98 THE DOMESTIC FOWL. 



over the eggs in the jar till they are completely covered. 

 When all is cold and firm, set the vessel in a cool, dry 

 place, till required for use. After the eggs are taken 

 out, the grease need not be wasted, as it will serve for 

 making soap, or many other household purposes. 



Recipe, No. 3. Pack the eggs to be preserved in 

 common salt, with the small ends downwards, and they 

 will keep tolerably good for eight or nine months. 



It has been stated by Reaumur, who is a high au- 

 thority, that clear or unfertile eggs will keep good longer 

 than those that would be productive ; but it is doubtful 

 whether the difference is so great as to make it worth 

 while keeping the hens in a melancholy widowhood on 

 this account. 



PRESERVATION OF EGGS FOR HATCHING. 



EGGS for hatching should be as fresh as possible ; if 

 laid the very same day, so much the better. This is 

 not always possible when a particular stock is re- 

 quired to be increased ; but if a numerous and healthy 

 brood is all that is wanted, the most recent eggs should 

 be selected. Some books tell us that eggs to be hatched 

 should not be more than a fortnight, others say not 

 more than a month old. It is difficult to fix the exact 

 term during which the vitality of an egg remains un- 

 distinguished ; it undoubtedly varies from the very 

 first, according to the vigor of the parents of the in- 

 closed germ, and fades away gradually till the final 

 moment of non-existence. But long before that mo- 

 ment, the principle of life becomes so feeble, as to be 

 almost unavailable for practical purposes. The chicks 

 in stale eggs have not sufficient strength to extricate 

 themselves from the shell ; if assisted, the yolk is 

 found to be only partially absorbed into the abdomen, 

 or not at all ; they are too faint to stand, the muscles 

 of the neck are unable to lift their heads, much less 

 to peck ; and although they may sometimes be saved 

 by extreme care, their usual fate is to be trampled to 

 death by their mother, if they do not expire almost as 

 soon as they begin to draw their breath. Thick- 



