A SELF-SUPPORTING HOME 



should have a goodly number by the follow- 

 ing year, as they begin to breed at six months. 

 I once read a calculation which went to prove 

 that, all going well, twelve pairs of birds, at 

 the end of a year, would have multiplied to 

 nine hundred and sixty. An old squab 

 raiser who never keeps less than eight hun- 

 dred breeders declares that a thousand 

 homers, correctly handled, will yield an 

 annual income of $1200. 



Hens must be kept perpetually busy, or 

 health and the egg-basket will suffer. Hence 

 the necessity for a bountiful supply of clean 

 material on the floors of their houses during 

 cold weather, when most of their exercise 

 must be taken under cover. Nothing in- 

 duces so much activity and apparent enjoy- 

 ment amongst the imprisoned flock, as a 

 bagful of autumn leaves; so gathering and 

 storing them should be among the first things 

 to claim attention after settling on the farm. 

 There are many bright days in November, 

 when such work in the woods is pure delight. 



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