CHAP. YI.] FARMING FOR LADIES. 131 



them anything but oats, and yet have eggs 

 regularly on their table. The sort of food 

 should, however, be occasionally changed, as 

 they are fond of variety ; and there are many 

 different modes of feeding which may be ad- 

 vantageously employed in conjunction with 

 corn, both as regards the fattening quality of* 

 the food and its economy. 



The feeding of store foivls — that is to say, 

 of those kept for the sole purpose of producing 

 eggs and chicks, without then meaning to 

 fatten them — should be twice in the day : as 

 early as convenient in the morning, and at 

 night about an hour or two before sunset ; 

 but both should be, as nearly as the seasons 

 will permit, at the same hour, or the fowls 

 will become restless and indisposed to lay. 

 The place of feeding should also be always 

 the same, and sheltered as far as possible from 

 wind and rain, instead of being — as usually 

 done during both summer and winter — in the 

 middle of the open court-yard : although 

 there can be no objection to occasionally scat- 

 tering there a handful of either corn or any- 

 thing else that may be given them, provided 

 that both the ground and the weather be dry; 



k2 



