44 



FARMERS' REGISTER. 



closely, joined together, indicate the situation of 

 the naval. The brain and spinal marrow, some 

 rudimenis oC the vvini^s and principal n)uscles, 

 become observal)le. Tne Ibrnnnion of the heari 

 is aic-o evidently proct^eding. — 3d thiy. At the 

 comineacenieni of the third il.iy the beaiimj of the 

 heart is perceptible, iillhoui^ti no blood is visible; 

 a lew hours, howove.r, elapse and uvo vesicles, 

 contrtiiiing blood, maUe their appearance; one 

 Ibrming the left ventricle, the other the great 

 artery. The auricle of the heart is next seen, and 

 in the whole of these, pulsation is evident. — 4th 

 day. The v.'ings now assume a more defined 

 ehape, and the increased size of the head renders 

 the globules containing the brain, the beak and 

 the^front and hind part of the head distinctly 

 visible.— 5th day. On the 5th day the liver makes 

 its appearance, and both auricles now plainly 

 Been appmach nearer the heart than they were 

 before. That beautiful phenomena, the circula- 

 tion of the blood, is evident. — 6ih day. The lungs 

 and stomach are distinguishable, and the full 

 gush of blood from the iieart distinctly apparent. 

 — 7ih day. During this day, the intestines, veins 

 and upper mandible, become visible, and the brain 

 begins to assume a constituent (brm. — 8th day. 

 The beak, for the first time, opens, and the Ibrma- 

 tion cl flesh commences upon the breast. — 9th day. 

 The deposition of matter Ibrming tlie ribs, takes 

 place, and the gall-bfidder is |)erceptible. — lOih 

 day. The matter fornsing the skull now becomes 

 cartilaginous, and the protrusion of leathers evi- 

 dent.— 12th day. The orbits of sight are now 

 apparent, and the ribs are perliicted. — 13th day. 

 'J'tie spleen gradually apjironches in its proper 

 position in the abdomen. — Hthday. The luniis 

 become inclosed within the breast. — 15th, 16lh 

 and 17ih days. During these days the infinity 

 of phenomena in litis wonderful piece of vital me- 

 chanism, elaborate it into a more perlect Ibrm and 

 it presents an appearance closely approaching a 

 mature state. The yolk of the egg, however, 

 from which it derives its nourishment, is still oui- 

 eide the body.— 18ih day. On the 18lh day, the 

 outward and audible sign of developeii life is 

 apparent, by the liiint piping of lhechi(;k being 

 Jbr the first' time, heard.— I'Jth, 20ih, and 21st 

 days. Continually increasing in size and strength 

 the remainder of the yolk gradually becomes 

 inclosed within its body; then with uncommon 

 power lor so small and frail a being, it liberates 

 itself from its prison in a peculiar and curious 

 manner, t>y repeated etforts made with its bill, 

 peconded by muscular exertion with its limbs, and 

 emerges into a new existence. 



'* The position of the chicken in the shell is such 

 as to occupy the least possible space. The head, 

 which is larire and heavy in proportion to the rest 

 oflhe body is placed in ii-ont of the belly with its 

 beak under the ri^ht wing; the Itjel are gnihered 

 up like a bird trussed for the spit ; yet in this 

 singular manner, and appareiit uricoml!)rtable po- 

 sition, it is by no means crampeil or confined, but 

 performs all the necessary motions and etfons 

 required Ibr its liberation, with the most perlect 

 case, and that consummate skill wliieh instinct 

 renders almost infdiible. The chicken, at the 

 time it breaks the shell, is heavier than tlie whole 

 egg was at first." 



The superintendent of the oven politely exhi- 



chipping. Some had chipped the day before, 

 others that day, and some would not be chipped 

 nil the morrow ; in a lew cases we observed the 

 beak of the diick boring its way through the shell 

 and getting itself emancipated. When the little 

 creatures are ushered into the world, they are not 

 immediately renioved out of the oven, but are 

 alloweii to remain for a lew hours until they be- 

 come dry ; they are then removed and put into the 

 glass-case, on the table at the end of the room. 

 This case is very shallow, and the glass cover can 

 be easily pushed aside to permit the superinten- 

 dent handling them if required. They are here for 

 the first time fed though not for twenty-four hours 

 after being hatched ; the materials scattered 

 among them is email bruised grits, or particles 

 little larger than meal; these they eagerly pick 

 up without any teaching, their instinctive desire 

 for food being a sufficient monitor. After the 

 brood has been kept in the glass-case, (which is 

 partially open) lor two or three days, and been 

 thus gradually accustomed to the atmosphere, 

 they are removed to one of the divisions in the 

 railed enclosure on the floor. Here hundreds are 

 seen running about, uttering peepy cries, picking 

 up grits or otherwise amusing themselves, all 

 being apparently in as lively and thriving a con- 

 dition as if trotting about in a barn-yard. At six 

 in the evening they are put to bed for the night in 

 a coop ; these coops are wooden boxes, lined with 

 a flannel curtain in front, to seclude, and keep the 

 inmates as warm and comfortable as if under the 

 wing of a mother. At six or seven in the morti- 

 in>r they are airain allowed to come forth into 

 their court-yard, which being strewed with sand 

 and provided with Ibod and water, aflbrds them all 

 the advantage of a run in an open irround. 



I made some inquiries respecting the failures in 

 hatchinj; and deaths, and received the fdllnwing 

 information : — The ejjgs are usually purchased 

 from Leadenhall market, and, consequently, not 

 being altoffether li-esh, or otherwise suitable, one 

 half oflhem IWA in hatching. Once hatched, they 

 are salt?, for not more th;m one dies out of fifty 

 whicfi are brought into existence. If good and 

 suitable eirtzs could be procured at all seasons the 

 failures in hatching would be comparatively tri- 

 fling. Bad eggs therefore, are the weak point in 

 the establishment, and I should recommend the 

 proprieier to complete his arranirements, by adding 

 an eirir-laying department to those wliich he has 

 for hatching. This miixht he done by keeping a 

 regidar poultry-yanl, either in connexion with the 

 place or in the country. The apparatus for hatch- 

 ing is capable of producing forty thousand chickens 

 in a year, and making allowance for failures, the 

 actual proiinct cannot fill I short of half of that 

 number. When three weeks old, n& I was in- 

 fbrined, the chickens are taken to market, and sold 

 for a shilling each. Thus, we would siqipose, the 

 Kcc deoliion turns out at least, a thousand pounds 

 worth of chickens nnnually — no bod revenue, it 

 will be said, after payinnr expenses, but not great- 

 er than the irisienions contriver and proprietor, Mr. 

 William Bucknell, deserves. 



This thinir, trifling as it may appear to some, is 

 hiixhly deserving of public attention. Attempts to 

 hatch egiTs, in ovens are of old date, but have 

 never succeeded on a permanent or large scale in 

 this country, fn Egypt the practice has been 

 more successful j yet even there, with the advaj}- 



