84 WINTER LEAST PRODUCTIVE. 



egg, or at most but very few, can be obtain- 

 ed, and the impression of this cold snap, as 

 it is called, remains for some days after- 

 ward. 



The combined effects of cold weather 

 and moulting render the winter months the 

 least productive of the whole year. They 

 may, however, be induced to lay during the 

 coldest weather, by keeping them shut up 

 in a warm and well-lighted room. But 

 even this is not certain, unless the apart- 

 ment be, indeed, quite warm, and the food 

 regularly and abundantly supplied. One 

 of my neighbours, who said that he had tried 

 the experiment, complained to me of his 

 want of success. The reason of his failure 

 was apparent when I examined his cold 

 and dark poultry-house. In the Continent- 

 al poultry-books, it is stated that fowls lay 

 every day except towards the end of au- 

 tumn, and during the winter. By shutting 

 them up and giving them abundance of food 

 and water, they may be made to lay all 

 winter, but they become absolutely steril in 

 the spring. 



