202 FARMING FOE LADIES. [chap. ix. 



lofty perches, as, if allowed, they would in- 

 stinctively roost upon trees even during the 

 depth of winter : to which, however, there are 

 so many prudential objections that we have 

 never heard of its having been permitted ex- 

 cept at Bagshot Park, a seat of His Royal 

 Highness the late Duke of Gloucester, in the 

 poultry-yard of which there stood a mag- 

 nificent tree for their accommodation. 



Turliey-hens are better mothers when two 

 years of age than when only a twelvemonth ; 

 producing larger eggs and more of them. 

 They are, therefore, not uncommonly kept 

 until four or five years old ; but, if not killed 

 when quite young, the most usual way is to 

 fat them off" after they have reared a first 

 brood. They commence laying rather earlier 

 than those of the common fowl, usually pro- 

 ducing an egg every second morning until 

 they have brought forth from fifteen to twenty, 

 at which time they are generally ready to 

 sit ; but they recommence the operation in 

 the course of the summer, and sometimes also 

 in the autumn, though they do not, on either 

 of those occasions, lay perhaps more than a 

 dozen to fifteen. The eggs, which are larger 



