370 Agricultural Jour^ial of Victoria. 



and slielter as well as food is produced. Change of riiiis is also 

 necessary to ensuie the healtli of poultry. After fowls have been 

 constantly on the same ground for some time the soil will become 

 foul, and the stock are apt to contract disease. This can be avoided 

 by changing the fowls to another run for a couple of months during 

 the year. Remove the birds about the n)iddle of June, and turn the 

 run over with either plougl), spade, or fork. Then sow it down with 

 either lye or praiiie gi'ass. Allow it to rest till the middle of 

 Septembei', when the grass Avill have a good roothold. The run will 

 not only be freshened, but it will also provide the stock wMth a good 

 suppl}' of gieen food. Grit must also be furnished, and a regular 

 suppl}^ is necessar}' to aid digestion. Quartz grit oi' sharp gravel is 

 the best, and sliell grit, broken ciockeiy and old mortal' pounded up 

 is useful. A dust bath is a very necessaiy adjunct. A box about 

 3 feet X 5 feet, with sides 6 inches high, will a handy sized one, and 

 this should be filled with equal parts of fine sand' and wood ashes, 

 witli a few handfuls of sulphur added occasionally. 



The arrangement of runs so as to economise both time and labour 

 should be observed. In laying out a number of yards, the better plan 

 is to have them about 100 feet long, by 25 or 30 feet wide. They 

 should be arranged in two rows, with tlie 100 feet running back. A 

 lane or passage should be left between the two rows, and the doors of 

 the pens should open into this, which will allow the pens to be 

 entered easily. The feeding and drinking troughs can be placed 

 along and partly thiough the fence, and the fowls may be fed and 

 watered quickly by this ariangement without going into the pens 

 at all. 



