Jonnary 28, 1806. ] 



JODBNAIi OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



75 



compartment all the sides of which, except tlie front, were 

 hollow, and served to cont.iin water by which the requisite 

 degree of heat was communicated to the eggs. To heat the 

 water, both in tlie old and improved apparatus, a lamp is em- 

 ployed which burns a highly rectified non-explosive oil, the 

 burner being a brass tube pierced with five of the smallest 

 holes which it is possible to drill, and filled with cotton threads 

 to draw up the oil. In lighting the lamp a piece of burning 

 paper is held against this tube till the vapour from the oil 

 ascends and is lighted. Externally, the water-jacket is covered 

 with blanketing to prevent loss of heat. The new apparatus 

 instead of being closed at the back is open, so that there is 

 always a current of cool air from front to back below the eggs, 

 and these receive the heat principally on the upper side, as in 

 natural hatching. 

 The alterations and improvements are stated by Messrs. 



Crook to have " originated not from any inefficiency in the prin- 

 ciple of our former incubator, but to avoid, as much as we are 

 able, those disasters happening through inattention, the re- 

 sults of which are to dry up the moisture necessary to the per- 

 fect development of the germ, and destroy the vitality of the 

 chick. To describe our alteration, it will be necessary to say 

 that we are now imitating Nature as closely as possible, by 

 radiating the warmth upon the top of the egg only, and allow- 

 ing the under side to remain somewhat cool. Your readers wiU 

 at once see that this is a natural method ; and as the germ 

 floats only at the top side of the egg, and remains so in what- 



' ever position the egg may be turned, we consider this beautiful 

 provision of Nature to be our unerring guide, and our experi- 

 ments have proved that this is the correct method for us to 

 apply our heat. We have not in any way altered the contigu- 



I ration of the apparatus ; each remains precisely the same. 



'■.',, ".Ill i/j('i( 



Crook's Improved Incubator 



" The artificial rearing-apparatus, of which the above is a re- 

 presentation, is very simple in its construction, and is, in fact, a 

 more perfect carrying out of the plan proposed by M. Reaumur, 

 whose works upon the subject of artificial incubation are well 

 worthy of the attention of poultry-breeders. The apparatus 

 is a slanting casing of hot water, with a loose casing of per- 

 forated metal, and lined with lamb skins ; a lamp is placed at 

 the back end, which keeps up the required warmth for winter 

 use. It is intended that this useful adjunct should be at- 

 ached to a coop, as represented by the dotted lines in the en- 



Artificial Kcaring Apparatus. 



gi-aving, which prevents the birds from flying on to the top of 

 the apparatus ; the obUque construction of the apparatus en- 

 ables the chicks to nestle comfortably up to the top side, iu 

 imitation of Nature, as if the chick were nestling under the 

 hen. There is no warmth applied to the feet of the birds, as 

 we have foimd from experience that when they are warmed 

 from the floor upon which they rest, they become weak and 

 languid, soon have the cramp, and readily take cold. The 

 warmth in this, as in the improved incubator, is only applied 

 to the top or back of the bird." 



RAILWAY CHARGES. 



I AM glad to find from " our Journal " of December 26th that 

 others besides myself complain of railway charges. I am not 

 surprised. The only wonder is that we have submitted to the 

 grievance so patiently — another proof, were it wanting, of the 

 endurance of the Anglo-Saxon ! Still, we are told, " If you 

 tread on a worm, it will turn." and I only hope we shall 

 " turn " to some purpose. Your correspondent " J. K." sug- 

 gests some plans somewhat similar to those that have been 

 thought over by myself. .Ys, however, I promised to suggest a 

 remedy, I now fulfil my promise, and must leave my fellow 

 exhibitors to act as they think fit. 



Firstly, then, I think that the Poultry Club may justly turn 

 their attention to this subject : their object is the encourage- 

 ment of poultry shows and of poultry keeping, especially for 

 exhibition. Ai'e the present railway charges likely to increase 

 the number of exhibitions or exhibitors ? I trow not. I do 

 not think any of the members would object to some small 

 amount of income being devoted to remedying this grievance ; 

 it need not be very large. I^would suggest that at the next 

 meeting of the Club a resolution should be proposed (and if I 

 might do this by proxy I should be very glad to propose it 

 myself), declaring the opinion of the Club, that poultry exhi- 

 bitions would be encouraged, and indirectly railway traffic would 

 be promoted, if it were an established rule on all railways that 



unsold birds returning from an exhibition should travel free. 

 Supposing such a resolution carried, and I can hardly imagine 

 a dissentient voice, it could be printed, and forwarded to the 

 head office of the principal railways, requesting an answer ; or, 

 to save the expense of printing, I would take upon myself the 

 trouble of writing out the said resolution and forwarding it 

 to the Secretary for his signature ; the postage would then be 

 the only expense. I have already written to the Secretary on 

 this subject. 



Independently of any such action on the part of the Poultry 

 Club, I am wilhng to enter into communication with the prin- 

 cipal exhibitors of poultry, and sound them as to their wiUing- 

 uess to sign a petition to be forwarded to the various railway 

 authorities. Many, perhaps, would kindly spare me some of 

 this trouble by signifying at once to me, imder cover to " our 

 Editors," their willingness to join in the requisition. Of 

 course, all this performance must cost some money, and per- 

 haps most exhibitors would scarcely care to entrust their dona- 

 tions to the unknown quantity that I have hithertabeen. The 

 amounts, with the consent of " our Editors," might be sent 

 to the office, and to all such helpers I would give " our Editors " 

 perfect liberty to unravel the mystery. To some few I am 

 already known by name, though not personally, and one gentle- 

 man, whom I have never seen, a frequent and successful ex- 



