MANAGEMENT OF FOWLS. 75 



extent, it would be found that the expenses of superintendence 

 and nursing more than absorb all profit. 



The artificial hatching described by Fortune ( Wanderings., 

 p. 78j, as successfully carried on in Chusan, was only practised 

 on Ducks ; and the season when he saw it in operation was 

 the end of May, a time of year when there would be little 

 difficulty in rearing Ducklings so produced in England, if time 

 and trouble were disregarded. 



As to fattening fowls, Mr. Dixon says, the old Dutch mode 

 is by no means a bad one. 



"Cardan is the authority, that if you mingle fat lizard (?),* 

 saltpetre, and cummin, with wheat flour, and feed Hens on 

 this food, they will get so fat, and the people who eat them 

 will grow so stout, as to burst. John Jacob "VVecker records 

 that he learnt the following secret of fatting Hens from a 

 certain Hollander. 'In the kitchen/ he says, 'make to your- 

 self a box, divided into many little boxes, each one with its 

 own opening, through which the Hens can thrust their heads 

 out of doors, and take their food. Therefore, in these little 

 boxes, let youthful Hens or Pullets be incarcerated, one in each : 

 let food be offered every hour, drink being interdicted for the 

 time. But let the food be wheat, moderately boiled. The 

 little boxes ought to be pervious below, that the excrements 

 may pass through, and be diligently removed every day. But 

 the Hens ought not to be shut up beyond two weeks; lest 

 they should die from too much fatness. I am told, also, that 

 among some people they get gloriously fat, and quickly, if 

 beer is offered them for drink, instead of water; also, that, if 

 they are fed on brewer's grains, they lay more, as well as 

 larger Eggs.' " Aldrovandi. 



* May not "lacerta" in the original text be a misprint or slip of 

 the pen for "lacerate?" If so, "fat lizard" should be replaced by 

 torn or "shred fat." 



