TO PRESERVE EGGS. 197 



The best way is, undoubtedly, to be able to keep the different 

 breeds distinct and separate the entire year ; but when this is 

 not done, they must be separated before any manifestations of 

 intimacy between cocks and pullets takes place. 



LONGEVITY OF FOWLS. 



A dunghill fowl will live, with good care, in some cases, from 

 ten to fifteen years ; but we should not allow them to live 

 beyond the third or fourth year, unless it be some valuable 

 breed, that may still be of service to us. A hen is in her prime 

 the first and second years. They are better layers the first year 

 after maturity, and better sitters thereafter, as a general rule. 

 In keeping our common varieties, it is best to keep none over 

 three years from the egg. 



COCKS NOT NECESSARY TO PRODUCE EGGS. 



It is the opinion of many people that hens will not lay as 

 many eggs in a season when no cock is allowed to run with 

 them, but this is not so. I kept two hundred hens on Long 

 Island, some years ago, during o-ne year, without any cocks, as 

 an experiment, and I found no difference in the number of 

 eggs produced at all, nor in the desire of the hens to incubate. 

 It is said that eggs produced without impregnation, will keep 

 good much longer than those that are impregnated. This sub- 

 ject is worthy the consideration of those who furnish eggs in 

 large quantities. 



TO PRESERVE EGGS. 



Perhaps no subject is more veiled in uncertainty, and in an 

 absence of any method or recipe that can be relied on, than 

 the preservation of eggs the entire year, so that they shall be 

 equally good as those fresh laid. 



Many recipes are given from year to year, that claim to be 

 effectual in producing such a result, but it is not in the power 

 of man to preserve an egg, even six months, and have the same 

 fine, fresh flavor, that a new laid egg possesses. This I consider 

 a settled point, and the question then arises, what is the best 

 way to preserve eggs the longest possible time, and have them 

 in a good condition for use ? 



