HATCHING THE EGGS. 123 



good, then the work would be increased fifty-fold. 

 The difference in the labor would be very great, as 

 this little estimate will show. Suppose half a million 

 eggs are taken, and fifty per cent are empty. It takes 

 about a minute to pick out twenty eggs ; then to pick 

 out fifty per cent of five hundred thousand would take 

 over twelve thousand minutes, or two hundred hours, 

 or twenty days of ten hours each. 



It is therefore very desirable to get a large percentage 

 of impregnated eggs, if only on account of the work 

 it saves, as well as for weightier reasons. 



During the first few days after the eggs are placed, 

 there will not be many white ones to pick out, unless 

 they have been injured in being taken. You must 

 not be elated at this, for it is no sign that the un- 

 changed eggs are all good, or nearly so, for the empty 

 ones will not turn white to any extent for two or three 

 weeks, or more, and some will not die till all the good 

 ones are hatched. But you are no better off for it. 

 On the contrary, I think I have noticed that the better 

 the impregnation of any lot, the sooner the empty ones 

 of that lot died ; probably because the eggs were riper. 

 Their turn will come, however, to all the bad eggs ; 

 and when the time fairly sets in for them to die, then 

 the work will begin in earnest, and unless you have a 

 small stock or a very good impregnation, there will be 

 work of no trifling character. To stand or sit in the 

 damp, unwarmed hatching house for a long time in mid- 

 winter at this still work, is in our northern latitudes a 

 severe task, and trying to the hardiest constitution. 

 It is to be hoped, however, that my readers will have 



