EOG-BUYIXO.] 



POULTRY. 



[hatch 1. so. 



were brought to the station of the company. 



The box had beiMi luuler aevcral fonvi'yniicea — 

 by steamer from l\'iizanoe to IJri.stol, ami from 

 Bristol to PaddiMpton by tin- (rreat Wcatern, 

 wheiiee it had to bo convoyed over the stones, 

 from I'addiiigton, to the Eastern Counties sta- 

 tion ; and it did not eomo into tlie jurisdietion 

 of the East Anglican Company until it arrived 

 at Ely. The judge said that bo could not con- 

 scientiously see that it had been proved that 

 there was any vitality in the eggs when they 

 arrived ; but there was clearly a wrong, on the 

 part of the company, in not delivering the goods 

 as soon after they arrived as possible. The 

 plaintitt" was, therefore, nonsuited, without 

 costs on either side. la short, it was dis- 

 covered that all the law in the world could not 

 bring the addled eggs to life again. Other 

 confiding purchasers of Cochin-China eggs have 

 found that their beautiful chcsnut tint has been 

 the result of skilful dyeing." 



Eggs for batching should be preserved by 

 placing them, with the small end downwards, 

 in sawdust, bran, sand, wood-aslies, or any 

 other substance which will form a soft bed, 

 and, at least, to some extent, exclude the air. 

 Li\ however, the object is to preserve them for 

 a considerable length of time, with the view 

 that they may be eaten, they should, when 

 newly laid, be dipt in oil, or warm — not hot — 

 pure hog's-lard. The greasy substance should 

 be rubbed with the fingers into the pores of 

 the eggs, and then they should be packed, with 

 the liroad end upwards, in a box or barrel. If 

 they are to be exported across sea, a coat of 

 varnish might be tried upon them ; but if they 

 are intended for hatching, all these extraneous 

 substances must, as a matter of course, be re- 

 moved. In packing them, care should be taken 

 that it be compactly done, so that as much 

 shaking as possible may be prevented. For 

 this purpose various modes are adopted. Some 

 pack in hay in a crate, and others in hay in a 

 hamper. Baily, the great breeder, packs in a 

 crate of hay, and Baker in a hamper of hay. 

 Both plans are good ; the chief thing being 

 to give the eggs plenty of room, so that the 

 bumps and thumps of outrageous fortune 

 they are pretty sure to meet with in the rail- 

 way transit, may not injure them. Some per- 

 sons pack in a box, with chaff, or in oats ; and 

 others tie a wisp of hay round each egg, and 



fill in the intor«tice8 with any yielding com- 

 modity. After packing carefully, the owner caa 

 do uo more than Imvo the package safely con- 

 veyed to the railway, and consigned to tlio 

 mercy of the oiliciiils, which wo fear is fre- 

 quently of a Romewhat rough kind, consider- 

 ing the fragility of the articlo entrusted to 

 their caro. 



HATCHING. 



Itegarding the number of eggs to be placed 

 under a hen for hatching, from nine to eleven 

 is usually chosen. Much of the ill luck attend- 

 ing hatching is caused by setting too many 

 eggs under one hen. Nine eggs are sufficient 

 for any hen — of course we mean Spanish eggs. 

 The result generally proves this to be so. We 

 all know that the eggs of our prize fancy fowls, 

 which are, to a very great extent, brought up 

 artificially, do not hatch so well as tiiose of 

 commoner kinds. May it not be that the germ 

 in the egg is far more delicate, or, properly 

 speaking, weaker, and requires greater warmth 

 to give it life ? This is, however, dependent 

 on the size of both eggs and hen. An odd 

 number is preferred as better adapted for cov- 

 erinq in the nest. Be sure they are fresh. 

 During the early period of incubation, hens 

 will sometimes eat their eggs — a circumstance 

 arising from their craving after calcareous 

 matter and animal food, with both of which 

 their appetites should iiave been satisfied pre- 

 vious to the commencement of incubation. 



Never let a poor hen waste the anxiety of 

 three weeks on bad eggs. When she has sat 

 nine or ten days, try the eggs, and take away 

 every one which has no chicken-germ within. 

 It is easy to discriminate between the good and 

 the bad eggs ; that is, those that contain, and 

 those that do not contain chickens. The 

 manner in which this may be done is simply 

 by holding them up to a good light; but the 

 best contrivance is to make a round hole in the 

 hen-house door. Should this not be convenient, 

 make a hole in the bottom of a box, which will 

 always come in handy for the same purpose, 

 as it can be fixed up pro tern, against the win- 

 dow of the hen-house, or a lamp can be placed 

 inside. The best size for the hole is 1:^ inches 

 in diameter. This will furnish sufficient light 

 to try Spanish fowls' eggs, and will do equally 

 well for Sebrights. Have this apparatus close 



853 



