THE POULTRY-YARD. 297 



But if there be a poultry-yard, it should inclose, if pos- 

 sible, at least one corner of a lakelet where water will be 

 always accessible to its denizens. This will not only save 

 the labor of carrying water to the yard, no light task, es- 

 pecially in warm weather; but the abundance of "small 

 fry" to be found in the margin of the water, such as in- 

 sects, small frogs, and fish, will make the chickens and 

 other poultry happy and fat. 



Mulberry trees should be set here and there in every 

 poultry-yard, not only because of the dense shade they 

 furnish, a very important item though, but also because 

 of the liberal supply of food they furnish without labor 

 or expense on the part of the owner. The very best mul- 

 berry for this purpose, though all are good, is the Hicks, 

 which is described by P. J. Berkmans, our celebrated South- 

 ern nurseryman, of the Fruitland jS^urseries at Augusta, 

 Georgia, as " wonderfully prolific, fruit sweet, insipid, ex- 

 cellent for poultry and hogs, fruit produced during four 

 months of the year." 



Try planting a few of these valuable trees in the poul- 

 try-yard, grouping two or three on the south and west sides 

 of the hen-house, to shade the latter, and it will do you 

 good to see the amount of enjoyment your feathered pets 

 will obtain during those four months, when the plump, 

 ripe berries, so cooling and healthful, are dropping at their 

 feet, to be had for the picking ; they will need very little 

 other feeding during these happy mulberry months. 



Whenever it is possible Bermuda, or some other turf- 

 grass, should be started in the poultry-yard before it is in- 

 habited ; grass will have no chance to take hold otherwise, 

 and if the poultry range is divided into one or two sections, 

 so that rye, oats, cow-peas, rice, or some other grain crop, 

 may be grown there, and the chickens admitted or kejjt 

 out at will, an immense amount of good will accrue to all 



