102 FARMIXG FOR LADIES. [chap. it. 



each egg has been duly impregnated by the 

 cock — as otherwise, it would not produce a 

 chicken; and this precaution is more par- 

 ticularly necessary in using eggs which are 

 purchased for the purposes of hatching, as 

 you cannot be certain of the time when they 

 were layed, or of any of the circumstances 

 attending them. 



With a little practice, it may be easily 

 known by holding the egg between you and 

 the light, and observing whether the yolk con- 

 tains in the upper part of its larger end a 

 small, whitish, filmy substance, which forms the 

 germe of the future chick, and without which 

 the egg should be rejected. The yolk also 

 has in the same end a small cavity, not much 

 larger than a pea, immediately under the 

 shell, and filled with air, for the use, no doubt, 

 of the chick when brought to life, as it ex- 

 pands in the process of hatching ; and on ap- 

 plying the eye in the same manner to the egg, 

 this " air-bag" will be found a tolerably good 

 test of its freshness : a small circle being con- 

 sidered a proof of its being newly layed, and 

 a large one of its being stale. Another proof 

 of its staleness is the appearance of the yolk 



