not that the surface should consist of that material, -for it speedily becomes so hard and unyielding as to injure fowls kept upon it, either by retaining wet and moisture, unable to percolate through, or by the roughness to the feet, often entailing leg diseases: as a surface-covering for yards, nothing is better than beach-sand, mixed with fine old rubbish from buildings, and garden-mould. When sand cannot be procured as the basis, gravel or ashes may be used, the latter being in our opinion preferable to the gravel.

Whether the exterior roof of the poultry-house be tiled, thatched, or boarded, the interior ought assuredly to be ceiled; and the walls plastered.

In keeping poultry of any description, the first consideration, after providing them with warm and yet airy shelters, should be, that they are well attended to, and the strictest possible cleanliness observed in their houses; otherwise they will soon be, in the vulgar phrase, "stenched out," or infected with the impurities they occasion in the atmosphere. The floor of the house must often (daily, if possible) be swept down, and fresh strewed with sand, ashes, or gravel,—saw-dust, recommended by some, we think injurious to fowls. The ceiling and walls must be white-washed with lime three or four times in the year-the warmer months rendering that operation more especially necessary. The laying and hatching nests should also be lime-washed frequently-the latter after

every brood has been raised. This precaution destroys lice, if such exist; but if any difficulty is experienced in getting rid of those disagreeable lodgers, smearing with turpentine, or fumigating with sulphur on a pan of charcoal, will seldom fail. The surface of the yard itself, being raked over and cleansed thoroughly every week at longest, may be allowed to stand three or four months, when, for some two or three inches, it should be removed, and fresh covered. To carry these instructions out as they require to be, it must be obvious that, if many fowls are kept, unless the proprietor is prepared to devote an amount of time, care, and attention, which very few we think will, it will be necessary to have an attendant for the yard: if not very extensive, a shrewd, careful, and humane girl is, perhaps, the best adapted of any to take charge of poultry,-at any rate, whether male or female, the poultry attendant must, for the well-doing of the stock, be kind, gentle, cleanly, and untiring; but no provision as to attendants will relieve the owner of the fowls of a responsibility peculiarly attaching to him,—that of now and then casting a searching and superintending eye upon the stock, houses, yards, food, &c., from which incalculable good will result.

It is generally recommended to leave the wicketgates at the bottom of the doors of the poultryhouses open at night, in favourable weather at least, in order to afford the fowls an opportunity of going

out abroad at early dawn; but this we think bad in many ways: rats or other vermin may thereby get in during the night, and, which will even prove more extensively destructive of the stock, (especially when young,) the fowls will sustain great injury in their health, from venturing over the grass or ground when loaded with heavy dew. If it is desirable to let them out so very early in the morning, the only proper way is for some one to be up to let them out, if and when he knows they will not take harm.

Pullets and cockerels should be separated when about nine or ten weeks old,—and on no consideration permitted to range together after they have attained three months, as they will breed too early both for their own health and that of the progeny.

The food and water of all poultry should be given in such a way, as to preserve it from contamination, as much as possible, arising from dirt, &c. To this end pans or troughs are now generally provided; and convenient ones, of iron, may be obtained of the ironmongers, at very reasonable prices these are constructed in various forms,— flat like a tray, circular, semi-circular, or triangular for standing in corners; and have one or more compartments, to hold water, grain, or other food. The best, but most expensive, are the double troughs, with bars across to prevent wasting or soiling the contents, and so arranged, that whilst they may be lifted off for cleansing, yet

fowls themselves cannot rest upon them. If the breeder adopts the plan of feeding his fowls by hand only, or has the food contained by itself in a pan, or wooden hopper, the water may be kept either in the common earthen fountain bottle; or those to whom expense is not a consideration, can procure one of Baily's registered fountains, which are certainly better, and much easier to fill and cleanse.

Laying hens are great devourers of lime and chalk in any shape, and, indeed, it seems almost necessary for the health of the fowls. Care should, therefore, be taken that plenty of old mortar, limerubbish, chalky marl, crushed bones, and oystershells, be always strewed about the yards and houses.

means.

Of course, if it is intended to confine swans to any particular spot, it seems superfluous to state, that if the stream or piece of water on which they are kept, has any outlet, it will be necessary to close it for some yards up with netting, or by other Some breeders place a feeding-trough by the bank-side, to keep the stock supplied when there is paucity of food in the water; but a far preferable plan, and more natural, is to cast a handful or two to them on the water. At two or three points the bank must be made sloping, so as to form what may be called landing-places for the cygnets or young birds. To retain swans, the enclosure of the stream will not alone suffice, if left the free use of their wings: it is usual, therefore,

to pinion them,-an operation which is performed either at the first (or wrist) or at the second (or elbow) joint of the wing; and we think the second will be found necessary for the effectually securing swans. It must be done cleverly, with a very sharp knife, just at the socket of the joint: any bungling or mangling will endanger the life of the bird. Cygnets intended for fattening for the table should not be pinioned, as the loss of blood weakens them, and has a tendency, of course, to retard the fattening process. From the tyrannical conduct exhibited by them towards other fowls, which they will scarcely tolerate near their domains, if other water-fowl are kept on the same stream, it is customary with many to slit the webs of the feet of the swans, as otherwise they generally put to flight and disperse every species but their own,-and even these will not always be spared. It is not popularly known that swans thrive better on shallow swampy waters than on deep running streams. In confinement, from frequent diving and explorations into the muddy beds of their waters, swans frequently have an accumulation of mud-deposit under the lower bill, which the attendant must occasionally remove by the hand, to free them from the dirt. The reputed longevity of the swan exceeds that of any other animal; and it would form an interesting record, if present and succeeding proprietors of swanneries would keep a stud-book of their stock, with the ages carefully noted down,