upon a board, which should
be washed clean every time fresh food is put upon it.

2172. To Fatten Fowls in a Short Time.

Mix together ground rice well scalded with milk, and add some coarse
sugar. Feed them with this in the daytime, but do not give them too
much at once; let it be rather thick.

2173. Egg Shells for Poultry.

It is a bad thing to give fowls egg-shells. They supply nothing that
is not equally well furnished by lime, and especially bricklayers'
rubbish, old ceilings, &c. Never do anything that has a tendency to
make them eat eggs. They are apt scholars. If they find worms in a
natural way they are good food, but it is a bad plan to give them by
the handful.

2174. Gold Fish.

Great care must be taken of gold fish, as they are very sensitive; and
hence a loud noise, strong smell, violent or even slight shaking of
the vessel, will sometimes destroy them. Small worms, which are common
to the water, suffice for their food in general, but the Chinese, who
bring gold fish to great perfection, throw small balls of paste into
the water, of which they are very fond. They give them also lean pork,
dried in the sun, and reduced to a very fine and delicate powder.
Fresh river-water should be given them frequently, if possible.
Gold-fish seldom deposit spawn when kept in glass-vessels. In order to
procure a supply, they must be put into reservoirs of a considerable
depth, in some part at least, well shaded at intervals with
water-lilies, and constantly supplied with fresh water.

[FIRST BE JUST, THEN YOU MAY BE GENEROUS.]

2175. Dogs.

The best way to keep dogs healthy is to let them have plenty of
exercise, and not to over-feed them. Let them at all times have a
plentiful supply of clean water, and encourage them to take to
swimming, as it assists their cleanliness. Naldire's soap is
recommended as highly efficacious in ridding dogs of fleas. After
using any soap rinse it well off with clean water. Properly treated,
dogs should be fed only once a day. Meat boiled for dogs, and the
liquor in which it is boiled thickened with barley meal, or oatmeal,
forms capital food.

2176. Distemper in Dogs.

The distemper is liable to attack dogs from four months to four years
old. It prevails most in spring and autumn. The disease is known by
dulness of the eye, husky cough, shivering, loss of appetite and