188 MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURE. 



hardly one-half of this. To keep a flock of such a size in 

 health, it is no test even if they thrive the first season in such 

 limited quarters. The second or third season, at most, roup 

 and vermin will begin to make their inroads, and after losing 

 half his young broods, the farmer concludes that raising 

 chickens does not pay, and it ought not to under such bad 

 management. 



One of the most important requisites is a good supply of 

 grass. If fowls are shut up for any length of time in a barn- 

 yard, fresh sods should be given them daily or they will not 

 thrive. The question whether some other vegetable product 

 might not answer is hardly to be entertained by the farmer, 

 since in nearly all situations there is nothing so cheap and 

 readily available as grass. We frequently see quite elaborate 

 inclosures made for poultry during the spring and summer 

 months. We are of opinion that if farmers would fence in 

 their kitchen gardens instead of their poultry, they would be 

 great gainers in the long run. The additional expense would 

 soon be saved in the greater number of eggs procured from the 

 poultry. In cold weather meat, in some form, is necessary, if 

 eggs are desired. For this purpose scrap cakes from the soap- 

 makers, in which there is no salt beef, will be found the most 

 economical form. Indian corn is the best regular staple for 

 food, but this should be occasionally varied by a feed of oats, 

 wheat, barley, or a warm mash of meal and hot potatoes. The 

 last will be found particularly useful in the winter. We are 

 not advocates of stimulants to any extent. We do not believe 

 that much permanent advantage is gained by forcing nature. 

 If by high feeding of meat, cayenne pepper, &c., eggs are 

 procured out of season, a period of rest is nevertheless neces- 

 sary, and the fowls so fed will show the ill effects of this stimu- 

 lating process sooner or later. 



Another very important point is to be careful not to allow too 

 many fowls to roost in one house. It was only a day or two 

 since that a farmer was complaining of two of our hardiest 

 breeds. " They got through the winter pretty well," he said, 

 " but the roup or something else took a good many off in the 

 spring." On inquiring, we found that he kept one hundred 

 and fifty in one house. It was no wonder that the roup and 

 other diseases took them off. 



