108 COMMON SENSE 
and ‘lighter posts between at distances of 8 feet. The back row 
was only 3 feet high, and the front row 8 feet, and rails of scantling 
were nailed along the top and also near the bottom at the back and 
ends. To this scantling rough boards were nailed vertically, and 
narrow strips were tacked over the joints. The roof consisted of 
boards 18 feet long, with the joints covered in the same way. 
These boards were supported in the middle by a suitably arranged 
beam, so as to bear the weight of any ordinary snowfall, as I in- 
tended to leave this shed up all winter. Eight roosting poles ran 
from end to end, being placed as near the back as possible, and all 
on the same level, so that there might be no fighting for the highest 
place. About half an acre of grass land was enclosed around it by 
means of the movable fence. When a lot of fowls were purchased, 
they were first placed in one of the breeding yards, or in two yards 
if the number was large. Jf no disease showed itself in a week 
they were transferred to the large yard around the shed, and kept 
there until the houses were finished. If disease had shown itself, 
I was prepared to “stamp” it out by well-known methods—the 
slaughter. of the birds and the disinfection of the house and yards— 
but fortunately I had no occasien to resort to any such measures 
I was now ready to go inte market and buy my hens. For 
several days I visited the dealers’ stands without seeing anything 
that suited me, but at last perseverance was rewarded, and I found 
two crates containing some very nice common hens—compact 
bodies, bright eyes, red combs, and with feathers hard and clean. 
‘There were twenty-two birds in one crate and seventeen in the 
other, but several of them were cocks. I tried to buy the hens 
only, but found that at wholesale prices I had to take the entire 
lot or none. I therefore bought them all and sent them to my 
yards. They weighed 159 Ibs., or a little over four pounds each. 
The cocks (of which there were thirteen) were separated and 
placed in a pen by themselves, while the hens of each crate were 
kept separate and placed in pens. I tried to sell. the cocks by the 
crate, but found that the loss was considerable. Birds wltich cost 
me fifteen cents per pound would only bring twelve cents when I 
tried to re-sell them. As I did not want this first lot anyway, 
