IS85 
845 
for the opinions and theories of those engaged 
in the business. But I confess to having fal¬ 
len into the vexatious habit of seeking a 
reason for any practice or theory that I am 
unable to make accord with some well estab¬ 
lished principle, aud having satisfied myself 
that there was still room for very great 
improvement in this line, I concluded to begin 
anew aud get up a house in accordance with 
myownideasof what it should lie. It Is plain, 
simple, cheap; not radically different from 
many others in general appearance, but wholly 
unlike all others in that it exactly fills the 
measure of the theoretical standard. In this 
house my fowls have summered and wintered, 
at times not going out--of-doors for several 
mouths together, butalways remaining happy, 
healthy aud attentive to business. Through 
a small, low-down slip door they are given 
access to roomy, well protected sheds—when¬ 
ever it is thought best, and for experimental 
purposes, this door has,duriug the past Winter 
been left opeu much of the time, without 
materially affecting the general tempera¬ 
ture of the house, which has rarely fallen 
below the freezing point except at the ground. 
With this experience I am entirely satisfied 
that there is not the slightest advantage to 
the fowls in permitting them to go out 
of the house wheu the temperature is below 
freezing, “to tuke the air,” or for anything 
else, except, perhaps, that they get a little 
change of food by foraging and scratching 
among the wastes in the sheds, which is more 
than counterbalanced by the waste of heat 
which must be made up with other food. 
While I would not like to coniine fowls so 
closely, believing it would be neither humane 
nor profitable, 1 full}' believe that they might 
be kept in my house aud under my regimen 
the twelve months together without suffering 
from ill health. 
The leading idea in the construction of the 
house was to reduce the loss of the heat gen¬ 
erated by the fowls to the minimum and at 
the same time to provide the most ample and 
effective veutilation. The inclosing walls are 
double with a space for confined air between, 
which is subdivided by the frame timbers into 
small compartments between which there is 
no intercommunication. There is very little 
waste of heat through such a wall, and it is 
really the cheapest of all efficacious methods 
of building. No outside air is admitted to the 
house except at the ground level and the educ¬ 
tion flue, or “ventilator, 1 'is brought down to 
the same level. By this arrangement the heat 
generated within the appartment is retained 
in the upper section, the air passing into the 
duct being but little warmer than the fresh 
air entering the other side of the room. But 
the flue being surrounded by the warm air 
of the appartment takes up heat enough to 
maintain a steady outward draft in all weath¬ 
ers and keeps the air of the appartment al- 
wuys salubrious, as proven by numerous tests. 
A warm weather register uext the ceiling is 
opened when it is desirable to let the warm 
air escape. 
A prominent poultry writer says that fowls 
are incapable of warming more than 2% 
square feet of space, but mine have about four 
feet. But my furnishings are all elevated so 
as to give the fowls the benefit of all the heat, 
nothing boiug on the ground but the water 
pail. The perches nve placed at the top be¬ 
cause they are occupied in the coldest part of 
the 24 hours; the feed-boxes next lower be¬ 
cause they are more or less occupied during 
the entire day; the nests still lower down be¬ 
cause they are for the most part occupied 
only during the warmer part of the day, 
though a few extra nests are nailed up on the 
walls to accommodate such of the hens as 
prefer them. 
A writer in the Rural of May 2d says: 
“ The question was asked iu a late Rural why 
the perches of fowls should be over 18 inches 
high and less than three inches broad and 
rounded over the edges! Iu my opinion no 
valid reason can be given for them to be 
otherwise.” In my opinion there are several 
valid reasous why the perches should be 
higher. Iu the first place, any fowl which 
has not had all its natural instincts perverted 
by unnatural methods of feeding, instinctively 
rebels against roosting so near the ground, 
and mau's tlrst duty toward all the creatures 
which God lends him, is to provide for their 
comfort and happiness. Hens may appear 
happy and contented on an 18 inch roost, but 
if given a chance, the best trained flock will 
abandon it for a higher one. The only reason 
1 have ever heard or read why they should be 
compelled to violate their instinctive inclina¬ 
tion to roost high, is that they sometimes in¬ 
jure themselves in going up or down. My 
experieuce with fowls of various breeds, from 
the finest Leghorns to the grossest Asiutics, 
justifies the assertion that this objection is 
not valid. With proper conveniences for 
walking up and down, a perch six feet high is 
just as safe, more convenient, more out of the 
way, more acceptable to the fowls, more com¬ 
fortable, in short, better on every account. 
Iu any properly constructed house the 
difference in temperature at night, at 
18 inches, and six feet from the 
ground is often more than II) degrees. And 
however ill or well constructed it may 
be, and wherever or however the fresh air 
may enter it, if there is any adequate supply 
at all, the difference in temperature is very 
considerable I am unable to conceive of any 
possible object in buildiug a warm house for 
fowls if they are to be compelled to sit at 
night iu an atmosphere at best but a trifle 
warmer than that out of doors. Nor is that 
all; the lower the fowls sit the stronger are 
the currents of air created by their heat, the 
warm air rising aud the cold air flowing in 
upon them from every direction, so that they 
continually sit in the vortex of a strong 
draught of air, whereas on the elevated per¬ 
ches they occupy an already warmed atmos¬ 
phere, free from all currents, and enjoy a 
degree of comfort which iu the other case is 
entirely out of the question. But it is some¬ 
times claimed that the currents of air alluded 
to, are necessary to good ventilation. Not at 
all. Nodraughtof air through the apartment 
is necessary. The expired gases gravitate 
toward the ground until they fall into the 
undei-flow across the room and are carried 
out at the eduction flue, aud the air is just as 
effectually purified for all economical pur¬ 
poses as if a strong current of ice-cold air was 
poured through it. But while the low perches 
are always and everywhere objectionable, 
they are doubly so in houses where a large 
amount of glass is used. We frequently see 
solid glass fronts recommended and used. 
There is a mania for light and sunshine for 
which there is no justification. During the 
little part of the time when the sun shines 
directly into them. the heat becomes excessive, 
but at all other times they are little better 
than icebergs. They attract the warm air of 
the house, extract the heat and send the 
a 11 of the extra food to the sow, as the more 
food she eats beyond her capacity to digest it, 
the worse it is for her; and she will either get 
sick, refuse to eat at all, or get foundered. 
This is not the way to feed the pigs—through 
the mother. When the sow is doing her best 
to her full capacity to supply them, a man 
must use bis judgment, and if he is not clear, 
let the little pigs go into a clean place by them¬ 
selves, and give them milk and oats. If there 
is no mdk to be had, clear oats are excellent. 
They will eat their fill of them and no harm 
result. They will feed on them. For a slop, 
to take the place of milk, wheat or barley, 
ground entire, and wetted so that the pigs can 
readily suck it up, will make the best. Fine 
wheat middlings, slightly soured, is healthy 
food to give them in the division pen. 
When the pigs get older, they should still 
have their separate run and be given food 
suitable for them. Iu this way they will not 
mind weaning, for they really have two houses 
and are used to both. When out iu the field, 
they should be fed on a plank platform, as 
this will save food and keep the food clean 
and more palatable. The young pigs, or 
sbotes, should be kept in a pasture by them¬ 
selves, for tbev will require extra food during 
the entire season, while the old ones will do 
well on grass alone. The ground is the place 
for hogs, and whoever attempts to force them 
to live on floors, or in stys, is a shadow to him¬ 
self all around, and violates the instincts and 
injures the welfare of his swine. Don’t do it. 
Keep hogs all Summer iu pasture and little 
hoys too. I get them all out j ust as soon as the 
weather will permit, and have a comfortable 
sleeping place for them, and a division for the 
pigs. The sows will not hurt each others’ pigs 
after they are two or three weeks old, or even 
younger, if they are not too much crowded. 
The pigs go naturally together, as they canaot 
crowd and injure each other, as would be the 
case where there were old one3 mixed with 
them. The more orderly and docile a lot of 
A COMFORTABLE COTTAGE. Fig. 189. 
chilled air flowing down and across the house 
in heavy, strong currents. All the glass in any 
single fowl apartment over 15 square feet, is a 
positive nuisauce. I would rather have some 
less than any more. It should be distributed 
across the front and low down. 
A word in regard to perches: Fowls are not 
porchers, and do not need round perches. 
Flat ones are better adapted to the structure 
of their feet, but they have a faculty of 
adaptation which enables them to sit any¬ 
where they choose. 
(T I) £ SllHlK- ijtUll. 
PIG DIVISION. 
COL. F. D. CURTIS, 
When the little pigs are three weeks old. 
they should be allowed to go into an iuclosure 
by themselves, where they can be fed a little 
more food than they can get from the mother. 
This is a good rule, but, like all other rules. It 
may not be right to apply if. in all cases. Some¬ 
times, where the sow is largo, and the litter of 
pigs small, no extra food is required. In snch 
cases the sow should be stinted in her food, or 
ut all events fed coarse food, such as would 
appease her appetite, and keep her healthy, 
but not make a full flow of milk. With such 
a litter aud such a sow, the extra food had 
better be given to the sow until the pigs are 
older. Whenever the pigs show signs of uot 
getting enough food, by sucking the dam, they 
should be fed extra. It is a mistake to give 
pigs can be made, the further food will go in 
making growth. We cannot afford in these 
days to furnish food to make material for 
fightiug or for ruuuiug and keeping out of the 
way. We should give all au equal chance, 
and so get the most growth we can. 
ftrdjilfrtur*. 
A COMFORTABLE COTTAGE FOR $1,000. 
The cottage shown at Fig. 189 is well 
adapted for the suburban home of a small 
family. It is designed, without special regard 
for architectural effect, to furnish the most 
available room at the least cost. Economi¬ 
cally considered, its chief merit consists in the 
placing of the chimney diagoually in the cen¬ 
ter of the house, so that it may be used for all 
the rooms iu which fires are required. The 
extension of the main roof over the kitchen 
L gives additional room on the second floor, 
without adding materially to the cost of the 
usual flat, tiu-roofed extension. The archi¬ 
tectural appearance of this arrangement will 
be materially improved by the dormer win¬ 
dow aud bracket work. The long piazza will 
be appreciated, especially iu the summer 
time, in locations where it is practicable a 
oireular “well’’ cellar is all that is required. 
The foundation walls of the kitchen, B, Fig. 
190, will answer for two sides of the collar, 
the other sides may be a four-inch wall. The 
circular or well portion of the cellar should 
be about four-and-a-half feet deep with a 
shelf to the surrounding side walls. The 
foundation, if built of brick, should be a four- 
inch wall with eight-ineb piers at the center 
and corners. The first floor, Fig. 190, consists 
of a parlor, A, about 13x14; a kitchen, B, 
13x14, and a small sleeping room or pantry, 
C. If more room should be required, a 
kitchen extension can be added in the rear for 
$150. 
The second floor. Fig. 191, contains three 
good sized sleeping rooms, CCC. and two 
closets, E. E, Floor beams may be put in for 
the ceiling of the second story, and the attic 
utilized as a store room; converting the hall 
closet E into a stairway, or the ceiling may 
be suspended from the rafters. In the latter 
case it is better to close the attic up: other¬ 
wise children are liable to breakthrough the 
ceiling. The estimates, if the building is in 
the vicinity of New York City, are, iu round 
numbers, 
Mason work, including material.$120.' 
Carpenter work. 175.U0 
Timber for frame. O>.C0 
Lumber, windows, doors and trimming 450.00 
Fencing plot, say, 75x150... . 100 00 
Paiuting(labor and material). j ... 75.no 
Sundries, hardware. Ac.. 50.00 
^9 St ,000 
It is designed by Mr. R. H. Ujfr'.ian, East 
Rockaway, L. I. , * 
A WESTERN BARN. 
To meet the wants of a Rural correspond¬ 
ent, in Kansas, for a cheap barn that could 
be used for sheltering stock by Western 
breeders ; the barn to be commodious 
and cheap aud to be used exclusively for stock 
purposes, we have succeded in obtai! 
of a building which, we chink, will 
in the reach of most stock breeders, 
we are quite sure, can be so cheaply 
ed as to make its use a matter of econJ 
well as of humanity. 
At Fig. 19:2 is a perspective view showing one 
g plans 
with- 
it* 
Barn. Fig. 192. 
end and a portion of the side; it can be extend¬ 
ed to any desired length, each 28 feet accom¬ 
modating two rows of cattle the width of the 
barn. Fig. 193 shows an end view of the 
frame-work with the roof in place. It is 50 
feet wide; the main posts are nine feet high, 
and the purlin posts 14 feet. These are 23 
feet apart; and 14 feet from the main posts; iu 
the center ruuuiug up to the beams is a short 
post of the same height as the main posts. 
