Pleasantville weekly press., 1907-01-12
sHELTERrNG POULTRY.

Those who would have the healthi-
est and most profitable poultry must
see to it that the birds are properly
housed.
The first thing 20 do is to select
your location. If possible, choose a
place not too far from residence and
with a gentle south slope. Excavate
so that the maximum depth at the
back part will not be more than two
or two and one-half feet. For found
alton use ordinary hollow cement
building blocks that can easily be Sc
cured in any locality. Tile blocks will
do if you can not obtain the cement
ones. Lay this wall along the north
line SO that the top is just above the
top of the ground; also lay up the
ends to the same height.
For sills use AKA or 4x6 and have
the uprights in the rear not over six
feet in height and in front about eight
or nine feet. This will give sufficient
slope to the roof, the house being
twelve feet in width. Use medium
sized windows placed every ten feet
in the south side, so that light and
sunshine will reach every part of the
house sometime during the day.
The north side of the building
should be boarded up with drop sid
ing on the outside and the same
should be used on the inside of the
uprights. Use good shiplap for roofing
and if shingles are used in prefer
ence to felt roofing first cover the
shiplap with tar paper; also line the
inside of the rafters with drop sid
ing.
In this way there will be contin-
uous air passage from front cornice
of building over roof and down the
rear wall to bottom Of the cement
wall. Frost will not form on these
walls in the coldest of weather if
the house is properly aired during the
day.
1t will not be necessary to have
the front of the building of more,
than one thickness of lumber if it is
lined with tar paper Some prefer to
lath and plaster a building, and it is
about as cheap as the wood lining,
but not quite as dry.
CLEANING AND WHITEWASHING.
In cleaning our poultry houses, we
believe In making thorough job of
it, and after everything movable is
taken out, we burn the contents of
the nests, also all litter from the
earthern floors. We then remove the
earth from the floors to a depth of
about four inches; then after I'VE are
through whitewashing we refill with
fresh earth SO that the floors in the
pens are about six inches higher than
the ground on the outside. 1t would
seem that most anybody could do a
job of whitewashing correctly, but
really it is surprising how much bet
ter the houses will look when proper
care has been taken in applying the
whitewash All cracks should be care
fully filled and the coat spread even
ly, and if care is taken we will have
beautiful, clean and attractive
house that is pleasure to look at.
Our method of making whitewash
is as follows: Take one-half bushel of
fresh lime; put in barrel or tub and
pour on warm water to nearly cover.
Then cover the barrel while slack
ing, care being taken to see it does
not become dry and barn, adding
water gradually until it is a fairly
thin batter. Add five pounds Of salt,
dissolved in water, also five pounds
Spanish whiting and two ounces Of
carbolic acid. 1t is advisable not to
apply whitewash too thick, as it will
look better, is easier to apply and
less liable to peel or crack off Some
recommend applying whitewash while
hot, but this is rather more bother
than most people care for, and with