POULTRY. 133 



and juicy, yielding an abundance of what is called " white 

 meat," in consequence of their great depth of breast. The 

 eggs arc large, and of delicious flavor. Perhaps, for general 

 purposes, this breed is to be preferred, as in it are united the 

 most desirable qualities. 



The game fowl is valuable as a stock fowl. The only great 

 objection to it is its extreme pugnacity, on account of which the 

 young are with difficulty reared, "sometimes a large part of 

 the brood being killed or blinded " before they are half grown. 

 The females are good layers and mothers ; and their eggs, 

 though small, are deliciously flavored. The flesh of this breed 

 is extremely delicate and fine grained, and in great repute. A 

 cross of the breed with the Dorking is valuable for general 

 purposes. 



Although poultry husbandry properly includes the manage- 

 ment and breeding of several species of domesticated water- 

 fowl, together with the turkey, Guinea fowl and other species 

 more nearly allied to those already considered, I do not pro- 

 pose, in the present paper to treat of them or their merits, but 

 shall confine myself to those above mentioned. 



Accurate observation and experiment have proved that the 

 maximum number of fowls in one flock should not exceed fifty. 

 If more are kept, they should be divided into several flocks. 

 The first necessary step then before selecting the poultry, is 

 the preparation of houses and yards, each furnishing suitable 

 accommodations for fifty fowls. In the preparation of these 

 houses, economy, together with the best facilities for giving 

 the the fowls greatest care with the least amount of labor, are 

 objects always to be kept in view by the farmer. In selecting 

 a site for a poultry house, a porous, sandy soil is the most 

 suitable, and a south-east exposure should be chosen. If a 

 brook or spring of pure water is accessible, and can be admitted 

 into the yards, it will add not a little to the comfort and health 

 of the fowls. The dimensions of the house need not exceed 

 eighteen feet by ten, and the height eight feet at the back or 

 north side of the house, and six feet at the south. This plan is 

 most desirable, because the roof will be simple and sloping to 

 the south, and there will be no waste of material or space. 

 The material should be well-seasoned stock ; the frame may be 

 made of three-inch joist and covered with one-inch boards ; the 



