318 HOME LIFE IN FLORIDA. 



When we first settled in our adopted State, bringing 

 with, or rather sending ahead of us a fine collection of 

 Houdans and Light Bramahs, from a yard perfectly free 

 from disease, we were considerably puzzled by the appear- 

 ance in a few months of "sore-head." It was then August, 

 and the flock had passed through the heat of May, June, 

 and July in their new quarters, and it was among those 

 hatched in May and June that the disease appeared. 



They had a roomy chicken-house, but the roof was not 

 tight, we having, under protest, taken the advice of "old 

 residenters" on that point. They had an ample run; but 

 our new home was being carved out of the wilderness, 

 pine trees were being felled, and shade was lacking ; the 

 fowls ranged all day in the hot sun, then at night there 

 frequently came heavy rains, and, owing to the open roof, 

 the w^ater poured down on the backs of the poor, sleepy 

 birds, drenching them to the skin. The rains, too, were 

 more often than not accompanied by high, cool winds that 

 blew across the unfortunate victims of a mistaken system. 



Do you see the causus belli? 



An overheating of the blood during the day, a sudden 

 chilling at night — here surely is as plain and prolific a 

 source of erysipelas as could be invented ! We do not need 

 to look further for the as yet but little understood cause 

 of the dreaded "sore-head." 



Here then, as we believe, is the source. The remedy is 

 easy: Provide plenty of shade for your poultry; make 

 shelters until trees have time to grow ; let the roofs of your 

 hen-houses be water-tight, and so place the perches that the 

 wind can not blow on the sleep-relaxed frames of the poor 

 birds that are dependent on you for all their health and 

 comfort. 



For two seasons "sore-head," or erysipelas, decimated 

 our poultry -yard, and then, suspecting at last the true rea- 



