214 AUSTRALIAN AGRICULTURE. 



general attention, and to the qualities of the feed for 

 building up young stock, for egg laying, and for making 

 high-class table birds, all come into the pursuit of poultry 

 farming. 



The Kind to Keep, and Where to Keep Them. The 

 latter is the more important matter of the two. Fowls, to 

 do well, must have room ; must have suitable house, roosting, 

 and yard accommodatiou, the right kinds of food and clean 

 water, the run of grass and weeds, with their belongings 

 of insects. These living things mean that fairly good soil 

 answers the best for a poultry run. They must also have 

 gravel and lime in the form of a carbonate, such as bone, 

 shells, limestone, etc., dry places to shake themselves in, 

 and moist places to scrape in. 



Fences. The place being available, it becomes neces- 

 sary to fence it in an effective manner ; for unless the 

 whole property is to be given up to fowls, indoors and out, 

 they must be fenced in, or dissatisfaction, annoyance, and 

 trouble follow on their trail. Seven feet is not too high 

 for the fence of the place in which layers are to be confined, 

 though lower fences do for the heavier breeds. Palings or 

 wire-netting should surround the enclosure, as well as 

 gates. To make a hen satisfied that she must stay within 

 an enclosure, leave no room for any doubt upon her mind 

 as to whether she can get out of it ; she must not succeed, 

 or there will be trouble in that neighbourhood. Fowls are 

 persevering in proportion to their early successes. Con- 

 tentment on their part is the result of feeling that they 

 cannot do the other thing. Then they become satisfied 

 with their lot, lay many eggs, or grow big, as the owner 

 may desire. In their fenced-in enclosure should be the 

 roosting and laying places. This is necessary, for poultry 

 in this country have many enemies, including dogs, guanos, 

 hawks, &c., and mean thieves of the man kind. 



Wire-Netting Fences. They answer well for poultry, 

 are easily erected, and cost little. Hardwood posts of the 

 desired height, say 6 feet above ground and 2 feet in the 

 ground, are set and rammed in firmly. About 10 feet apart 

 answers. Then stretch a wire firmly on the top, another 

 at bottom, and where two widths of wire-netting are used, 



