January 3j 1865. ] 



JOUKXAL OF HOETICITLTTJEE AND COTTAGE GARDENEE. 



17 



hens for laying during the time that others are moulting, 

 which generally begins in September, it is only necessary to 

 pull out the feathers of such hens, and thus produce an arti- 

 ficial moulting about two months sooner — say early in July, 

 when they will cease laying until their feathers have grown 

 again. 



THE ovAKirrai. 

 It has been ascertained that the ovai-ium of a fowl is com- 

 posed of sis hundred ovules or eggs ; therefore, a hen during 

 the whole of her life cannot possibly lay more eggs than sis 

 hundred, and which in a natural course are distributed over 

 nine years in the following proportions ; — 



Egga. 

 Sixth year after hatching 50 to 60 

 Seventh ditto 35 to 40 



Eighth ditto IS to 20 



Ninth ditto 1 to 10 



Eggs. 

 First year after hatching 15 to 20 

 Second ditto 100 to 120 



Third ditto 120 to 135 



Fourth ditto 100 to 115 



Fifth ditto 60 to SO | 



It follows that it would not be profitable to keep hens 

 after theii- fourth year, as their produce would not pay for 

 their keep except when they are of a valuable and scarce 

 breed. 



PEESEEVATION OF EGGS. 



Much has been written about the preservation of eggs, 

 and many are the suggestions that have been made, but 

 none have as yet given satisfaction, and for the sole reason 

 that the structure of the egg is not considered in relation to 

 the physical and chemical laws which govern evaporation, 

 permeation, and putrefaction. The shell of the egg being 

 porous to admit air to the chicken during the process of in- 

 cubation, allows also part of the liquid to evaporate, and the 

 air to penetrate, when the eggs are not used soon after being 

 laid ; and the air acting on the animal matter produces early 

 decomposition and putrefaction, particularly in fecundated 

 eggs, in which the germ is first decomposed, clear eggs, 

 the produce of hens wnich have not been with a cock, keep- 

 ing fresh much longer. This can be easily exemplified by 

 putting an old fecundated egg, and an old clear egg under a 

 hen when sitting, and it wOi be found that after the twenty- 

 first day the fecundated egg is putrid, and the clear stOl fit 

 for use. 



To exclude the air from the egg, and to prevent the eva- 

 poration of its liquid, it has been proposed by some writers 

 to pack the eggs in salt, hme, bran, sawdust, <S:c., by others 

 to keep them immersed in lime water, in salt water, or both 

 combined. Others, again, suggest to varnish or oil the eggs, 

 and some even to parboil them. 



There can be no doubt that were the object in view solely 

 to preserve the eggs from becoming putrid, some of these 

 suggestions might be employed with advantage ; but there 

 is more required than simply to preserve the eggs from pu- 

 trefectiGn ; for instance, for kitchen use, and the breakfast- 

 table, eggs ought not only to be preserved fr-esh, but also 

 free from any foreign flavour, such as lime, salt, bran, saw- 

 dust, varnish, and oO, must unavoidably impart to the egg 

 through its porous shell; and as for breeding from such 

 preserved eggs it is out of the question. "Wlioerer has seen 

 any chickens hatched from salted or mouldy eggs, or from 

 such as have been varnished or oiled ? which latter process 

 stops up the pores through which the an- so indispensable to 

 the formation and development of the chicken must be ad- 

 mitted. 



Now, the most effective, simple, and economical plan for 

 truly preserving eggs, and without imparting to them any 

 foreign flavour, or rendering them unfit for hatching pur- 

 poses, is to use the patent stoppered glass jars with vul-' 

 canised india-rubber joints (see fiij. 13), and 

 proceed thus — Immediately after collecting the 

 eggs put the jar in hot water, and when 

 thoroughly warm so as to rarily the air, place 

 the eggs in the jar, the pointed end upper- 

 most, and pack and line with paper shavings, 

 or cocoa-nut fibre, to prevent them from break- 

 ing, then close the jar before taking it out of 

 the water, and it will be found that eggs pre- 

 served by this method will be fit for hatching 

 twelve months after, and that those intended 

 for the breakfast-table will be as fresh as on the 

 day they were laid.— 6. K. Getelin, Civil Engineer, London. 

 (To ie continned.) 



„-OCC , 



ooocc 

 oooocc 

 ooooco 



jccccr 



Fig. 13. 



HECKMONDWIKE POULTEY SOCIETY'S 

 SHOW. 



The annual meeting of the above Society was held on the 



26th vlt., at the Wool Pack Inn, in a large room recently built 

 for public use. The day being frosty and clear, and a 

 holiday, the number of visitors was larger than at any pre- 

 vious exhibition. This being a kind of mutual help society, 

 the object of exhibitors is not so much to obtain large money 

 prizes, as to ascertain the comparative merits of the fowls 

 exhibited, the best of which often change owners, and again 

 appear in different hands the next time they are exhibited. 

 This year several pens were sold, and at the close of the 

 Show were forwarded to their new owners in distant parts 

 of the kingdom. The prices obtained were in most cases 

 good, a Cochin Bantam fetched £7 10s. The number of 

 pens was larger than last year, and with the exception of 

 Class 17, Game hen of any colour, each pen contained a 

 single cock bird. 



The Game classes were well filled, fully one-half of the 

 pens were occupied by them. In the Black-breasted and 

 Brown Eed classes, the Judges found it no easy matter to 

 decide which should take the prizes. The highly commended 

 birds were truly excellent. The Duckwings were a superior 

 class, and in excellent feather. In the Game Bantam classes 

 the birds were first-class, and at the close of the day we 

 foimd that several pens had changed owners. The Blacks 

 were fine specimens, such as it is no easy matter to beat. 

 Some good Whites were shown, but this district is too 

 smoky for them to look clean. The S]>anish class contained 

 some excellent birds, but the entries were few. We were 

 disappointed in the SamhurgJi classes ; as these have here 

 always been called '■' the cottager's fowl," we expected to 

 find the entries in greater numbers. Cochin and Brahma 

 Pootra entries were few, but the birds were good. The class 

 for Game Hens of any colour was a most interesting one, the 

 prize-takers nobly won their honours. 



Game Cocks (Black-breasted Red). — First, K. Hemingway, Shelf. Second, 

 J. Firth, Halifax. Highly Commended, G. Helliwell. ShefBeld ; A. Hodgson, 

 Illingworth. Commended, B. Naylor, HeckmondTvike ; J. Joy, Liversedge 

 Hall. 



Game Cocks (Brown Kert).— First, H. C. Mason, Driehlinfrton. Second, 

 J. Fell, Adwalton. Highly Commenried. G. Helliwell, Sheffield ; J. Riley, 

 Chickenley. Commended, G. Noble, Staincliffe ; J. Brook, Gomersal. 



Cocks (Duckwings and other Grey and Blue). — First, W. Whiteley, 

 Liversedge. Second, J. Fell, Adwalton. Highly Commended, G. Hartley, 

 Gomersal ; J. Riley, Chickenley. Commended, J. Alderson, Halifax ; W, 

 Bentley, Scholes. 



Cocks (White and Pile;.— First, T. J. Sunderland, Coley Hall. Second, 

 H. C. Mason, Prighlington. 



Cocks (Black and Brassy-winged).— First, J. Tickerman, Chickenley. 

 Second, J. Brook. Gomersal. Highly Commended, G. Helliwell, Sheffield. 

 Commended, G. Noble, Staincliffe. 



Bantam Cocks (Red Game). — First, G. Koble, Staincliffe. Second, J. Fell, 

 .Adwalton. HigMy Commended, J. Flam, Heckmondwike. Commended, 

 J. Firth, Halifax; G. Helliwell. Sheffield. 



Bantam Cocks (Duckwing Game). — First, H. Oldroyd, Heckmondwike, 

 Second, E. Wright, Staincliffe. Highly Commended, C. Smithson, Heck- 

 mondwike. Commended, G. Helliwell, Sheffield. 



Bantams (Black). — First, T. P. Preston, Heckmondwike. Second, H. 

 Oldrovd, Heckmondwike. Highlv Commended, J. Brooke, Heckmondwike. 



B.ASiAjis (White).— First, G. Helliwell, Sheffield Second, h. Oldroyd, 

 Heckmondwike. Highly Commended. G. Preston, Heckmondwike. 



Spanish ^Black).— First, J. Beaumont, Dewsbury. Second, J. Vicker- 

 man, Chickenley Highly Commended, J. Oldroyd, Dewsbury Moor, 



Hambcegh (Spangled).— Prize, G. Helliwell, Sheffield. 



Hamburgh (Pencilleo), — First and Second, S. Smith, Nortbowram. 



Cochin-Chisa (Any colour! First, G. Helliwell, Sheffield. Second, 



C. Lister, Mirfield. 



Beahha Pootra Coces. — First, C. Lister, Mirfield. Second, A. Tatters- 

 field, Heckmondwike. 



Ant other Distinct Beeeo. — First, C. Lister, Mirfield (Sultans). Second, 

 G. Noble. Staincliffe (Cochin Bantams). Highly Commended, S. Halliday, 

 Heckmondwike. Commended. W. Leadbetter, Mirfield. 



Game Hex (Anv colour).— First, H. C. Mason, Drighlington. Second, 

 G. Noble, Staincliffe. Highly Commended, G. Helliwell, Sheffield; T. 

 .^tkir.?on, Heckmondwike. Commended, A. Tattersfield, Heclunondwike ; 

 T. J. Sunderland, Coley Hall; J, Harrison, Holbeek. 



The Judges were JNIr. J. W. Thompson, Southowram ; and 

 Sir. Enoch Hutton, Pudsey. 



BEAHMAS. 



Although we have heard lately of the fonereal rites, &c., 

 as connected with this "mongrel lot," although the attorney- 

 general, and we presume his client, are both gone to the 

 tomb of all the Capulets Hke weeds, I suppose these " mon- 

 grels " are very difficult to eradicate. I refer my reverse 

 "Z. A. B. T." to the Brighton Show. There Dorkings — 



