The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1886-06-30
POULTRY.kEEPING.
Profits Large In Proportion to the Amount
Invested In This Business.

Profits Large in Proportion to the Amount
Invested In This Business.
But few fail to realize profit from
poultry, though often it is supposed
that loss occurs. In fact, it is almost
impossible to incur loss under good
management, and it requires but very
little management to give profit. If
one should invest ten dollars in flock,
including food and other expenses, and
realize eleven dollars, or only one dol
lar more than the outlay, it would give
a profit of ten per cent Yet, but few
would be satisfied to expend ten dol
lars for food and receive but eleven
dollars from the hens, although in
some branches of business the proper
tionate profit from investments is
smaller.
Familiar as some are with barn-yard
fowls, yet they know nothing of the
merits of the different breeds. A
"chicken is a chicken" and the very
fact that there are SO many colors,
shapes and sizes assists in the delusion.
! There are at present two classes OF
poultry raisers, the one giving no care
at all and the other pampering the
flocks to an unnatural condition. Mis-.
management arises in the one case
from not regarding the poultry as be.
ing of sufficient Importance to receive
care, while in the other it is due to
overfeeding and deprivation of exer.
else.
Yet we must include labor as an Gle.
ment in the cost of keeping poultry,
and the excess derived over and above
the expense is not all really profit; but
it is safe to claim that all labor rightly
bestowed will be amply repaid if the
flock is a large one. Small tlocks are
proportionately more profitable thar
large ones, because they utilize much
of the waste OF the house; but by cor
rect knowledge of the proper conditions
for keeping poultry there is no reason
any number should not be kept. Here
tofore the drawbacks have been The
desire to keep too many together il
order to economize room, which entails
competition and inequality in allow
ance of food to each individual. Their
there is the failure to supply meat
plenty of water and warm quarters, tt
say nothing of neglect in cleaning thu
houses and yards. When the hens ar,
as carefully attended to as the cows
and pigs, both as regards regularity OF
feeding and labor of cleaning tht
houses, they will give better results.
A large number who do not keel
accounts would be surprised at the val
ne of the eggs and carcasses consumed
in the family compared with the ex
pense; yet, because large proportion
of food has been purchased, the hem
are regarded rs Improbable. A stric
account of all receipts and expense
J would show a gain of one hundred pc
cent. in many cases. The profit from
, poultry does not depend upon the gros
amount, but upon that produced owe
and above the outlay, and such prof
may be but a small sum, yet be larg
J percentage on the amount invested
The markets should be watched in or
: der to secure the highest prices. sn'
business methods should prevail.
The reason why poultry-keeping
sometimes apparently Improbable !
because the average poultryman
not familiar with the breeds; does no
feed a variety, uses no precautioi
against cats, rats, hawks and other IN
emies; does not keep the houses an'
yards clean; does not provide plenty O
water; feeds too much concentrates
food, and keeps the hens in an I'm
! healthy condition. When these evil
are remedicd and the poultryman vii
compare his investments with those o
. people engaged in other pursuits, tn
comparison will be in his favor. :
! Rvral NeU Yorker.