Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1892-02-18
THE POETRY OF POULTRY
Chicken Raising as Viewed from the
Standpoint of the connoissenr.

Chicken Raising as Viewed from the
Standpoint OF the Connoisseur.
There Is aiont seeing pure bloUlesi eInine
stock n certain charm winch no norSeil.dn
caiTaccnraitlv describe and vel which ev
Fry horSeman feels. In \ sinilar WAY ey
cry true lover Of we'll llrrsi chickens vii. 40
miles TO See high grade BrHhnla or 4
Plymouth Rock Of nndi~ptted lineage
Indeed AMONG those who truly love fowls
OF high pedigree. there y n mrtliai syinia
thy almost H. strong n the mysterious
bonds of FreemtSonry. and II l. wonderful
To see IN how short time two inter -ifHl
gers will affiliate IN iie di-ciI-sion OF the
yelaliye merits of "a l.eghOrn or Cochin
china
To the delights Of thoughtful and sym
pathetic poultry fanciers the average iaS
man Is a total stranger To him. indeed
the work of caring for chickens Is but 4
mental aid lowly task consisting of rising
at dusky dawn in response TO the summons
Of the strident Shanghai. and shiyerlng IN
the cold morning air while breaking the
ice on the chickens watering trough.
That the work of raising chickens is a iii
undertaking for the intelligent aud studl
Gus. or that such task requires talents be
You'd the ordinary run of mankind, is n
statement thai may provoke the incredn
lity Of the ignorant. hut the true poultry
fancier will accept 1t without question
II is astonishing how the charm Of
chicken raising grows on one and how II
affects ones powers OF observation ana
memory It is true that there are. inci
dent 20 such life, what tile world might
call annoyances and discomforts. but To
81. ft.tt . l.,- OF
ture they are hut disagreeable incidents
the bitter which comes with the sweet
There are rats and westsels which must lie
kept from perches and nests hut who can
describe the manly sense Of protectorship
and responsibility created by such etiurtsi
There are chicken houses TO be Kept neat
and clean. shells TO be baked or broken
feeds to be mixed hut from the srnse OF
knowledge which comes with acquired
skill in all those branches what innocent
and agreeable pride and self respect do not
-pringl What traits OF patience and ,li
plomacy are exhibited in the ~killfu treat
ment Of the obdurite ana aggressive hen
that is determined To sit even when she
ought TO be laying
What gpntleness and torethought must
be exhibited in the proper care OF the
downy brood fresh from the well Kept nest
or the morr roomy iucubatorl Poultry
keeping stupid or unintprestingf Nay II
IL rather the life Of Il poet and a philoso
pher combined and The man who has stood
the test successfully should bc entitled TO
the "sumna cum ialde' OF natures best
school
Even the grosser delights OF the chicken
fancier are IN measure ideal He II rs
who knows the uualoyed delight OF ENJOY
ing fresh laid eggs when he does nut sci.
them all To him also falls the most ten
der and the iuciest Of spring chickens
Drowned to delicious crisp and floating
in wealth OF the softest, creamiest gravy
When all goes well he sees his capital and
stock in trade increase az rate winch
would make onr shrewtlest bankers green
with envy
In his little kingdom of fowls he rules
supreme. and even the gorgeous and mag
nificent chanticleer consents to follow
meekly in the owners wake al meal times
The younger chickens will perform the
most ludicrous antics for his amusement
while in the whitewashed hen yard he sees
every day some story of comedy or trag
edy, Of friendship or distruSt. hate or love
under his eyes constantly mimic theater
OF plot and eounterplot. until be. ~ the
overriding fate, steps N to end II all upon
the eXecutioner's block
And to think that all this pleasure NAV
be had at the expense OF building Il chicken
yard and purchasing some teed and a few
fowlsl The wonder u that all the world
does not 20 TO chicken raising Boston
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