COLLECTING EGGS FOR HATCHING. 4^ 



ornament or curiosity than use, at same time, I cannot, in justice 

 to the Frizzled Fowl and Rumpkins, pass them over without de- 

 claring them to be excellent layers. 



The Selright Jungle Fowl are, perhaps, the most beautiful of the 

 tribe, and have brought more money at the public sales, than any 

 other known variety. 



After selecting your breeding stock, for which the above 

 may afford you some assistance, you are to recollect not to 

 put more than five hens to one cock, all of which should be in 

 perfect health, and if two years old the cock will be in his prime. 

 I need not tell you to keep all other fowl apart, if you wish to 

 have true-bred birds. Some persons like to cross, and say the 

 Cochin China and Dorking make a fine cross ; others prefer the 

 Malay and Spanish. The Chittagong and the Old Sussex I know 

 to be very good. If crosses are permitted, any of the large-bodied 

 birds, crossed on each other, are desirable ; and, perhaps, each of 

 these crosses is superior to in-and-in bred birds, of any sort ; but 

 I am an advocate for true-bred birds, with an occasional intro- 

 duction of fresh blood, of their own species, without which they 

 are sure to degenerate. 



Fancy poultry, if crossed, become reduced to common barn-door 

 fowl, so that, as fancy fowl, they are worthless. 



IN COLLECTING EGGS, FOR HATCHING, 



You should prefer those newest laid, and while gathering, to be 

 kept dry, clean, and free from damp or foul air ; and if imbedded 

 in dry bran, you will find the advantage. You will have to 

 recollect the necessity of impregnation by the cock ; and prefer 

 the moderate-sized eggs the over-large or over-small, not being 

 advantageous for hatching the soft-shelled or ill-shaped egg to be 

 rejected. It is absurd to suppose that the gender of an egg can 

 be ascertained from its appearance. The hen usually commences 

 laying in the spring, and again in the summer; but if kept 

 warm and well-fed, you may have eggs at any season. The 

 approach of laying is indicated by the comb and wattles of the 

 hen becoming a bright scarlet. The eggs should be taken from 

 the nest every afternoon, when no more may be expected to be 

 laid ; for if left in the nest, the heat of the hens, when laying 

 next day, will tend to corrupt them. Some hens are much more 

 productive than others ; I have had some of the Cochin China 

 to lay two eggs a day, not constantly, but occasionally, with 



