IN THE POULTRY YARD. 75 
a corner, and half protected by a short board laid slanting against 
the wall; an old basket with a piece of sacking partially covering 
it; these, and such as these, had been utilized as the occasion 
arose. After we had used up such loose odds and ends as came 
to hand, I bought a lot of cheap barrels, which had no heads, and 
fixed them up as follows: A square hole was cut in the side, as 
shown in Figure 4, and the hoops were carefully fastened by means 
Fig. 4. 
of a few wrought nails, which were neatly clinched, so that they 
might hold firmly and yet leave a smooth surface. The barrel was 
placed on the ground open end down, some fine grass or broken 
straw placed inside and moistened, and the eggs laid on this. A 
sitting hen was then put on the eggs, and the opening covered 
with an old sack. The hen would rarely return to this nest for the 
first few times, after she had left it for food and water, but by 
placing her back once or twice she soon learned which was her 
own nest, and returned to it regularly.. The darkness seemed 
pleasant to her; the roomy barrel above gave her plenty of. air, 
and, altogether, these nests were as good as any that we had for 
single nests. 
