278 QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. [1 Seer, 1899. 
bred on dry ground, whose feet haye never been shod or mutilated. Similarly, 
we must not judge of the capacity of the feet to stand wear by seeing the hayvoe 
wrought with the hoof in a few hours when a shoe has been torn off or cast. 
Farmers’ horses, at seasons when they are not called upon to go on the 
roads, might with advantage work without shoes; and if their feet are not 
mutilated by the knife and rasp, but merely the edge of the crust rasped around 
when the shoes are taken off, most of them would stand it well, and their feet 
and legs be benefited by it. 
Poultry. 
POULTRY FOR A SMALL GARDEN. 
A corresponpENT asked: ‘Please give me instructions how to use a part of 
my back garden for keeping fowls for my own use. My garden is 60 feet by 
50 feet.” 
As the question was rather a large order, we asked him to divide it, and 
we then referred the following questions to Mr. W. H. Martin :— 
1. How mayy Fowrs po you Apvise?—From the questions asked, I 
presume the answers are for a beginner. I advise such to start with two or 
three pens, 12 feet square, made with hurdles as given in your February 
number. Make only two lengths—12 feet and 6 feet. By keeping to these two 
lengths a small pen can be put between two larger pens, and used for setting 
hens when chicks are wanted, and for growing green food when not so wanted. 
In one pen I would put 4 pullets laying in June, with a pure-bred rooster. 
Tn the other I would keep 6 pullets, and as the first lot go broody replace 
from this pen. I advise only 4 pullets to a rooster in order to get strong 
chicks when you set eggs. You will thus have 10 pullets and 1 rooster, and the 
pens will take up a space of 30 feet by 12 feet. By using 8 more 12-feet 
hurdles you could keep 6 more pullets. 
= THIRTY FEET LON =a 
PLAN OF 
le 
Gal 
POULTRY |YARD. - 
<—— 12 fee), 
WT 
rR 
Feet 
Fig. 1, ‘‘ PLAN or Pourrry Preys 1x A Garpen,” is a plan of the way I would arrange my 
yards. Each yard would have a fruit tree, which would be protected by three small hurdles 
feet long. In this little triangle under the tree I would grow rape, lettuces, rye-grass, mustard, 
or other green food for the fowls. Along the front I would have a gravel walk with plenty of 
sharp grit, which the fowls could reach by putting their heads through the bars. There is no 
door for the middle yard, as the 6-feet hurdle can be used for the purpose. 
2. Wusrt Breeps wovip you Apyise?—It will be quite natural that I 
should advise the breeds I know most about. These are—Buff Orpingtons, 
Black Orpingtons, Plymouth Rocks, Langshans, or any first eross-breeds that 
will lay in June. 
[We do not detract from Mr. Martin’s recommendation, especially the last, 
but many poultry-breeders will regret that he has not included Minoreas and 
Leghorns.— Ed. Q.4.J-] 
3, How Many Yanos snounp I Have?—I would make as many as I could 
manage, but prefer 2 yards, 12 feet square, to one 24 feet by 12 feet. Itisa 
little more expensive, but is much better. If you have fences you can use for 
one side and one end, then you haye fewer hurdles to make ; but beware of tick 
in the fences. 
— 6 Fat 
