PAGE TWO 
big wooden boxes, handles project- 
ing on opposite sides. When frost 
threatened, we would hire two stout. 
negro men to carry the boxes into 
our big, well lighted cellar, where 
our semi-dormant plants stayed un- 
til spring. 
- One night mother and I were stay- 
ing at the house alone. Early in the 
night we heard some one in the 
cellar, then the noise became louder; 
then he 
around. You know Orange trees 
have very long, strong and sharp 
thorns. Then he left without reach- 
ing the stairway. Doubtless he 
thought there were a dozen of those 
trees down there. 

Some time ago | borrowed the 
money and bought. the All Weather 
Laying House sold by the E. C. 
Young Co., Randolph, Mass. Paid 
for the Easy Chore Patent Back and 
think it a good investment for an 
old woman. Freight brought the 
total cost to a few cents under $61. 
Ralph set it up for me. A woman 
living alone would have to hire this | 
done, but even if she hired a man, | 
he could hardly make changes, and 
she would have a first class back | 
yard hen house for a dozen hens and 
one rooster. If she kept Bantams 
still more hens could be kept in it. 
I have a large Barton Salt Co.'s 
calendar hanging near my _ desk. 
When eggs are gathered in evening, 
I note in space for that day, the 
number. At close of month, calen- 
dar is taken down and on back is 
noted number of eggs laid, price, 
feed bought and price. Before get- 
ting this house we were not getting 
enough eggs from 15 hens to supply 
my family of three adults. 
In less than a week had discov- 
ered an egg eater and sold her. Price 
noted on back of calendar. Later 
culled out two non-paying boarders. 
We are getting all the eggs we 
can use from the smaller number of 
hens, which compensates for my la- 
bor, and total return from them pays 
THE YELLOW SHEETS 
was evidently charging 

JULY-AUGUST,1947 
for feed and a nice amount each 
month, against cost of equipment. A 
man could doubtless buy second- 
hand material and do the work him- 
self for much less than I have paid 
‘out. But for a woman who must buy 
materials and hire a carpenter, she 
will be out as much money, and no 
telling what she will have, except it 
will be in the general class of hen 
houses. | 
The big leak in my poultry busi- 
ness is social chicken roasts. 
My © 
hens are big and fat and already — 
four have disappeared. I wish the 
preachers would take a_ spell of 
preaching straight from the shoulder 
on the Ten Commandments. 

“After rather more than half a 
century of poultry keeping, | am 
convinced that the big cause for dis- 
satisfaction with back yard flocks 
lies in choosing farm breeds and 
following farm methods—that is, 
unless you want to fight with your 
neighbors. Most American breeds 
have been developed for farm use; 
but in other parts of the world, land 
is too high priced for even poultry 
runs. Chickens must thrive and pay 
in small space. There are many such > 
them really 
breeds and some of 
beautiful. 
In my opinion Bantams stand at 
the head of the list for clear profit, 
but if a big chicken is wanted, Dark 
Brahmas, Buff Cochins and_ both 
White and Buff Orpingtons have 
proven very satisfactory to me, kept 
under a modified Philo system. Blue 
Andalusians are a white egg breed. 
For me they do well in confinement 
and less given to hysterics than any 
other breed of that class that I have 
tested. My son David, is to send me’ 
money for Partridge Cochin. baby © 
chicks, now that baby chick feed is — 
again obtainable, and later I hope 
to report on them. 

“And ye know that no murderer 
hath eternal life abiding in him. — 
iSJohn S24] Dae | ‘ks eae 
