t which we, in England, take very little pains. The
_vermin_, that is to say, the _lice_, that poultry breed, are the greatest
annoyance. And as our wet climate furnishes them, for a great part of the
year, with no _dust_ by which to get rid of these vermin, we should be
very careful about _cleanliness_ in the hen-houses. Many a hen, when
sitting, is compelled to quit her nest to get rid of the lice. They
torment the young chickens. And, in short, are a great injury. The
fowl-house should, therefore, be very often cleaned out; and sand, or
fresh earth, should be thrown on the floor. The nest should not be on
_shelves_, or on any-thing fixed; but little flat baskets, something like
those that the gardeners have in the markets in London, and which they
call _sieves_, should be placed against the sides of the house upon pieces
of wood nailed up for the purpose. By this means the nests are kept
perfectly clean, because the baskets are, when necessary, taken down, the
hay thrown out, and the baskets washed; which cannot be done, if the nest
be made in any-thing forming a part of the building. Besides this, the
roosts ought to be cleaned every week, and the hay changed in the nests of
laying-hens. It is good to _fumigate_ the house frequently by burning dry
herbs, juniper wood, cedar wood, or with brimstone; for nothing stands so
much in need of cleanliness as a fowl-house, in order to have fine fowls
and plenty of eggs.

179. The _ailments_ of fowls are numerous, but they would seldom be seen,
if the proper care were taken. It is useless to talk of _remedies_ in a
case where you have complete power to prevent the evil. If well fed, and
kept perfectly clean, fowls will seldom be sick; and, as to old age, they
never ought to be kept more than a couple or three years; for they get to
be good for little as layers, and no _teeth_ can face them as food.

180. It is, perhaps, seldom that fowls can be kept conveniently about a
cottage; but when they can, three, four, or half a dozen hens to lay in
_winter_, when the wife is at _home_ the greater part of the time, are
worth attention. They would require but little room, might be bought in
November and sold in April, and six of them, with proper care, might be
made to clear every week the price of a gallon of flour. If the labour
were great, I should not think of it; but it is _none_; and I am for
neglecting nothing in the way of pains in order to ensure a hot dinner
every day in wint