Weekly graphic. [volume] (Kirksville, Adair Co., Missouri) 1880-1949, 1886-01-22
Pc OLTRY AND FARM.
Poultry for Children.

dren for holiday or birthday pres
cnts, and are equally at a loss,
sometimes, to know how they may
occupy portion of their leisure
time. This is especially the case
in our cities and large towns,
where the facilities for out of door
exercise are not as good as III the
country.
We earnestly commend to pa
rents who have young children
growing up around them the plan
of giving the youngsters an oppor-
tunity to keep fowls. 1t is natural
for boys and girls everywhere to
desire the possession of something
alive, which they can call their
own. The novel toy or inanimate
plaything answers its purpose for
the time being, but the living pet |
is more lasting object of interest. |
Its possession gratifes the sense
of power and control, which is uni |
versal with young people as we'll
as with older ones. Just try the 1
experiment of bringing a box con- |
tanning anything that is alive into
the family circle, and see how
struck with interest and delight |
the Young people viii become. let
il he 4 squirrel, nidgeors, n p1opy, !
pair of Bantam fowls. anything
that Is alive. i ii is onl. .. mcose
in trap, ani yoi' VII sec how IN
terested the Young folks VIII Ha-
come.
In addition 20 tho pleasure
which the childrenderivc from the
care of poultry, there are two Oh
er advantages. There is disc;.p-
line and training in habits Of IN
dusTy and responsibility that may
be procured through The care of
fowls; and besides this eggs for
peclniary profit,
Almost any domesticated ami
mai is better that none at all for
the purpose of juvenile training
But We doubt if any sort of small
stock can be named that will afford
to the generality of children so
great an amount of solid, contfnu-
Gus and healthy pleasure In the
cultivation as domestic fowls. The
expense OF keeping and rexring
small flock of these is trivial. A
trio, or half a dozen good birds of
any chosen variety, may be amply
provided with good quarters upon
any suburban or cottage estate on
very small scale. The eggs may
be set, the chicks Matched from
them, and the. arrangements for
the comfort and thrift of old and
young birds viii be hut simple
pastime 10 look after and the chill
dren viii vastly enjoy all this
manipulation, if once they are per-
mitted to own these pretty and
valuable pets.
twill pay" in satisfaction to
the little ones, ard if they can en-
JOY the care of their tiny flock
themselves. and reap the benefit,
as their own, the trifing expense
OF the first experiments viii be
rendered more remunerative to
father, mother, or guardian, who
may give the children Of the fami-
ly this innocent opportunity to
make a few dollars annually, while
the occupation viii prove of the
highest benefit physically to the
little ones who are entrusted with
this pleasant work.
In this connection a word about
poultry raising by ladies. There
are many ladies Of slender pecpni-
airy resources whose health or OPP
portunities allow them no chance
for earning money outside the
home circle, but who might, with
very small outlay, set up little
poultry establishment, and find
health, occupation and money in
the undertaking. Let US give one
or two examples in point, since eN-
ample is better than precapt,
In certain country village a
professional gentleman found him
self at fifty in possession of three
pretty daughters, 4 slender in
come. broken down constitution,
and gloomy prospect for the flu
ture. The daughters were educat-
ed, regmed, energetic, and devoted
TO their parents. One opened a
private school in the house; the
second gave music lessons, not
only i'll her own neighborhood, but
in an adjoining city; the third
turned poultry keeper. Each sue
eeeded in her chosen way, but
Bertha's poultry yard, in her judi
cious management, was the most
successful of the three undertak-
ings. Elegance and refinement
still reigned in the sick man 5
house. books, music, pictures; and
the pretty feminine kniek-knacks
that tasteful women gather about
them were scattered through the
rooms; nor did the little poultry
girl lose caste in society, or suffer
any letting do4n in manner or
character because she helped to
enlarge the family fund by raising
poultry,
Another young lady kept an ac-
Il ],