THE YEAR’S WORK 147 
tains are used, brush them thoroughly several times 
a week. 
Dampness and draughts are to be watched for. 
Dry, cold air is much less to be feared. 
Keep a deep litter on the floor, but fresh enough 
so that the grain will disappear from sight. Old 
litter becomes packed down hard. 
MARCH 
This is the hatching month for the amateur. Set 
the eggs for breeds like the Rocks, Wyandottes, Or- 
pingtons and Rhode Islands Reds the first of the 
month. Several weeks later will answer for the 
smaller breeds like the Leghorns and Anconas. 
When using hens, set several at one time, so that 
the chicks will come off together, making it pos- 
sible to double them up and so release some of the 
hens. 
Even when an incubator is used, it is a good 
plan to set several hens at the same time. Then 
the eggs under the hens which test fertile may be 
used to replace those tested out of the machine. 
This is the way to make the most of a small in- 
cubator. 
