The Farm

For a given auaount of capital inves ed there is more proflt in poultry when rightly managed than in anything else on the farm. It is well known, however, that small flocks pay a greater proportional return than larger ones. This is partly because small flocks receive more attention, and partly because f owls will not thrive when kept togethre in large numbers. In venturing into the poultry business beginners should understand that if it is intended to keep the fowls in large flocks, even when well attended, bountif ully fed, and the f uil range of the farm given, success cannot be assured. This experiment has been tiïed over and over again, and to-day there is but one farm in the United States devoted to poultry in large numbers, and that one ia conducted on a different plan from that to i which farmers are accustomed. I'oultry raising should be encouraged. It can be so arranged as to give light employment to women and children, and is within the reach of those with limited means. Long bef ore Americans discovered that there was a great eecret in poultry raising, the Frenen put in operation a method that enables them to ship eggs to England, Germany and Austria, as wcll as to supply a large detnand ;it home. It is often remarked that the French a ie the most succ9ssful poulterers in the world, but we can do ; all they can do in the matter, and more too, f or they have no home-raised Indian corn to assist them. They divide their fowls into flocks of not more than one dozen. Each flock ha3 a sraall fowl house, 10x10 feet, and a yard of about 100 feet deep, divided in the middle. The housea stand siparately in the center of the yards, which are 30 feet wlde. Each house thus has a 50x30 feet yard in front, and the same in the rear. An acre of grounü wul anow or these houses and yards. The 14 yards, with one dozen fowl3 each, will accommodate 168 fowls. This is large number f or an acre of ground, but they are kept healthy by changing them frequently from onevacant yard to another. The partitioñ f enees are built very cheaply, sometióle of wire, and again of lath. To make.this system plainer to the reader, it should be known that two öocka of fowls are never in ing yards, as perfect seclusionfiom otner flocks must be en joyed by each of the Bmall flocks Thus, while one flock is running in the yard at the front of its house, the adjoining yard on the left and right is empty, as the next lot of f ow Is will be running in the rear of their quarter ; or, to illustrate by mean of a checker-board, the dark spaces representing the occupied yards, and the white spaces the vacant ones. As soon as the fowls are placed in one of the yards, the (front one, for instance), the rear one is spaded up and seeded to grass, oats, rye, quick-grow ing vegetables having good largo tops, or anything else that will afford plenty of green f ood. "VVhen a fair growth has been secureü, the fowls are turned into the rear yard, and the front one is in turn spaded up and seeded down. The frequent spading of the ground not only keeps the yards fresh and clean, but their fertility is greatly increased by the rich droppings of the fowls.