HINTS ABOUT MANAGEMENT. 103 



scraps, or other flesh diet, and some grass, or other 

 greens which they like such as lettuce or cabbages. 

 They must have plastering, oyster-shells pounded fine, 

 or some other source of lime, besides fresh water con- 

 stantly. 



Better than all, they need an afternoon run, and a 

 chance to scratch and pick in the door-yard, road, and 

 barn-yard, if there be one. Here let us protest against 

 hens being made use of as scavengers for picking up and 

 cleaning up filth about the back-door. There is no bet- 

 ter habit for farmer folks to cultivate in regard to poul- 

 try than on every occasion to drive them away from the 

 kitchen door, and never to throw out anything that they 

 can eat anywhere near the house. The practice of hav- 

 ing a slop-hole or spot near the back door where dish- 

 water and other " slops," containing more or less that 

 hens will eat, are thrown is a filthy one at best. All 

 such water should be thrown upon the dung-hill or com- 

 post heap. Here the hens may pick up many a crumb, 

 and the manure will be greatly benefited. 



In the matter of varieties the fancy breeds are best 

 let alone by any one who does not make a business or a 

 pastime of poultry-keeping. It is very pleasant for a 

 person who keeps but a dozen or twenty hens to have 

 them of some choice breed, and to take great pains with 

 them; studying into their habits, their "points," and 

 all that. But few persons have either the taste or in- 

 clination to be successful breeders; so, as a rule, it is best 

 to keep common or mixed hens, but a full-blooded cock 

 of one of the best breeds. 



For general use most persons who have had experience 

 will agree that the Plymouth Rock fowls are excellent, 

 and either these or the Dominiques, or one of the Asiatic 

 breeds, are to be recommended if a pure breed of fowls 

 is desired for eggs, broilers, capons, and fat cockerels 

 and pullets. For eggs alone, the White Leghorns are 



