IN THE POULTRY YARD. 107 
Making a Gtart. 
WAVING completed my plans for houses, pens and fences, 
and made one of each, so as to test its working and 
convenience, I set to work to construct a sufficient num- 
ber of yards to hold 500 birds, together with those, old and young, 
already on the place and coming forward. I intended to send all 
the old fowls and culls to market, as soon as it would be advisable 
to do so, and after some inquiry and a comparison of old market 
reports, I believed that the best time to sell would be the spring. 
Thus, I found that during the preceding fall what are known as 
“fowls” sold for 1214 cents per Ib., while in the spring they had 
brought 20 cents. On a hen 6 lbs. weight, this allowed 45 cents for 
her keep during the winter, and as many of the hens, if properly 
cared for, would lay during, at least, part of the time, it was evi- 
dent that spring was the most judicious time to sell. As I pro- 
posed:to buy about 500 hens, and as I had about 60 on hand and 
expected to have 300 or goo young pullets out of the broods now on 
the place, I calculated that I would need, at least, eight houses, 
and about ten breeding pens, in addition to those now on hand. 
So I made my calculations, ordered the lumber, and kept the car- 
penter and his ‘assistant at work. 
I was anxious to take advantage of the market at once, and to 
procure my hens before cold weather came, so that I might not 
only have them in good health when I got them, but be able to 
‘get them into’ good condition to withstand the winter. I also 
wished to guarantine every lot that I purchased in market; that is 
to say, I wanted to keep it by itself for a few days before letting it 
Tun with the others. While the breeding pens were under way, 
therefore, I interrupted the work and had a large shed put up. It 
was 40 feet long and about 16 feet wide, and was constructed in a 
‘very simple manner. Stout posts were sunk at the four corners, 
