P&I2E ESSAYS OK SURREY CULTURE. 147 



line. But I soon found there was nothing like actual ex- 

 perience of your own. After disposing of my surplus stock 

 during the holidays, I accustom my turkey hens to the 

 poultry house as much as possible, and try to make them 

 roost there*. After they commence laying, I usually have 

 some trouble in finding their nest, but by confining them 

 in the henhouse till about noon and then giving them 

 their liberty, by following them, you can easily find their 

 nest. I take all the turkey eggs from the nest, leaving a 

 hen's egg or china nest egg. Gather the eggs every day. 

 Never frighten your turkeys, but endeavor to have them as 

 tame as possible, so you can handle them on the nests. If 

 I wish them to lay a second laying, I set the first eggs un- 

 der common hens, eight eggs to a hen. 



After she has made up her mind to set, confine the tur- 

 key about three days, and she will soon start to laying her 

 second clutch. If, when I am ready to set her, I do not 

 consider her nest in a suitable place, I wait two or three 

 days after she commences to stay on the nest at night. 

 Then I fix a nest in some place where I can keep her shut 

 up during the period of incubation ; some old building, 

 where she will have plenty of room to move around in. 

 Keep feed and fresh water near her, so she can have it 

 when she comes off her nest to eat. Place seventeen eggs 

 in the nest, remove the hen from her nest, place her in 

 the building, and she will finally settle down to business 

 in the new place without much trouble. Never allow her 

 any eggs in her own nest after she wants to set; if you do, 

 she will not take kindly to the one you have provided for 

 her. (If she has laid more than seventeen eggs, set the 

 balance under a common hen, and give the young turks to 

 the turkey hen when hatched. ) 



After confining tne turkey hen, never allow her her 

 liberty till she has hatched her eggs. If, on the other 

 hand, she has a good nest of her own, I allow her to re- 

 main there, taking note of the time I set her, so I will 



