The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1878-10-23
When Fowls are Profitable.

OIten, perhaps, the answer mas come
through friend or neighbor, and the.
conclusion is finally arrived at and
the question settled in the following
manner: Z" If such a one says SO, it.
must beright any way" Thus many
go on cropping in the dark, and never
know for themselves the. exact facts
or the real truth OF the business.
Fowls may be profitable for one per-.
son and not for another. 1--WE must
decide the case for ourselves Cir
cumstances and localities are variable.
The first thing to consider is the OBJ
ject in view, the adaptation of the
situation for our purposes, whether
egg or poultry, or for mere pleasure.
If for the latter object, the profit is.
not taken into the account. All that
is necessary is to consult the taste,
and please the eye. When this Is
done, the object is attained. With
the majority our handsome birds
must return good profit. Most
we'll kept fowls are handsome, Beau
ty alone is not the object, unless
breeding alone for exhibition, and
then beauty should be u nited with
profit. Exhibition does not pay in
the long run; eggs and poultry. are
the things to be depended upon.
The object sought is the profit.
In order to be exact, strict &C.
count should be kept Of every quart
of grain consumed, and every egg
and chick produced, This involves
a little patience, time. and trouble,
perhaps, but the satisfaction compen-
safes. To be sure the. experience. of
Others is valuable, but the sum does
not seem correct unless it proves ii.
self 1t is not necessary that the
whole time be devoted to this thing.
Only proper portion of time must
be spent, and due care extended to-
wards the interest of the different
departments. No one should be
afraid of this labor on farm. The
occupation of farming is the most in
teresting, responsible and happiest of
all employments. 1t is all nonsense
to speak of a boy being too smart to
waste himself on farm; the thing
will not prove itself; it cannot stand
alone. The cultivation of the soil
requires wisdom, thought, and study
The care of stock requires still more.
education, and the department of
fowls is no mean one. If the situa-
ton be contiguous to city market.
then eggs and early Matched chickens
pay handsomely; if distant, the ex-
pense of getting to market decreases
the profits. The poultry is not as
fresh, and eggs become stale in warm
weather. Much depends also on the
breed of fowls. In regions remote
from market, the expense of making
eggs and poultry, is not so great, as
grain is cheaper.
Crosses are not TO be desired for
either poultry or eggs. There is
nothing like the pure breeds for
either. It does not answer well to
engratt the Brahma body and appe-
tite on the smaller limbs of the leg
horn. The cross produces hen that
is neither good for eggs or sitting,
unless judiciously managed. If this
crossAbe desired, the smaller speci
mems OF Brahmas should be EMPLOYED.
One objection to the Asiatics is the
great length of time required in ar
irving at maturity, The Leghorns
will excel them entirely, on this scores
yet the cross makes good poultry for
early marketing. The Leghorns are
not intended for incubation. They
are not adapted by nature for setting,
and it is something abnormal in the
reproducing organs that ever leads
them to sit at ala trouble that is
brought on by injuries, heavy feeding.
or too much intimacy with the male.
Hens that are laying eggs for market
purposes should not be allowed much
freedom with the cock; neither
should they be kept in confinement
the whole time. They require exer.
else and forage, and no forage given
them is like that obtained by seeking
it for themselves. In the sitting hen
there occurs stagnation of nature
tor a season, when the full supply of
food is not demanded. Still a Brahma
hen will sit on full crop of corn all
the time, replenishing it each day if
allowed, and grow fat. Their very
nature appears to be indolent. Thew