20 POULTRY DISEASES AND THEIR TREATMENT. 



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 num- 

 ber of years. If the soil becomes at all foul it is a good plan to 

 water it with a i per cent solution of sulphuric acid, or to apply 

 a light dressing of gas lime." 



IV. EXERCISE. 



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

 normal resistance to disease they must exercise. As chicks they 

 will do this on the range. As adults (in climates like that of 

 Maine) the most feasible way to bring this about is to provide 

 litter and make the birds scratch for their feed. 



v. EXTERNAL PARASITES. 



In hygienic poultry keeping the birds must be kept reasonably 

 free at all times of lice, mites, and all other forms of external 

 parasites. Directions for dealing with this matter are given in 

 detail farther on in this book in the chapter on External Para- 

 sites. It is desired here merely to call attention to the matter 

 as one of the general principles of hygienic poultry management. 



VI. DISPOSAL OE DEAD BIRDS. 



The poultry plant which does not have some dead birds to 

 dispose of from time to time has yet to be started. Just in con- 

 nection with the disposal of such dead birds is one of the weak- 

 est. points in poultry sanitation as too commonly practiced. The 

 number of poultry keepers who throw dead birds on the manure 

 pile or out on a temporary unused field is much too large. This 

 is a short sighted and dangerous procedure. Anyone who con- 

 tinues for a long enough time to dispose of his dead birds in 

 such a way is tolerably sure, sooner or later, to be wiped out of 

 business by an epidemic, with a thoroughness and despatch which 

 will leave him wondering what in the world has happened. 



The most sanitary method of disposal of dead bodies is crema- 

 tion. Wherever it is possible every dead bird should be burned 



