EGGS OF I^ENS. 2^5 



obfervatlons on a great number of hens of different breeds, 

 which he reared in the fame place, has found that the bulk of 

 the eggs depends much more on the breed of the hen than on 

 the quantity of nourifliment. Thofe breeds which give the 

 largefl: eggs are not however to be preferred on that account, 

 becaufe with them as much may be loft in the quantity of eggs 

 as is gained by their fize. Of all the breeds known in France 

 the author gives the preference, with refpe6l to the produce of 

 eggs, to that which is called the common hen, and which is 

 only common becaufe its merit h known. Thofe which have 

 black legs are in greater efteem than thofe with yellow ones. 



From comparative experiments continued for a year, M. 

 Parmentier found that though the eggs of this breed were not 

 fo large as fome others, yet every thing befides being ec^ual 

 they produced at lead one half more. 



Next to this breed of hens comes the crefted hen and the Superior brecdi. 

 large Flemidi hen. The one is more delicate eating, becaufe 

 laying lefs than the common hen, it grows fatter; the other, 

 without being more produdive, is preferable for raifing chick- 

 ens. The ftlkj/ hen (poule defoie) fo beautiful in its form and 

 in the finenefs of its plumage, fo careful in laying, foadiduous 

 in fetting, fo tender of its chicks, might be recommended, but 

 unfortunately two of its eggs are not worth one common egg. 

 This circumftance places it among thofe which muft be left for 

 the curious. 



After the choice of the breeds, care muftbe taken that the Management of 

 hens are neither fed loo abundantly nor too fparingly ; that they ^^^ ^^"** 

 do not wet their feet, that they are fufficiently clofe in the rooft 

 to heat and eledrify each other; and, that they meet with a 

 little warm dung in the day time. 



When the only obje6l in keeping hens is to procure eggs^ 

 and thus turn to profit the grain which remains among thechatF 

 and in the dung-hills, it is wholly ufelefs to keep cocks at the 

 fame time, becaufe experience has fliown that hens deprived 

 of the male do not lay lefs than thofe which have it. The 

 faving by this is not the only nor the greateft advantage. The 

 unfecundated eggs keep much better than thofe which are fe- Unfecundated 

 cundated. It has been found by experiment that they can fup- ^68^ 'fail Uabje 

 port a heat of 32*^ (87® F.) for thirty or forty days without experi- ° ^ 

 encing any change. It is therefore evident that the evapora- 

 tion of the liquors is not, as Reaumur thought, the immediate 



caufe 



