The Country Gcntlcimvis Magazine 



109 



THE HEN IVIFES KALENDAR FOR JUL Y. 



THE adult fowls which have not been 

 engaged in the duties of maternity 

 have, no doubt, been for many months con- 

 tributing to the contents of the egg baskets, 

 thus making eggs plentiful and cheap. In 

 anticipation of a scarce and dear time arriv- 

 ing, the thrifty housekeeper may now adopt 

 one or other of the many ways of preserving 

 them. The simplest plan is to smear the 

 shell slightly with good fresh butter, and 

 place the eggs in a jar with the narrow end 

 undermost; they will keep for months by 

 this process, and retain at the end of that 

 time the delicious milkiness peculiar to a 

 new-laid egg. It ought to be done as soon 

 as possible after the egg is laid. It is rather 

 surprising that a plan so efficacious is not 

 universally adopted. It need scarcely be 

 added, that eggs after being buttered will not 

 do for setting. Another way of preserving 

 is by putting the eggs in ashes or sawdust ; 

 they must be entirely covered, so as to ex- 

 clude the air: the narrow end, as in the 

 previous plan, placed undermost. The fol- 

 lowing is an excellent recipe for preserving 

 eggs in lime water, extracted from the popular 

 and interesting work, the " Hen wife : " — 

 " Select only perfectly formed eggs ; the 



slightest fracture or imperfection in the shell 

 would cause the failure of the whole batch. 

 Place the eggs carefully in a jar, and pour on 

 them Hme water, which is made by dissolv- 

 ing quicklime, in the proportion of two shells 

 to four gallons of water ; this must stand a 

 day, at least, till the residue has settled at 

 the bottom of the vessel ; the clearer portion 

 is then passed over the eggs, so as to cover 

 them. 



"Should the jar not be full, fresh eggs are 

 added from time to time, and as the lime 

 water rises it is poured into another jar ready 

 to be filled in like manner. 



" Be careful that the eggs are at least an 

 inch below the surface of the water ; place a 

 plate or lid of wood over them to prevent 

 them floating; tie up the jar and label it, 

 stating the date and number of dozens." 



The henwife must see that the eggs are 

 removed at once from the nest, as they are 

 apt to be addled by the hens sitting on them. 

 Care must also be taken in bringing them 

 from the henhouse to keep them dry, as a 

 single drop of water may taint the ^gg. They 

 should be disposed of as soon as collected, 

 for they change rapidly during hot and moist 

 weather. 



