22 POULTRY 
Care of the Lamp. The lamp should be 
filled and trimmed once each day. The lamp 
should not be filled nearer than half an inch 
from the top, and if any oil has been spilled 
on the lamp it should be thoroughly wiped off 
so as to avoid any possibility of smoking. 
This should not be done until after the eggs 
have been handled, because, if the operator 
in caring for the lamps gets any oil or soot 
upon the hands, it is very likely to get onto 
the eggs and affect the hatch. 
Providing Moisture. Many of the pres- 
ent-day incubators are supplied with a mois- 
ture pan. This pan should be filled with 
sand and kept moist from the time the ma- 
chine is first started, in order that all the 
conditions may be the same in regulating the 
machine as they will be after the eggs are 
put into it. If the machine is not equipped 
with moisture pans, in most climates and in 
most cellars it will be well to use several tin 
pie plates filled with sand and water and 
placed on the floor of the incubator, under- 
neath the egg tray, being very careful, how- 
ever, not to set the pans over any opening 
which may be used in ventilating the ma- 
