, which 
calls for frequent feeding, and when they have 
passed that stage, the chicks become hardy. The 
houses need not be more than eight feet square for 
each family, and can be doubled. If possible, it is 
best to have changeable yards, but, if used, a less 
number can be kept to an acre. If the yards are 
kept clean by an occasional spading, however, 
green stuff may be grown elsewhere and thrown 
over to them. This may consist of cabbage, grass, 
turnip tops, kale, mustard, lettuce, etc. Watering 
must not be neglected, or the meals given irregu¬ 
larly. Care must be observed not to feed too much, 
as over-fat fowls will lay but few eggs, and such 
eggs will not hatch. A good poultry manager is 
always among his fowls, and observes everything. 
of little vexations, that occur at all seasons. There 
is plenty of work to do : fences to repair, leaks to 
stop, and filth to remove. Yet, if there is a strong 
boy to assist in the harder labor, there is no man¬ 
agement superior to that which a careful lady 
usually bestows, she often being more observing 
than her husband. 
System is an essential feature. This means 
regularity and promptness, with all the details 
well arranged. Precautions must be taken against 
preying' animals, and for the eradication of vermin. 
Watch the fluctuations of prices, and seek the 
best markets. The same systematic method should 
be carriea out in attending to many flocks as is 
usually bestowed on one, for by sub-division the 
management becomes easier. 
Those who are fond of rhubarb are reminded 
that it may be canned for winter use in the same 
manner as fruits. If this has not already been 
done, the winter’s supply ought to be put up at 
once, as the gathering should soon cease, and the 
plants allowed to grow and gain strength for the 
product of next spring. In canning, the rhubarb 
is stewed as if for the table. Sugar may be added 
or not; it is not necessary for its preservation, but 
many think it is more convenient to add it at once, 
otherwise the rhubarb has to be heated before it 
is used, in order to properly incorporate the sugar. 
The hot rhubarb is filled into the jars in the same 
manner as stewed fruits, and the covers put on at 
once. Before placing away, try if it is possible to 
screw down the corks still tighter. In gathering 
rhubarb at this season, select the newer stalks, as 
the outer and older ones are apt to be tough. 
tensive veranda and other projections afford pro¬ 
tection from storms to the windows and entrances, 
besides affording desirable shade. The roofs are of 
dark slate, one-third of those on the main roof 
being pointed and laid in belts. A cresting of or¬ 
namental iron is set along the main ridges, and, 
when properly connected with ground rods, serves 
to protect the building from lightning. The win¬ 
dow openings have a single light of plain glass in 
the lower sash, and several smaller tinted lights in 
the top one. The tinted glass, in a variety of col¬ 
ors, produces,with little cost, a very cheerful effect, 
both outside and inside_ File Cellar equal 
the first story in area. It has an outside entrance, 
five windows, and stairs leading to the first story. 
Ilight of ceiling, '6i feet_ First Story (fig. 
3).—The liight cf the ceilings is 10 feet. There 
are four good-s.zed rooms, each with outlooks at 
their sides and ends. The main entrance is from 
the front veranda, through a good-sized and pleas¬ 
ant vestibule, which is lighted at the side by a 
cluster window of tinted glass, and has side and 
end doors opening to the parlor and sitting-room. 
The parlor has four windows facing three direc¬ 
tions, each protected from storms, and agreeably 
shaded by the veranda. There is a large open 
fire-place, and doors communicating with the sit¬ 
ting and dining-rooms. Tbe sitting and dining¬ 
rooms adjoin each other through sliding-doors, 
which admit of their being used together, as occa¬ 
sion may require. The kitchen is convenient, 
well-lighted, has a large fire-place, with range, and 
adjoins a pantry. The rear entrance, or porch, is 
also reached through a door from the sitting- 
room. The stairs to the cellar and to the second 
story are placed between the dining-room and 
