22 FARMING FOR LADIES. [chap. i. 



their roosts ; the uppermost of which was on a 

 level with that little opening, 



"There were little sleeping-berths for ducks 

 at the bottom. The floor — of well-tempered 

 lime and clay — was raised about a foot above 

 the level of the yard, to have it perfectly dry 

 and easily cleaned out every day ; and the 

 walls, being very well plastered, were kept 

 free from cobwebs, insects, and dirt of every, 

 kind, by pretty constant whitewashing. 



" To have plenty of thorough air — so need- 

 ful in warm weather — there was a glazed win- 

 dow on hinges in the far-side gable, opposite 

 the door, but well secured with an iron gra- 

 ting. There were roosting-sticks, one above 

 the other, but at different distances from the 

 wall, so that the fowls did not stand exactly 

 over each other. 



" Some of the nests were square wooden 

 boxes, put into holes picked out of the back- 

 wall, and near the ground, for the hatching 

 hens to have the benefit of the warmth of the 

 kitchen-fire at their backs in the early spring 

 sitting, when such additional warmth agrees 

 with them. The other nests were of basket- 

 work, hooked to the walls in convenient places, 



