221 



23rd December, 12 of these eggs, each one marked with the date of laying, were 

 placed in the incubator to be kept at a temperature of 80 degrees, and to be examined 

 from time to time and notes taken of their condition. These experiments are being 

 continued. 



[Note. — A further examination was made as the report was going through the press as follows : — ] 



24th February, 1891. 



Examination No. 18. — Two eggs were taken from those which had been in the 

 incubator from the Slst October, 1890, till the 11th February, 1891, at which date 

 the incubator tests ceased. In No. I eg,g, the white was found evaporated. The 

 yolk was hard and granular, the two occupying about one-third of the space in the 

 shell ; contents quite sweet; no musty odour; no evidence of decay. No. 2 specimen 

 had the yolk semi-solid, with about a teaspoonful of the white still fluid; contents 

 quite sweet and free from all odour. 



Examination No. 19. — One egg fjom those kept part of each day in incubator 

 and part out. About one-third of Qgg occupied by large air space ; yolk easily 

 broken up ; small proportion of white ; contents quite sweet, both to smell and 

 taste and free from all mustiness. Egg laid 2nd November. 



Examination No. 20. — An egg from the lot packed in bran and kept in the cellar. 

 Yolk round and firm ; white fairly clear; contents perfectly sweet; has every 

 appearance of a fresh egg ; air space not very large. Egg laid 29th October. 



Examination No. 21. — An Qgg from those greased and packed in salt. Yolk 

 round and firm ; white nearly transparent ; contents perfectly sweet ; has every 

 appearance of fresh egg ; air space small. Egg laid on the 2Dd November last. 



Examination No. 22. — An Qgg from those laid in first week of August last and 

 kept in drawer of table in office. Air space occupied fully one-third of egg-shell ; 

 yolk fairly round and firm ; white nearly transparent ; contents perfectly sweet 

 and free from mustiness. 



UNFERTILIZED EGGS. 



Examination No. 23. — An Qgg laid on the 11th December and placed with eleven 

 others in the incubator (at a temperature of 78 to 84°) on the 28th December, and 

 kept there until the 11th February, after which they were kept in the cellar at from 

 38 to 40*^. Yolk nearly round and solid; white slightly opaque ; air space large; 

 contents perfectly sweet and free from mustiness. 



Examination No. 24. — An egg from twelve unfertilized ones kept in an open 

 basket in cellar at a temperature of 38 to 40. Egg was laid on 9th of January last. 

 Yolk round and firm. ; white transparent ; air space medium ; contents perfectly 

 fresh ; has every a]^pearance of fresh egg. 



Examination No. 25. — An unfertilized egg fi-om a dozen packed in a box in bran 

 and kept in the cellar. Egg laid on the 30th December. Yolk round and firm ; 

 white transparent ; air spa-ce medium ; centents perfectly sweet ; has every 

 appearance of fresh egg. 



Examination No. 26. — An unfertilized egg from a dozen others greased and 

 packed in salt and kept in cellar. Egg laid on 21st January. Yolk round and firm; 

 white transparent ; egg perfectly sweet. 



Owing to one of the tanks of the incubator starting to leak on the 8th of 

 January it was stopped for repairs for a week and the incubator testa were finally 

 discontinued on the 11th February. 



FEEDING HENS FOR EGGS OP FINE FLAVOUR. 



To have eggs of fine flavour the hens should be fed on clean food. Fowls fed 

 on putrid meat, decayed or decaying animal substances, will lay eggs not fit to eat. 

 Proof of how the food affects the egg may be had by feeding a number of hens on 

 onions for a certain period. The eggs will become so strongly tainted with the 

 onion flavour as to be unpalatable. Where the farmer allows his fowls unlimited 



