168 FARMING FOR LADIES. [chap. \'ii. 



grain and water, and the bottom of tlie back 

 part be either left open or railed to allow of 

 the excrement falling through it. The floor 

 is often left without any covering, but a good 

 bed should be made of straw or hay. 



"Their food for the first few days, or a 

 week, until ^ they become reconciled to con- 

 finement, should be bruised barley and bar- 

 ley meal mixed into a paste with new milk 

 and treacle ; and this, if not left to them at 

 discretion, should be given to them at least 

 three or four times a day : a little coarse sand 

 or fine gravel being left in the trough for 

 them to take at pleasure. At the expiration 

 of this time they should be crammed morning 

 and evening — at about seven o'clock each 

 time — with the paste, already described, to 

 which is added melted mutton-suet, though 

 any fresh fat may do nearly as well ; the drink 

 being milk and treacle. 



" The operation of cramming consists in 

 rolling this paste into sausage-shaped pieces 

 of about the size of the little finger, and hav- 

 ing dipped it into the liquor mentioned, the 

 fowl is held firmly between the knees on the 

 lap of the feeder, the mouth of the fowl being 



