CHAP. Yi.] FARMING FOR LADIES. 145 



mur placed several in single coops ; others 

 together ; and some in the yard ; the corn 

 being, in each case, secured in boxes, which, 

 while allowing them to peck as much as 

 they wanted, yet prevented the loss of a 

 grain : so that no doubt could be entertained 

 of the exact amount of nourishment re- 

 quired, when fed solely upon corn with- 

 out any other kind of food. Different sorts 

 of corn were also distributed in separate 

 compartments, and it is somewhat singular 

 that the quantities consumed of each were 

 nearly the same, though it is evident that they 

 must have been of different weight and quality, 

 and there can be no doubt that, if the fowls 

 were put up to be fattened, the object would 

 be the soonest attained by using that corn 

 which contained the greatest portion of nutri- 

 tive substance. 



The fowls seemed at first to relish wheat 

 the most, as they fell upon it with greater 

 voracity than upon other corn, and one might 

 therefore imagine that they would consume a 

 greater quantity ; but they did not, in fact, 

 at last eat more than about three-fourths 

 of the same amount of barley or oats. The 



L 



