POULTRIY-CRAFT. 21 
24. Situation.— Soils.— A sandy soil suits poultry best. A wet, heavy, 
clay soil is most unsuitable. A soil containing much alkali is to be avoided 
because of its bad effect on the skin and plumage. A sandy site is, in general, 
well drained, and is easily kept clean. Droppings falling on a porous sandy 
soil are at once deodorized by absorption of their liquids, the remaining solids 
are disintegrated and carried below the surface by rains; falling on clayey soil 
they form a crust on the surface, making it very foul. Between light sandy 
and heavy clay soils is a wide range and many kinds of soil, varying in 
suitability for poultry keeping as they approach to or depart from these 
extremes. Fowls are oftenest kept on medium soils, these being most 
common. Such soils are easily purified by occasionally spading or plowing 
the yards. Sometimes the same end is gained, and a regular supply of green 
food furnished the fowls, by an arrangement of alternate yards, which makes 
it possible to grow a green crop in one yard while the fowls are confined to 
the other. When fowls are kept on rather heavy soil, the surface should be 
graded to secure complete surface drainage, and as much as possible of the 
runs should be in permanent grass. It is advised to remove the earth in the 
house floors, replacing it with a few inches of sand or sandy loam over a bed 
of gravel. Made ground composed largely of rubbish, is most unsuitable for 
poultry. In hot damp weather the decomposed matter breeds disease germs, 
which cause epidemics. This condition persists for a long time after the 
making of the ground, and accounts for many mysterious outbreaks of disease. 
Ground of this kind is common in large cities and their suburbs. Poultry 
keepers should avoid it on their own account, and because of its possible effect 
on fowls. 
25. Situation.— Drainage.— The site of a poultry house or plant should 
always be well drained. Water standing at the surface attracts filth. On 
ill-drained land one has bad footing while doing his work, and the work is 
consequently much harder. These are the things which first become apparent 
in a poorly drained place. More important than either, is the fact that the 
poultry house cannot be kept as dry as it should; any degree of continuous 
dampness is objectionable. A high site, hill, knoll, or slope is usually 
recommended, but ground level or in a depression is not altogether objection- 
able if well drained. 
26, Situation.— Exposure.— Shelter.— Poultrymen prefer a site on a 
gentle slope facing south or southeast. It is desirable that the buildings 
receive the sunlight as long as possible on winter days, and be sheltered from 
cold winds. The lack of such natural advantage in a situation may be made 
good, as far as shelter from wind goes, by growing evergreens where they 
will serve as wind-breaks. A house placed where it does not get the sunlight 
is unfit for fowls. If it gets the sun for only a few hours daily it may be 
used. In such case it is most satisfactory to keep fowls only for family use, 
