252 AUTUMN MANAGEMENT. 



to explain that my reason for giving only soft 

 food to exhibition-birds is, that hard grain is apt 

 to cause fever and inflammation while travelling, 

 and being so closely confined in the pens, the food 

 should be of an easily-digested nature. During 

 exhibition I strongly deprecate the use of grain. 

 Much discomfort is consequent upon the liberal 

 supply given on these occasions to poultry ; and 

 I have even seen sawdust put in the bottoms of 

 the coops, which reprehensible plan is certain 

 to cause illness of a very serious nature. 



At the approach of autumn, with its chilly 

 evenings and mornings, while our young stock is 

 still abundant, and much of it just hatching out 

 of the shell, very careful treatment becomes 

 imperative, and it is absolutely necessary that 

 there should be an abundance of warmth-giving 

 food. The last meal should be given at five 

 o'clock, and the coops shut up soon after, to be 

 opened again at six in the morning. Feed often 

 and well. Keep the hen entirely confined to the 



