1904.] Artificial Hatching of Chickens. 



143 



the tank incubators. The records of the various types of 

 machines employed, taking the entire period of twelve months, 

 were as follows : — 



Class of Machine. No. of Hatchings. ^^S^^T 



A. 18 75-83 



B. 18 71-01 



C. 24 69-94 



D. 2 78-82 



The great majority of the eggs hatched were from hens, 

 as natural methods are chiefly employed for duck eggs on the 

 College Poultry Farm, Theale, but six hatches of the latter 

 were made by artificial methods, the results of which were 

 as follows : — 



Date Hatched. Class of" Machine. ^Hatched ^ 



1903. 



May 2 A. ... 91-3 



8 . C. ... 80-64 



July 3 B, ... 92-3 



5 A. ... „ 88-37 



1904. 



March 7 A. ... 76-19 



25 B. .„ 51-61 



Two of the highest records, above 90 per cent., were made 

 with duck eggs, but, confirmatory of what has already been stated, 

 in each of these cases the machine employed was not worked at 

 its full capacity. 



The result of these observations prove that hatching houses 

 can be successfully employed on a larger scale than has hitherto 

 been thought desirable, and that a percentage of hatching may 

 be obtained of more than 70, even where the operators have not 

 had much experience. But to secure this result the conditions 

 must be favourable, more especially in respect to ventilation. 



