Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1916-04-09
(By ]. HOWARD sLEDD)

WY >. IloN AMI oISfsDbJ
man in the poultry business to
succeed must have "a backbone well
developed. be inquistivc enough TO
look for trouble, and he will find sue
cess as sure as rate. But If he thinks
few hens, any old shed, bag of
musty corn and u pail Of sour water
are going to enrich the place, burden
him with money and stir up envy in
the heart of every man who sees his
flock. why he is going to fail. The
man must equip his plant with the
best appliances If he is going to keep
abreast of the times.
Myself and others have talked ana
written of the possibilities of the poul-
try business for years and there can
be no doubt as to the possibilities but
the most important factor is the man
Some folks are as ohio in the poul-
try yard as monkey on throne.
They possess no adaptation whatever.
They are simply in the business be-
cause they deem it one in which easy
money is to be made. II requires no
prophet to read their horoscope.
We all realize that animal hus-
bandry demands certain very special
qualifications. There are some who
know that 1t would be commercial
suicide for them to keep certain
breeds Of horses or cattle, yet but few
seem to realize that they are not equal
to the task of rearing poultry. ANY
body can raise chickens any variety
of chickens, regardless of aptitude for
the business or any knowledge OF the
disposition of the fowls. Fools rush
in where angels fear to tread" Then
after little come the troubles TO
get out OF the difficulties they resort
to all sorts of nostrums. vile decoc-
tions. etc. They then turn to poultry
literature and study the plans of the
,,,,1 e,t ntfrh tynsn
practice of them: the end is sure.
With Grain OF Salt.
Poultry literature needs to be read
scum grano salis'-with a grain OF
salt There is not only need of Keen
discernment in reading il. but full
supply of common sense should be
coupled with the diScernment. n
! great many who contribute what Is
known as poultry literature do not
themselves have firm grasp or the
things they undertake to write about.
one swallow does not make summer
vet many who undertake to give infor-
nation write as II their few old hens
were the whole thing in poultrydom.
They give no why" no 'wherefore': !:
there is no analysis, no evidence OF
any intellectual activity whatever; 1t
is simply experience without a reason.
Now. believe me. experience is good
ana It's telllIlk IL lutei eSti'iS "hu hSiP
full, but ii is only experience. stop
and do some deep thinking and you
will realize that methods that make
for success in California or New York
will not very probably prove of like
value in oklahoma or the southwest.
Methods that succeed with the Leg
horns will not prove as etfectual WIN
tie Asiatics. Small plant methods will
not he Just right for the larger plant
GU have to reckon all the time on
the individual characteristics. The hen
is most certainly a live machine II you
treat her correctly, but between the
utility man on the one hand and the
exhibition crank on the other, each
spending his time in denying and de-
nouncing the methods OF the otner
the beginner IS certainly placed III the
position of "a lamb before hei
shearers."
Every poultryman should be ar
original investigator OF ms own ilocK
He should remember that what is one
mans meat Is another's poison. Ht
should certainly seek all the infor
nation that he can possibly gain ano
from every source, but he should sIe
cially study the development of prin
cjples. The possibilities of men "a
well as their differences lie in tho
creative powers Literature on the
subject is not hard to become familiar
with. but the real study Is the SUD
ject itself. One may get his heat
crammed full of facts and they ma,
be in such disorder as to be of practi
cally no value. The knowledge game,
must be so organized that its appli
cation will be both useful and pro
ductive of success.
Power of Our Own.
The man must have originality ant
faith ip himself. Only the manned ant
the cripples have need Of crutche
and a sound man may use helps unit
he is himself helpless. We must real
ize that we have powers of our own
have confidence in ourselves or els
we are helpless. The men in the bus
mess who have achieved a success
have had hard row to hoe and the,
only reached the top because of thei
belief in themselves and their meth
DDS These may look like stumblin
blocks to the beginner and likely t
alright him from the work but II h
has in him the real man-that whicl