58 FARMING FOR LADIES. [chap. n. 



will look black and eat hard, the other tender 

 and delicately white." We leave this, how- 

 ever, to the epicurean palate of lovers of good 

 living ; one of whom we have seen eat a 

 grouse in such a state of decomposition as 

 to scrape oif the breast with a spoon. 



Respecting both cocks and hens, remarks 

 have been long current among country-folks, 

 which, although looked upon by many per- 

 sons as being what they sneeringly call " old 

 women's sayings," yet as we entertain too 

 much respect for the sex to treat anything 

 which they may advance with want of cour- 

 tesy, and have besides not a little confidence 

 in " old saws and sayings," as being as com- 

 monly founded in experience as the axiom, 

 " Count not your chickens until they are 

 hatched," we shall enumerate a few ; without, 

 however, pledging ourself to their truth. As 

 for instance, — many people have an idea that 

 eggs are addled by thunder ; and that chickens 

 hatched during the full of the moon thrive 

 better than if brought to life during its less 

 advanced period, and therefore put the hen to 

 sit in the first quarter : but looking, as we do, 

 to these as vulgar prejudices, we do not think 



