The Bozeman courier., 1923-04-25

The best cheap house can be con-
structed of a poor grade of lumber
and covered, roof and side walls, with
a good roofing paper. This makes
house that is both wind and water
tight, and if properly constructed it
will last for years. The furnishings
can easily be made by anyone who can
use a hammer and saw. Pure-bred
stock should be secured for a founda-
tion whether one is going to breed for
fancy points or principally for the
market. 1t has been proved time and
again that purebred stock is the most
profitable from a commercial point of
view, and the largest and most sue
cessful commercial poultry plants in
this country are today stocked with
poultry of some standard variety. 1t
costs a little more to stock with
standardized stock, to be sure, but
it is profitable investment in the
end.
The birds which are to be marketed
mature uniformly and make a nice
appearance when dressed and placed
on sale. Consequently the producer
can command a little premium over
current market prices for them.
More eggs will be secured from a
flock of this kind than from a pro-
miscuous flock of mongrels, and the
eggs will be uniform in color and
size they, too, making a nice appear
ance and commanding a little better
price than mixed lot.
While it costs a little more to start
with pure-bred stock the extra ex-
pense stops right there, for it costs
no more to raise pure-bred chicks
if as much-than it does to raise
mongrel chicks. No one should go into
the poultry business with the expect
alton of making big money right from
the start, or even a good comfortable
living. If a man has but limited
capital we would advise him to build a
small poultry house and get a small
flock of fowls as a starter. BY the
end of the first year he will have ac-
quired a fund of experience anc
knowledge that will fit him for big.
ger things if he wants to increase the
capacity of his plant, and he will bt
in shape to work intelligently. Hav
ing made a success of keeping 8
small flock, a person can safely in
crease it to four or five times th'
number, providing he has the tim'
and inclination to care for so larg'
flock. But even now he should pro
ceed cautiously, for it does not neces
sarily follow that because a man cal
make nice profit from so to 20 hen
he can make proportionateIy great
er profit from a thousand. In fact
he may fail entirely and keep tn
larger flock at a positive loss. 1t
the same in all commercial pursuits
Because a merchant makes a success
of little corner dry goods store
no proof that he is fitted to tax
charge of a large department stor
and make a success ox the business
Caution is to be advised all along tn
line.
In taking up the poultry bushes
one should remember that there
more actual profit in a small floc
well cared for than in a large floC
neglected. The idea that seems to
prevalent that a flock of fowls WI
shift for themselves the greater pa
of the year and return profit to I'll
owner is a mistaken one They mu
be properly cared for every day
the year if they are to prove prof
able. True, they will pick up t
greater part of their living ON t
range in summer, but at the sar
time they must be supplied with tho
necessities which the range does n
afford.
1t must be remembered that the
in her native state laid but couI
Of dozen eggs year, not enough
pay for her keeping under prese
conditions. That was when she "
shifting for herself. Under ordins
conditions as we find them today, |
hen must lay from three to five do7