Milford chronicle., 1917-01-19

Compliments of the season. May every
good wish of yours be realized during
the new year and may your pathway he
clear of reverses and failures.
And now, let us look for a time at the
FIRST month in the new year in the roll OF
the poultry man. January is indeed a
very important month in the poultry
mans calendar and much of your success
during the year will depend upon how
you enter the business and the extent of
your preparations at this time.
! This is indeed the month of prepara-
ton, and this applies to both the utility
and fancy branches of the business. With
the advent of 1917 the first and foremost
duty of the poultryman is to balance up
his account for the past year in order
that he might know to a certainty whether
his business has been paving one or not.
When this has been attended to, and
all the detects of his system become
known, his next duty is to rearrauge his
business or make such improvements as
will spell success in the future.
And while we are looking back over
the accomplishments of the past year we
should, at the same time, look forward
to the possibilities of the new one. There
are many important matters which should
be considered at this time. In your lei
sure moments augment your knowledge
Of chickens, with a view of improving
your business and making it net returns
as large as il is possible for you to do.
II YOU have not already taken up the
subject of mating, for the bettermeut of
your future stock, do this at once as it is
one of the most important essentials to
successful business. That is, unless you
are satisfied with continually purchasing
your eggs for Matching at a handsome
price from some more energetic poultry
man.
While the purchase of eggs for incuba- !
tion is alright, yet it is a very costly
practice for the poultryman who hopes /
or aims to raise a quantity of birds. The
groundwork or foundation of a flock of
good birds lies in the mating of the par
ent stock, and for this reason, proper (
mating is very important.
One of the first questions which an in
dividual will naturally ask himself when
taking a survey of the future is, How
can / make the hens lay more eggs this
year than they did last year?" One of the
secrets of more eggs is early Matching,
which gives the birds an opportunity to
mature in time for the fall and
winter laying. Early mating, properly
done, is the first step toward early matches.
The question of better matches also az
itates the minds of many. Hatching is
by no means game of chance, but de-
Dends upon the fertility of the eggs which
are being incubated, and the fertility of
the eggs depends entirely upon the con
iition Of the birds comprising the breed
ng pens.
It can be readily seen that the percent
age of matches and the possibility of rails
ng the young chicks to maturity depends
argely upon he proper mating of the
parent stock thus showing the impor-
ance of this branch of the poultry indus
ry.
Even if your matings are made with
he utmost care. and all of the breeders
ire qualified to have place in the breed {
ng pen, please remember that all of the
ggs resulting from these matings are {
lot suitable for purposes of incubation. \
Zone but the best eggs should be selected
or Matching and no misshaped one. over t
r undersized ones should be used.
When the eggs have been set they
hould be given the best of care during t
he process of incubation to insure a good II
atch. If an incubator is used for the c
urpose it must be properly attended 10, l
nd where the hen or natural method is r
ollowed, Old Biddv should at least re- t
eieve Your care and attention during her
roOding.
There are many persons who resort to t