52 FRENCH HENS EGGS, FEATHERS, &C. 



of the species carried so far as might be wished ; it 

 is not nearly all the hens of a poultry-yard, that are 

 willing every year to sit. In some years, when I 

 have wanted sitting hens for some experiments, I 

 have had the mortification not to find above four 

 such, among fifty or sixty of them : complaints of 

 hens that refuse to sit, are very common in the 

 country (France,) and I think in general, that it sel- 

 dom happens that the third or even the fourth part 

 of them are so disposed. Besides this, they are not 

 always willing to sit at those times when we wish 

 they would, which is in part the reason why the early 

 chickens are dear a great while, and why we have 

 not every year a supply- of them as early as we wish 

 for it." 



EGGS, FEATHERS, &C. 



EGGS become desiccated, and in consequence lose 

 great part of their substance and nutritive quality, 

 by keeping, and every body knows the value of a 

 fresh-laid egg. They will retain their moisture and 

 goodness however, three or four months, or more, 

 if the pores of the shell be closed and rendered im- 

 pervious to the air, by some unctuous application. 

 We generally anoint them with mutton suet melted, 

 and set them on end, wedged close together, in bran, 

 stratum super stratum, the containing box being closely 

 covered. Laid upon the side, the yolk will adhere 

 to the shell. They thus come into use, at the end 

 of a considerable period of time, in a state almost 

 equal to new-laid eggs, for consumption, but ought 



