226 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



sawed off six inches above ground ; set these posts ten feet 

 apart, both back and front of building. Upon these posts 

 spike the sills of 2 by 6 spruce. Over each post set studs 

 of 2 by 4 spruce, seven feet long in front and four feet long 

 in rear. In centre of each ten-foot section, in front, set two 

 window studs of same dimensions as other front studs. 

 Upon these studs spike the plates of 2 by 4 spruce. Plumb 

 the frame, and board back, front and ends perpendicularly 

 with dry, matched spruce boards. Upon the plates place 

 the rafters of 2 by 6 spruce, two feet apart. Board the 

 roof lengthwise of building with square-edged hemlock 

 boards ; eight windows in front, 2h by 5 feet. The roof 

 and back of building may be covered with the best 

 heavy tarred paper, secured by laths nailed ten inches 

 apart. Cover tarred paper with two coats of coal tar and 

 it will prove water-tight and durable. A ventilator, six 

 inches in diameter, over every second window, will give 

 sufficient ventilation during the very coldest weather. The 

 front and ends should be battened over the cracks and then 

 painted or whitewashed. The inside of building should 

 be partitioned, each twenty feet forming apartments each 

 20 by 12. Board the partition two feet high at bottom, 

 to keep the male birds from fighting through slats or net- 

 ting, which may form the rest of the partition excepting 

 the three-foot door in front part of building passing from 

 one apartment to the next. In the rear of building inside, 

 and twenty inches from the ground, make a platform two 

 feet wide running entire length of apartments ; eight inches 

 above, and over the centre of this platform, place the 

 roosts of 2 by 3 spruce Avith top corners rounded. Under 

 the platform place the nest boxes, made as follows : Use a 

 board fourteen inches wide for bottom. Upon the edges of 

 this board nail boards six inches wide, which will form back 

 and front of nests, five inches above bottom board ; next put 

 in partitions twelve inches apart, eighteen inches high, mak- 

 ing the nests 12 by 14 inches. Nail a five-inch board to the 

 top of partition in front, and to this board hinge the door, 

 eight inches wide, and through which the eggs may be taken 

 from the nests in front, the hens to enter in the rear. Such 

 a nest is appreciated by the fowls, as they may be secluded 



