Fremh Hens, 111 



ficlal hatching, but from the motive of 

 mere curiosity, and that motive must in- 

 deed be powerful, to carry one through 

 the endless labour and attendance required. 

 A lady some years years since, obtained 

 a premium of ten guineas from one of the 

 societies, for the plan of multiplying chick- 

 ens, by causing the hens to set-constant- 

 LY, or a great many times in the season, 

 which we had tried without success, many 

 years before. It is, in fact, to undertake 

 the most difficult part of the artificial pro- 

 Eess, that of bringing up the chickens with- 

 out hens. Nor would the disappointments 

 be few, in procuring hens which would set 

 beyond the usual periods, and those so 

 disposed, soon become consumptive and 

 useless from such hard duty. The plan, in- 

 deed, as a general one, is totally useless. On 

 this head De Reaumur thus characterizes the 

 hens of his country : 



'* So long as we shall depend entirely 

 upon our hens, Ave must not expect to see 

 the multiplication of the species carried so 



