CG OUR DOMESTIC FOWLS. 



known. Chickens hatched in the spring or 

 summer begin to lay eggs early in the following 

 spring ; if, however, pullets hatched early in 

 March be plentifully fed, they will sometimes 

 lay eggs' in the autumn of the same year. 



Of the excellency of the flesh of the fowl 

 nothing need be said ; it is not always, how- 

 ever, that a young well-fed barn-door fowl is 

 to be obtained, for the usual plan of the poul- 

 terer is to fatten the birds for the market ; 

 this practice if carried to a moderate extent is 

 not objectionable, but they are often fed 

 largely upon grease, and even crammed, by 

 which means they become loaded with rank 

 and disagreeable fat, to the deterioration of 

 the flavour of the flesh.* 



In France, the practice of cramming fowls 

 is very common. The poor victims are mer- 

 cilessly treated, they are kept in a dark place, 

 or even deprived of sight, and closely impri- 

 soned in one attitude, their heads, wings, and 

 under parts are plucked, and at stated times 

 food, by means of a sort of force-pump, is 

 crammed down their throats, an assistant 



• A vrell-fatted capon will often weigh seven or eight pouncts, 

 and sometimes nine or even ten. In France, capons are tauglu 

 not only to hatch eggs, but to rear and watch over the chickens, 

 and it is said they make excellent nurses. 



