128 Farm Poultry 



Provision should be made for two-horse cultiva- 

 tion, for sometimes yards will need to be plowed. 

 The yards may be inclosed by either picket or 

 wire fences. Whether the fences be entirely of 

 wood or of wire netting, they should not be less 

 than seven feet high, if egg breeds are to be 

 confined. In either case, it is well to have a wide 

 board placed at the bottom. Sometimes it is 

 desirable to confine comparatively small chickens 

 in these yards. Boards at least a foot wide at 

 the bottom will be very satisfactory, if the re- 

 mainder of the fence is constructed of the ordi- 

 nary two-inch mesh poultry netting. Should the 

 boards be omitted, the lower part of the fence 

 should be formed of netting having a mesh 

 smaller than two inches. 



It is undoubtedly best to provide some shade 

 for the fowls. For this purpose fruit trees have 

 given entire satisfaction. Plum trees are especially 

 recommended for poultry yards. One of the great- 

 est difficulties experienced in raising plums is 

 caused by the attacks of the curculio. It has been 

 found by trial that plums grown within the poultry 

 yard are much less liable to injury by this insect 

 than those grown under similar conditions outside 

 of the yards. If several poultry yards are arranged 

 side by side, the owner may provide for a plum 

 orchard by planting a row of plum trees through 

 the middle of each yard. The following varieties 



