THE BANTAMS 



advisers or mischievous friends never could be dis- 

 covered. We acquired quite a library, but fortunately 

 no more chickens. 



Finally after studying the practical needs of our ban- 

 tams and the most approved nests and roosts, we built a 

 house thirteen feet six inches by twenty-three feet, three 

 sides of which were of brown stained ship-lap, with a 

 slightly sloping roof covered with prepared tar-paper 

 and gravel. Isn't ship-lap a picturesque word? One 

 visualizes at once the ships of the olden time with their 

 overlapping timbers. The front of the house was 

 screened and had also glass partitions which could be 

 lowered at will. Each of the two rooms was provided 

 with a practical roost and three box nests. Besides tiny 

 exits with chicken ladders toward the woods, a large 

 door opened into the paddock. Big bushes and trees 

 hid this small lean-to in the rear, and across the front 

 of the house extending the entire length of the paddock 

 was built a beautiful trellis also stained dark brown. 

 In and out and under this screen would trot the baby 

 bantams. But I am anticipating. 



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