POULTRY HOUSES. 177 



I will state another fact that has come under my observation, viz : 

 that fowls will eat pumpkin seeds, and that it will have a singular 

 effect upon them ; they lose the use of their legs, tumble over back- 

 wards, and some will soon die, others, with proper care, lire. [There 

 must be a mistake in this assertion, I think. -AUTHOR.] This has been, 

 the case with one of my neighbor's ducks, the same with the geese of 

 another, the experience of " A Subscriber," to the contrary notwith- 

 standing. Selected. 



THE HENERY. Your correspondent J. R. M., who inquires for the 

 best plan for a hen-house, is reminded, that the one given in the Cul- 

 tivator for December 18th, is merely a house for roosting and laying, 

 and that it may admit of being fumigated to destroy the vermin that 

 will be sure to infest his fowls in hot weather, however careful and 

 cleanly he might be, it must be built so as to be nearly air-tight when 

 all the apertures are closed ; and then, a small quantity of sulphur 

 and saltpetre, well mixed together, placed upon a shovel, or iron 

 plate, and ignited by a match, will be found to rid the house of all 

 the vermin that it might contain, at a blow. But after this roosting 

 and laying house, he will find it quite expedient to erect a shed or 

 house near by, as a promenade for the poultry in wet or stormy 

 weather, for they will not use the roosting-place for this purpose, if 

 any other is to be had, as they never enter such house in the day 

 time, except for the purpose of laying. And here let me perform an 

 act of justice, in saying, one of the most convenient establishments for 

 poultry that I ever saw, was at the farm of Mr. Bement, near Albany. 

 I call it an establishment, for in a comparatively small space, was 

 contained a yard, promenade, roosting and laying house, shelter, shade, 

 and dusting beds, feeding and watering troughs, <fcc., that left nothing 

 wanting. Let me try and give somewhat the dimensions. The yard, 

 of circular form say about half an acre of land was fenced about 

 with pickets six feet in height, and planted around close to the 

 fence inside with a cluster in the middle with evergreens. Here 

 the fowls resorted in hot weather, and made their dusting holes 

 amongst sand, gravel, &c., to their heart's content. And adjoining 

 this yard, was a building two stories in height, say about fourteen 

 feet square, facing the south, one-half the lower floor being devoted 

 to feeding and watering the stock, with boxes of ashes, sand, lime, 

 oyster-shells, &c., and the other fitted up as a roosting and laying 

 apartment, while the whole of the upper story, or second floor, was 

 their promenade in wet or stormy weather, with windows, either to 

 shut or open. And I remember, the house was siirmounted with 

 a cupola and vane; the latter, an excellent effigy of a rooster in full 

 crow, the whole forming the prettiest " turnout " that I ever witnessed 

 in short, just such a one as I intend to build the coming spring, for 

 my family of Shanghaes. Selected. 



HENERY. One thing is, to have a well arranged henery a place 



where the fowls can feel comfortable, and at home. And they like a 



large yard, where they can enjoy the sun, and the air, and have fresh 



earth to scratch in. And they should have plenty of pure water 



8* 



