Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1908-09-01

"What can do to make little money
off my placer" is question which the
writer is frequently asked. The answer
depends somewhat on the size of the
place. There are many men and women
who have small places in the suburbs or
the real country, and are adding ma
terially to their incomes by raising
fruit, flowers, vegetables or poultry.
In fact, a combination of all four works
admirably oftentimes, especially if one
has the time and inclination for such
work.
Near the village of Damariscotta, Me-,
| lives a woman who has built up poul-
try business with an investment of some
5000, which yields her net income of
$50, varying little from year to year
according to the season. Now, while it
cannot be said that Mrs. Rufus Hitch
cock lives in the suburbs, yet her poul-
try houses and yards occupy only two
acres of land. Her business has de-
veloped so gradually that she has al
ways regarded il in the light of recrea-
ton.
Some years ago Mrs. Hitchcock,
whose husband owns fine farm and
makes living dairying, found that she
needed some diversion from her house
hold duties and also an excuse for be-
ing out in the fresh air every day for an
hour or two. So she persuaded her
good man to give her an acre or two OF
land, and started in TO rear fowls for
market. Being farmers wife, she
knew quite lot about hens and their
eccentrcities A house some 5l l-2 by
10 1-2 feet was built and flock of two
hundred and forty Barred Plymouth
Rock hens and seventeen cocks were in
stalled. In the spring an incubator and
several brooders were purchased and as
many chickens were raised as possible.
Gradually the business grew, and an
other house IL 1-2 by 10 1-2 feet, was
built, making home for two hundred
more hens and fifteen cocks. This gave
Mrs. Hitchcock all the work she could
attend 10 and not neglect her family.
Her methods of fe' ling are the old
fashioned ones-a warm mash every day
and a liberal supply of oats aud corn
thrown in the litter, where biddy has to
hunt for il. The little chicks are all
raised in incubators and b ooders and
are fed on commercial chicken food for
the first month; then they are put on a
mash and grain diet. All the work,
with the exception OF cleaning out the
houses, is done by Mrs. Hitchcock her
SELF As all the cleanings are used on
the farm for fertilizer, Mr.. Hitchcock
feels that he should keep the houses
clean in exchange for their fertilizer.
Year by year the receipts have grown,
until to-day the average annual net in
come is about SSl0. The eggs con-
tribute $3.50, the hens add $500, while
the broile.s fetch Sll0. Against this is
the yearly feed bill, averaging $3.50.
OF course. in this case the young stock
were not confined to the two acres, but
roamed at will over many acres, which
in the case of a suburban dweller would
be impossible. However, this should
not discourage any one from trying to
keep a flock of at least two hundred
birds on half an acre, and with care
sufficient, young stock may be raised to
replace two-thirds of the flock each year
on two acres. Or, if this is out of the
question, the youngsters may be farmed
out when twelve weeks old and bought
from the farmer iD the fall for about 10
cents a pound, live weight.-E. X. Park
inSon, Albany, in Tribune Farmer.