77/6- licit s Habitation. 93 



the opinion, however, that if kept properly covered with dry 

 earth and litter of some sort, as all poultry-house floors should 

 be, this objection would be entirely overcome. This being true, 

 the facts that it is far more durable than boards, and that it is 

 proof against rats and similar vermin, combine to make it the 

 best as well as the cheapest in the end. There may be other 

 objections to it of which I am not aware, and were I to adopt 

 its use I should do so in an experimental way at first. 



In building and arranging for my present poultry-business I 

 was obliged to build cheaply or not at all. This seemed very 

 inconvenient at the time, as it compelled me to go slow and 

 carefully study all sides of the question ; but now I look back 

 to that time with no feeling of regret, as I am quite sure that 

 had I been possessed of ample means I should have built too 

 much without the necessary study to have made my building a 

 success. C. H. WYCKOFF. 



I find boards better than earth or concrete for poultry- 

 floors, as they can be renewed, and are easily cleaned, and are 

 warmer. Earth floors become foul, and must be frequently 

 renewed. Concrete floors are cold to the feet, unless well lit- 

 tered, but for preventing rats from entering the poultry-house 

 they are excellent. Were it not that they provide a harboring- 

 place for rats, boards can not be excelled. P. H. JACOBS. 



I think the best floor for a poultry-house is sand. If I could 

 have one as I want it I would concrete or cement the bottom 

 up to the sill and then put on four inches of quite coarse 

 beach sand. My reason for this opinion is that fowls eat a great 

 quantity of sand or grit, and in the winter, when they can not 

 range at large, they always have the sand to pick. I also be- 

 lieve that half of the diseases of poultry are caused by their 

 not having grit and the best kind of grit is sand. I do not 

 believe there would be much if any chicken cholera, if the 

 fowls had access to it. P. WILLIAMS. 



According to our experience a floor made of good matched 

 and planed lumber gives the best satisfaction in a hennery, as 



