100 FARMING FOR LADIES. [chap. iv. 



nest, and most persons would imagine it to 

 be better than straw, in consequence of its 

 greater softness, warmth, and fi'agrance ; but, 

 in point of fact, its softness is soon counter- 

 acted by the pressure of the hen, the warmth 

 of whose body is sufficient for the purposes 

 of hatching, besides its soon imparting to 

 the hay a mawkish odour which destroys its 

 fragrance, and being also accused of generating 

 lice. We, therefore, recommend straw — as 

 being sufficiently warm, more elastic, and 

 finally freer from any unpleasant smell, or the 

 nuisance already mentioned ; and that of 

 wheat or barley as preferable to the oat ; but 

 it should be cut rather short, for if left of the 

 natural length, and a stem of it be caught 

 by a claw of the hen, she will unconsciously 

 drag it out of the nest when she on any oc- 

 casion leaves it, and may thus discompose 

 the arrangement of her eggs, or perhaps 

 break them. Fern, if it can be got, is still 

 better than straw. Some writers recommend 

 feathers to be strewn over the straw ; but as 

 they must, in that case, be laid under the 

 eggs, no increase of warmth would be thus 

 created. 



