IN THE POULTRY YARD. 167 
however, space is a matter of great moment, and they are apt to 
keep their birds confined in close quarters. And if lice once get a 
foothold under such conditions they are apt to spread. Whether 
or not it would be possible to absolutely stamp out lice from any 
yard I do not know. I have come very near it several times, so 
near that the most careful search failed to show a single parasite 
on any of the birds; but when cold weather came, and any of the 
birds failed to take their regular bath, lice would again appear. 
The best remedy that I have found is insect powder, and where 
this is not handy, lard and sulphur may be used on laying hens, 
whose eggs are not to be hatched, as in this case there can be no 
objection to it. It is a general belief, however, that grease will 
prevent eggs from hatching. I have not tried it myself, and as 
there seems to be some doubt on the subject, I have not cared to 
risk it on valuable eggs. Major Cock, in his little book, published 
about 1843, tells us that he has “known eggs laid in Hamburg to 
be hatched in, New Jersey, by covering them with lard and taking 
care not to handle them roughly.” This is contrary to the general 
opinion. But for sitting hens the Persian insect powder answers 
admirably. 
Mixing sulphur with the soft food given to fowls is also not only 
an excellent preventive of lice, but a capital tonic. 
But the great means of preventing vermin is good health and 
plenty of dry earth for a dust bath. So long as fowls can roll in 
dry ashes or earth, lice cannot multiply. 
There is but one kind of parasite on fowls, and this is peculiar 
to gallinaceous birds. It cannot thrive on other animals—not even 
on ducks or geese, far less on horses, cows or pigs. I have often 
heard it said that if poultry are kept in a stable the horses will get 
lousy. This is very likely to be the case, because any man who 
will keep his poultry in his stable is probably so slipshod that his 
horses will run down in health and so become lousy. But the lice 
from the hens will never remain on horses or cows. 
eter et i, 
