BREEDING AND REARING. 5 



under this head. But in order to give some idea of the importance 

 of the subject, I shall take leave to make a few extracts from the 

 most authentic sources on the subject, of the profit obtained 

 from eggs and poultry. 



A writer in a newspaper, some years ago, at Arras, enters 

 into the following calculations, as to the value of this branch 

 of trade: "Out of 72,000,000 eggs, annually imported into 

 England from France, Germany, the Netherlands, and other 

 countries, France contributes 55,000,000 ; calculating the first 

 cost at 4|d. per dozen, England pays annually to France for eggs, 

 about 77,000." A writer in the Penny Magazine, in the year 

 1837, calculates the importation of eggs, from all sources, at 

 69,000,000, for the year ending January 5, 1837 ; and the duty, 

 at Id. per dozen, amounted to 24,048. In 1820, the quantity 

 imported was 31,000,000 ; the duty yielding a revenue of 11,077. 

 In 1827, the importation of eggs was nearly the same. ** These 

 69,000,000 eggs required about 575,000 fowls, each producing 120 

 eggs, on an average ; all beyond this being required for domestic 

 consumption. Assuming the grounds of this calculation to be 

 correct, the 55,000,000 eggs, supplied by France, are the produc- 

 tion of 458,333 fowls, each of which furnishes ten dozen eggs, 

 imported at a duty of 10d., being a tax to that amount on each 

 fowl. Allowing twelve fowls to each family, engaged in supplying 

 the demand for eggs, the number of families thus interested will 

 be 39,861, representing a population of 198,000. In the Pas de 

 Calais there can scarcely be a larger proportion than two families 

 out of every five who are connected with the egg trade ; and, if 

 this were ascertained, to be the real proportion, the population, 

 not directly, engaged would be 457,000, which, with the 198,000 

 mentioned before, would comprise a total population of 655,000, 

 which is the population of the department." The usual mode in 

 which these eggs arrive at the market, is, through the interven- 

 tion of an intermediate class of dealers, who go from house to 

 house, viait cabin after cabin, collecting from each, the accumu- 

 lated store ; and, in their turn, bring the produce of their tour, 

 to the egg merchant, who regularly ships them, for their destina- 

 tion. 



Mr. Weld, in his "Statistical Survey," of Koscommon, thus 

 writes "The trade in eggs, the value of which for export, 

 according to Mr. Williams, in 1832, amounted to 500 a day, 

 paid by England to Ireland, is carried on, with considerable 

 vivacity, at Lanesborough, and also at Tarmonbarry. The 

 eggs are collected from the cottagers for several miles around, 



