424 AMERICAN AGRICULTURE. 



throughout, properly lighted, and capable of being made 

 tight and warm in winter, yet afford all the ventilation desi- 

 rable at any season. In this, arrange the nests in boxes on 

 the sides, in such a manner as to humor the instinct of the 

 hen for concealment when she resorts to them. When desi- 

 rable to set the hen, these nests may be so placed as to shut 

 out the others, yet open into another yard or beyond the 

 enclosure, so that they can take an occasional stroll and 

 help themselves to food, &c. This prevents other hens lay- 

 ing in their nests, while setting, and may be easily managed, 

 by having their boxes placed on the wall of the building, 

 with a movable door made to open on either side at pleasure. 

 Hens will lay equally well without a nest-egg, but when bro- 

 ken up, they ramble off and form new nests, if they are not 

 confined. They will lay if kept from the cock, but it is 

 doubtful if they will thus yield as many eggs. liens dis- 

 posed to set at improper times, should be dismissed from the 

 common yard, so as to be out of reach of the nests, and plen- 

 tifully fed till weaned from this inclination. 



The chickens require to be kept warm and dry, for the first 

 few days after hatching, and they may be fed with hard- 

 boiled eggs, crumbs of bread or pudding, and milk or water, 

 and allowed to scratch in the gravel in front of the hen, 

 which should be confined in a coop for the first three or four 

 weeks, after which, they may be turned loose, when they 

 will thrive on any thing the older ones eat. Many use 

 them for the table when they are but a few weeks old ; but 

 they are unfit for this purpose, till they have attained full 

 maturity. The white-legs are preferred by some, from the 

 whiteness and apparent delicacy of the meat ; but the yellow- 

 legged are the richest and most highly-flavored. The color 

 of the feathers, does not seem to affect the quality of the 

 flesh or their character for laying. If we consider the prin- 

 ciple of the absorption and retention of heat, we should 

 assume the white coat to be best, as it is coolest in summer 

 when exposed to the sun, and warmest in winter. Yet some 

 of the white breeds are delicate and do not bear rough usage 

 or exposure. 



VARIETIES. These differ materially in their sizes, shapes 

 and colors. The Dorking is esteemed one of the best, being 

 large, well formed and hardy, good layers and nurses, and 

 yielding an excellent carcass. They are both white and 

 speckled, and generally have five toes. The Poland is both 

 white and black, with a large tuft, generally of white fea- 



