COLONIES OF FOWLS. 63 



or die. During the winter months, feed chopped cabbage 

 and turnips, and rovven hay. Eowen clover is an excellent 

 substitute for grass, and is the only thing we can feed that 

 will produce eggs that will make the golden sponge-cake and 

 custard like that seen in summer. They will eat from five to 

 six pounds per head during the winter, if fed in a rick, keep- 

 ing them constantly supplied ; while it increases their produc- 

 tiveness, it also increases the beauty of their plumage, making 

 it well worth one's trouble to supply the same. 



The cost of keeping as above will be found to be from 

 $1.05 to $1.17 cents per head. The construction of such 

 quarters, and the purchase of natives or grade stock, will be 

 from $2.50 to $2.75 cents per head as capital invested. 



In this connection, I would like to call your attention to the 

 many natural facilities now unimproved, by which the number 

 of eggs would be increased, and a portion of the food and a 

 large per cent, of the outlay described saved. 



There is no reason why fifty fowls to the acre could not 

 range with the cattle in our pasture-lands, and both land and 

 cattle be benefited thereby. 



When thus colonized, it is noticeable that certain fowls 

 adhere to certain members of the herd, busy in catching the 

 flies that pester them, and consuming the worms and insects 

 disturbed by grazing. 



In most of our pastures there are dry knolls and southern 

 sloping hillsides, in which excavations could be made fifteen 

 by twenty-five feet, the ends and north sides walled up, leav- 

 ing but the two sides of the laying-room and roof to be built 

 of lumber ; even the roof could be thatched, or earth-covered. 

 All of which could be home-constructed, or by the employ- 

 ment of cheap labor. These habitations would be warmer in 

 winter and cooler in summer, and therefore better than the first 

 described. These quarters, located far enough apart to save 

 the expense of fencing for yards, would save the labor of 

 forage-crops and all meat- food, till the frost cut off the natural 

 supply. 



No farmer should be excused from utilizing all such facil- 

 ities adjacent to his building, which, with the barn-cellar and 

 orchard, would, in most cases, enable him to keep at least two 

 hundred and fifty fowls, all of which could be cared for by the 



