Destroying Vermin. 17 



A good dog in the yard or adjoining house or stable is an 

 excellent protection. 



Every poultry-house should be lime-washed at least four 

 or five times a year, and oftener if convenient. Vermin of 

 any kind can be effectually destroyed by fumigating the 

 place with sulphur. In this operation a little care is requi- 

 site ; it should be commenced early in the morning, by 

 first closing the lattices, and stopping up every crevice 

 through which air can enter ; then place on the ground a 

 pan of lighted charcoal, and throw on it some brimstone 

 broken into small pieces. Directly this is done the room 

 should be left, the door kept shut and airtight for some 

 hours ; care too should be taken that the lattices are first 

 opened, and time given for the vapour to thoroughly dis- 

 perse before any one again enters, when every creature 

 within the building will be found destroyed. 



It is said that a pair of caged guineapigs in the fowl- 

 house will keep away rats. 



In a large establishment, and in a moderate one, if the 

 outlay is not an object, the pens for the chickens and the 

 passages between the various houses may be profitably 

 covered with glass, and grapes grown on the rafters. 

 Raising chickens under glass has been tried with great 

 success. 



