1905.] 



Artificial Incubation. 



93 



It is seen that these observations apply to all the different 

 types of incubators. 



During the twelve months the number of hatchings was 68, 

 or six more than in the previous year. Into the machines 5,88 1 

 eggs were placed; of these 4,714 proved fertile, or 80*15 P er 

 cent.; the number of chickens and ducklings hatched was 3,574, 

 or 75*82 per cent, an advance of nearly 6 per cent, over the 

 average of 1903-4, which excellent result may be attributed in 

 part to the favourable season, and is especially satisfactory when 

 it is remembered that the machines are largely managed by 

 students, some of whom have had no previous experience in 

 artificial incubation. The monthly average of fertility of eggs 

 is given in Table III. 



Table III.— Fertility of Eggs. 



Month. 



No. of 

 Hatches. 



No. of Eggs. 



No. Fertile. 



Percentage of 

 Fertility. 



1904. 











April 



9 



1,217 



1,004 



82-49 



May 



8 



819 



781 



87*65 



June 



6 



278 



220 



79*13 



August 



6 



309 



267 



86-40 



September 



I 



376 



339 



90-16 



October 





431 



339 



78-65 



November 



4 



I69 



136 



80-47 



December 



2 



117 



77 



64-95 



1905. 











January ... 



7 



5 2 3 



322 



61-56 



February 



7 



678 



603 



88-93 



March ... 



8 



826 



652 



78-93 



The highest and lowest percentages of fertile eggs hatched by 

 each class of machine during the twelve months were as follows :• — 



Class. Highest. Lowest. 



A 96-55 63-41 



B 96-82 56-52 



c 9677 59-44 



The remarkable feature of the hatchings as indicated in 

 Diagram II. is that the highest percentages obtained were 

 practically from October, 1904, to January, 1905, the record 

 being attained in the former month. This is undoubtedly 

 to some extent due to the fact that the machines were working 

 at that season much below their egg capacity, as will be seen in 

 Table II., and to the smaller number of incubators at work in 



