8B2 



GLEAJ^INGS 1J4 iJEE CULTUiti:. 



Nov. 



range. Well, the engraver has not shown a 

 very good roof over the roosti(ig-av>artment. 

 It does very well for hot siimmer nights ; 

 but when there comes a rain, I think there 

 had better be a board over each crack in 

 that roof. If our engraver were obliged to 

 stay in there during a rain, I think he 

 would be in favor of the latter plan. But, 

 liow about the effect of the rain on our dry 

 dirt V Well, you must sow grass-seed, so as 

 to make a turf that will turn rain ; but as 

 you can not have that turf this winter, i 

 think I would pile straw over the whole ar- 

 rangement, laying something on top to keep 

 it from blowing away, and raking it down 

 so it will shed rain like a roof. You want 

 to make a hole down to the sash, so as to let 

 the sun down, when it shines, for this is the 

 only way of lighting the establishment we 

 have. 



If the straw is not convenient, get a piece 

 of oil-cloth or enamel cloth— some old piece 

 will answer— large enough to cover the 

 whole institution. Spread it over nicely, 

 then cut out a hole where the tops of both 

 of our tubs go, and tack the oil-cloth to the 

 upper edge of the tubs. This will keep the 

 earth dry ; and if you have fine dry soil over 

 them all winter long, there is very little 

 probability that frost will get in. A straw 

 mat, such as is used by market-gardeners, 

 could be kept over the sash and roof to the 

 roosting-apartment during the most severe 

 weatlier. 



The path around the domicile is to serve 

 both tlic purpose of a path, and a ditch to 

 carry off the water. Be sure the water can 

 all get away. Fowls don't like to walk in 

 water ; they don't like to walk in mud when 

 the sun thaws out the frost, either, as I have 

 discovered. On this account I think I 

 would put sand or sawdust all over the path. 

 Be sure there are passageways enough to 

 let the water out of the path quickly. If 

 your ground does not slope enough, better 

 have some underdrains to take the water 

 away. They will pay on any garden or 

 dooryard, aside from the benefit to the poul- 

 try-house. How do you get inside? Why, 

 if you want to get into the dining-room, 

 take off the sash and jump down. I^on't 

 set your great awkward feet on the dining- 

 table, but step to one side of it. You can 

 till your water-pail while standing in here, 

 instead of taking the board away and filling 

 it outside, if you choose. You can also 

 scrape out the accumulations of manure in 

 the dining-room while you are standing 



To be CO 



there. To clean out the bed-room, just lay 

 the boards over on top of the sash ; reach 

 down and lift out the roosting-poles, and 

 then you can clean out all accumidation, 

 and put in some fresh dry dust and peat 

 from the swamp, or whatever else you 

 choose. 



As we want to climb on top of the house 

 frequently, I think I would have a pi)St set 

 in the north bank, to put your foot on when 

 you step over on the edge of the tubs. We 

 have had just such a poultry-house in opera- 

 tion for three or four weeks, and I tell you 

 it is fun to see the fowls run out and in. 

 During these frosty days they will put out 

 over the grounds when the sun shines ; but 

 when a sharp wind comes up, or a cloud 

 comes over the sun, and it gets cold, they 

 will flop their wings and come back home, 

 and run in as if that is the way chickens 

 always do. How many fowls '? Why, it de- 

 pends on the size of your hogshead, and the 

 breed of fowls, as I told you. We have 

 seven full-grown fowls in ours, and a Brah- 

 ma hen with ten young chickens. It would 

 please you to see the chickens put out when 

 the weather is cold. They will scamper 

 over the celery-ridges, and take quite a run 

 over across the field until they get cold, and 

 then they will fiop their wings and hurry 

 back into the dining-room. These chickens 

 were hatched in October, but I feel sure they 

 will winter nicely with this arrangement; 

 and they will require no care or attention at 

 all, except to keep the dining-room table 

 well supplied, and the water-pail replen- 

 ished. That they like their quarters, is evi- 

 dent from the fact there is quite a jealousy 

 if any of the other fowls come near it. I 

 built it principally to get rid of some enter- 

 prising hens that were determined to scratch 

 in my cold frames and plant-beds. The 

 most troublesome of these so quickly as- 

 sumed ownership of the new quarters, that, 

 when I brought my Brahma hen and chick- 

 ens to winter there, she disputed the terri- 

 tory at once. I came on the ground just in 

 time to act as peace-maker. I found my 

 poor biddy, that is so much given to scratch- 

 ing, with her head covered with blood, and 

 the blood was running down to the end of 

 her bill, so it came very near stopping her 

 from breathing. I took her off to one side, 

 and talked to her about the sinfulness of 

 such behavior. She meditated quite a spell, 

 and now she lets that old hen and chickens 

 go where they please, and accepts her 

 position — a sadder and probably a wiser hen. 



nliimed. 



