56 POULTRY BREEDING IN 



Each fowl has her own compartment, and is thus placed 

 in solitary confinement, and without being able to see 

 other fowls, which accelerates considerably the fattening. 



The floors of the cells should be drawn out daily, and 

 cleaned and whitewashed ; they must then be returned 

 with the dry underside uppermost, and some sand 

 sprinkled on. The cells should also be whitewashed 

 for every fresh occupant. 



The doors are solid boards, with a piece of perforated 

 zinc for ventilation at the top, and a drinking-cup at the 

 bottom. These pens combine all the sanitary require- 

 ments for the speedy fattening of fowls. 



Preservation of Eggs. 



Much has been written about the preservation of eggs, 

 and many are the suggestions, 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 incu- 

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

 the air to permeate when they are not used soon after 

 being laid, and the air acting on the animal matter 

 produces early decomposition and putrefaction, particu- 

 larly so in a fecundated egg, in which the germ is first 

 decomposed. Clear eggs, the produce of hens who have 

 not been with a cock, keep fresh much longer. This can 

 easily be exemplified by putting an old fecundated egg 

 and an old clear egg under a hen whilst sitting, when it 



