Poultry Hygiene 29 



are taken, to keep a comparatively small run pure for a 

 long time. If the grass is short it should be occasionally 

 swept, in this manner removing a good deal of the manure. 

 Another important point is to always have around the house 

 a space of gravel, upon which the birds should be fed, and 

 if swept once or twice a week this will have a wonderful 

 effect in preserving the purity of the grass portion. Any one 

 who has observed poultry will know how fond they are of 

 constantly being near the house, and thus the greater 

 portion of their droppings falls within its immediate vicinity. 

 The shape of the run also has a great bearing upon the length 

 of time it will remain untainted, a long narrow run being 

 much superior to a square one. I have proved by my own 

 experience how true this is, and probably a long and narrow 

 run, containing the same amount of space will remain pure 

 twice as long. It is unnecessary here to go into a full ex- 

 planation of why this is so, but I may state the fact, which 

 I am confident is quite correct. If the space at one's dis- 

 posal is very limited it is a good plan to divide it into two 

 equal parts, placing the house in the middle. During one 

 year one-half would be available for the fowls, the other 

 being planted with some quickly growing vegetables, the 

 order being reversed the year following. The vegetable 

 growth has the effect of quickly using up the manure, and 

 in this manner quite a small plot of land can be heavily 

 stocked with poultry for an unlimited number of years. If 

 the soil becomes at all foul it is a good plan to water it 

 with a 1 per cent solution of sulphuric acid, or to apply a 

 light dressing of gas lime." 



/T". Exercise 



If poultry are to be in good condition, and maintain their 

 normal resistance to disease they must exercise. As chicks 



