NATURAL INCUBATION. 42 
dip the eggs in tepid water every day to keep the pores 
open, and to facilitate the hatching. This moistening 
of the eggs will be found of special service in the hatch: 
ing of the eggs of water-fowls set under hens. Follow 
ing this method, good success with sitting hens is almost 
certain. 
The selection of the eggs for hatching isan important 
matter. Some of our leading Asiatic fanciers make it a 
point to select eggs which have a particular cast of 
color. hey claim that dark mahogany color in the 
shell of Bralma eggs alone indicates their absolute 
purity. While there are others of equal note as breed- 
ers who say it is all nonsense to regard the color of 
eggs that are deemed fit or unfit for hatching. But it 
is well, however, to look to shape and size, for it ig 
clearly demonstrated that the regular, medium, well- 
formed oval eggs without extreme length, very small 
or very large ends, without wrinkles or furrows of any 
kind, are the best for hatching. 
It is important, too, in the selection of eggs, to look 
to size. A happy medium must be secured in this as 
well as in some other things. In size they should be 
neither too large nor too small for the variety. When 
eggs of any kind are over-sized, they are usually double- 
yolked. and are, therefore, useless for hatching. And 
when they are under-sized, they are not so good as the 
average. Select from your best layers smooth, hard- 
surfaced eggs, without indentations, and of fair medium 
dimensions and proportions. 
—_ror 
EGG-TESTERS. 
A bad egg is never welcome, and any simple device 
that will quickly and satisfactorily detect the quality of 
an egg is important. A very simple method is shown in 
