30 TAKMING FOR LADIES. [chap. i. 



them cold and damp. They also retain a 

 stronger scent of impurity than either tiles or 

 slates ; besides being more subject to crevices 

 which admit of those lice with which fowls 

 are so frequently infested. It should also be 

 thickly sanded, or covered with saw-dust, 

 swept out every morning, and thoroughly 

 washed at least once every week, with water 

 mixed up with chamber-lie and quicklime. 

 The walls should likewise be occasionally 

 brushed down and whitewashed with lime. 



In order to secure ventilation during the 

 day, there should be one or two small wired 

 lattices, in opposite directions, to secure a 

 draught of air, but with close shutters to 

 guard against the cold of a winter's night. 

 With regard to the burning of tobacco and 

 aromatic herbs, so much recommended — " for 

 the purpose of destroying bad odours in the 

 fowl-house" — if it be kept properly clean, it will 

 not be infected with any bad smell ; though the 

 practice can do no harm, and green sage is 

 much used for that purpose by the French. We 

 should however say, that a wisp of damp straw 

 set alight and allowed to smoulder during the 

 night on the floor of the fowl-house, or even 

 a few sheets of coarse brown paper, would 



