THE DOMESTIC FOWL. 97 



convexity close to the sharp end are males.'' One rule 

 is just as good as the other ; that is, good for nothing. 

 When any one will produce a brood consisting entirely 

 of pullets hatched from eggs selected with that view, 

 then, and not till then, will it be admitted that there 

 exist practical criteria of judging beforehand of the sex 

 of an egg. 



PRESERVATION OF EGGS FOR COOKERY. 



" Preserved eggs," says Cobbet, " are things to run 

 from not after." Perhaps so, perhaps not, as the case 

 may be. At any rate, many articles of cookery, which 

 cannot be made without eggs, are not things to run 

 from ; and, therefore, preserved eggs must be had, unless 

 you choose to disappoint the little folks of their Christ- 

 mas plum pudding, and the ladies of their " egg-nog." 

 A large proportion of the eggs brought to market dur- 

 ing winter, are certainly displeasing enough, quite 

 uneatable as eggs, but only not offensive to the smell. 

 They are saved from putrefaction by immersion in lime 

 water, to which salt is added by some housewives. 

 When wanted, they are fished out of the tub, wiped, and 

 sometimes rubbed with a little sand to give a fresh-looking 

 roughness to the shell. Cooks say they answer their 

 purpose ; but it is assuredly worth while to try for 

 something better. 



The three following are cheap and easy modes of pre- " 

 serving eggs for culinary use : — 



Recipe, No. 1. — Pack the eggs to be preserved in an 

 upright water-tight cask, with their small ends down- 

 wards. Take eight quarts of unslaked lime, one half 

 pound of common salt, two ounces of cream tartar ; 

 mix in water so as to bear up an egg with its top just 

 above the surface ; pour the mixture into the cask con- 

 taining the eggs, and they will keep sound and good 

 for two years. 



Recipe, No. 2. — Pack the eggs to be preserved in an 

 upright earthen vessel or tub, with their small ends 

 downwards. Procure, melt, and strain a quantity of 

 cheap tallow or lard, and pour, while warm, not hot, 



