Consequently, there is still one industry that is not overcrowded, despite the great number who have taken it up, either as a vocation, or as an avocation. When it is considered that New York City alone cannot get enough eggs to supply the demand during the fall and winter months, and is willing to pay, and pay dearly for breakfast eggs, and that the vicinity of Pataluma, Cal., finds it profitable to ship its eggs across the continent to put them on the New York market, it can be seen quite clearly that there are excellent possibilities in poultry, even in just a small back yard flock. The remainder of this booklet will be devoted to showing the ordinary layman, who has had no previous knowledge or experience, how he can take a small flock, or a large flock, and turn it into pleasure and profit. However, one word of caution is necessary. Let no one attempt to venture upon a poultry enterprise on a big scale at first. History has shown countless failures in such attempts, and history has a way of repeating itself. It is always wiser to start moderately, and work into it gradually. This method always proves successful if common sense and moderation are exhibited. CHAPTER II. THE POULTRY BREEDS Before attempting to discuss the methods of raising poultry it is deemed advisable to first take up a discussion of the different breeds and their characteristics. Outside of a few fancy breeds, that are raised more for curiosity or show purposes, we usually think of the breeds of poultry as three distinct classes. The first of these three classes that we will take up for discussion is what is termed the egg breed. This breed is usually represented by such birds as the Leghorn, Ancona, Campine, Minorca, or the Houdan. Of these five breeds, the Leghorn and the Minorca are by far the most popular. There are different varieties of all these breeds, but the White Leghorn, and the Black Minorca are much more popular in their respective breeds than are any other variety. The other breeds are found scattered here and there, but the Leghorn and Minorca are easily the leading egg breeds. Both of these breeds have many birds with yearly records of over 300 eggs per year. Next let us consider a few of the important characteristics of these egg breeds. These breeds are small, light of weight, very active, and very hard to confine in a small inclosure. The average adult bird of these breeds weighs about four pounds. They are neat and attractive in appearance, have clean shanks, and have large head parts, which are much more susceptible to being frosted in cold weather, than the other breeds.