252 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Jan. 



possible ; remove the head, roll back the skin on the neck, 

 and draw out the cro[) ; then dra^v^ the skin over the neck, 

 and tie neatly. When thoroughly cooled, pack in clean 

 boxes, and never put in a bird that is marred in the least, or 

 oft' color in skin. The appearance of the package Avhen 

 opened will have much to do with the price, and the pres- 

 ence of a single inferior specimen will fix the price for the 

 whole. Dressing and shipping a superior article, the market 

 will always be open to receive it, at prices satisfactory to the 

 grower. 



Either line of operations calls for the exercise of the 

 highest skill, patience and ingenuity. Again I say, which 

 you adopt will depend upon j^our individual fancy. In 

 combining, two distinct ideals of perfection must be kept 

 in view, and the object aimed at never for a moment for- 

 gotten. 



When growing chicks, intending the pullets for layers, 

 separate at an early age, and give the pullets a freer range 

 and coarser food. Grow strong, hardy constitutions. Be 

 sure to avoid producing fat. Bring them to laying, in 

 simply good growing condition. A pullet that is fat will 

 not commence laying at so early an age, neither will the 

 process of egg-forming be continued as regularly, as though 

 the ovarian system were not crowded upon by the fats of 

 the body. We are aiming at two hundred eggs yearly as the 

 average of our flocks. If it ever comes, it will be by grow- 

 ing ouv pullets for layers, giving them hardy constitutions, 

 keeping them in condition for egg producing, and providing 

 rations adapted to the work desired. Whether it be true or 

 not that the germ of every egg is formed before the first 

 goes to the egg basket, this much is true, — that, if we dress 

 a pullet just as she comes to laying, we shall find an egg 

 developed, and others in varying size, until we have counted 

 perhaps three hundred and fifty yolks. Back of these is 

 what seems a mass of membrane ; but bring hither the micro- 

 scope, and it tells a new story. This is simply an aggrega- 

 tion of minute vesicles, infinitesimal yolks. Count these, 

 and we have about three hundred more. For our present 

 purpose, it makes no diflerence whether these are all there 

 are to be formed, or not. The point is here : these germs are 



