Poultry Yard. 51 



plots of it being sown with common trefoil, 

 or wild clover, with a mixture of biirnet, 

 spurry, or star grass, which last two spe- 

 cies are particularly salubrious to poultry. 

 The surface must be so sloped and drained 

 as to avoid all stagnant moisture, most de- 

 struct! ve to young chickens. The fences 

 must be lofty, v/ell secured at bottom, that 

 tlie smallest chicken cannot find a passage 

 through, and the whole yard perfectly shel- 

 tered, from the north-west to the south- 

 east Various beds, or heaps of sifted 

 a^hes^, or very dry sand, should be always 

 ready, in which the hens may exercise that 

 propensity, so delightful and salutary to 

 tliera, of rolling or bathing themselves. 

 This is eiFectual in cleansing their feathers 

 and skin from vermin and impurities, pro- 

 motes the cuticular excretion, and is ma- 

 terially instrumental in preserving thdr 

 health. 



The poultry-houses within the court, if 

 (here be a choice, should have a soufhern 

 aspect, at any rate, should be well defended 

 from cold winds and the blowing ii? of rain 



D 2 



