No. 4.] POrLTKV OX SMALL FARMS. 421 



feet \o\\g, the width nuist be increased to give the re(|uired 

 area. With yards 8(5 feet wide and double houses, the dis- 

 tance between two houses is only 8(i feet. If we have in a 

 row four of these double houses, with eight yards, the dis- 

 tance from end to end of the row of houses is 252 feet, — 

 108 feet more than if the sections were all in one continuous 

 house. If one builds houses that far a})art, and makes the 

 rounds of the plant as many times a day as some poultry 

 kee})ers do, that ION feet, doubled, because he nmst go to 

 the end and return, can be made the basis of a calculation 

 showing many miles traveled and much time lost because of 

 the ground to be covered. But with the large yards it is not 

 necessary to make these numerous daily circuits. Some 

 poultry kee})ers who give ample yard room feed the grain to 

 their fowls in hop})ers in the houses, and, by using a hopper 

 which needs replenishing only once or twice a week, find it 

 necessary to visit the house at most only twice daily, and 

 often make only one visit. 



The method I am using on a three-acre })lace in a small 

 town could be a})})lied on a small farm, and make it neces- 

 sary to go around only twice a da}^ ; though, because we 

 have not far to go, w^e don't often try to combine the doing 

 of several thin2:s when making one circuit. I will describe 

 our wav of feedinof, a little farther on. Here I w^ant to get 

 back to the point of the exj)ense of large yards. Four 

 double houses, each acconnnodating 50 to (iO fowls, provide 

 (luarters for 200 to 240 fowls. To give these fowls the 

 amount of yard room designated as sufficient will require no 

 more cost for division and side fences than if the houses Avere 

 all joined in one. The double yard area is secured by simply 

 doubling the length of each end fence. Even supposing 

 that the same height offence was required, this extra cost of 

 fencing would not be considerable, and would be insignifi- 

 cant when compared with the saving in labor efl:ected by 

 giving ample yard room ; but it will be found that as yards 

 are enlarged the height of the fence can be reduced, and thus 

 it ma}' be actually cheaper to make the larger yards. I have 

 this year kept Dorkings with a fence onl}^ 3 feet high, and 

 never had one of them attempt to go out, though they can 



