September 2, 1907 
fluff and tail, sound black. Hen: Neck 
hackle golden yellow, with black stripe ; 
breast, light ground color of even shade, 
and distinctly pencilled, with a darker 
shade, uniform throughout; back, same 
as breast, the pencilling to extend well to 
tail; wing, same color as back. 
As in other marked varieties, it is 
necessary tu have two strains for breeding, 
one for cockerels and the other for pullets. 
For the pullet breeding pen, select hens 
as near as possible to perfection, and mate 
with a cockerel of a pullet breeding strain, 
with rich, bright, even top color, and 
pencilled on breast and filuff. For cockerel 
breeding, select a male bird as near per- 
fection as possible, and mate him with 
big, shapely pullets, good in hackle, head 
and legs. It does not matter if hens fail 
in pencilling, but it is important that 
they dre of a cockerel breeding strain. 
‘Tue Sitver PENCILLED AND COLUMBIAN 
care colors that appear to be making head- 
way in England, and to the fancier or 
‘breeder who wishes to take up a breed 
that promises to become one of the most 
popular, I would recommend the Silver 
Pencilled Wyandotte. The color and 
markings are the same as those of the 
Dark Brahma, and the general charac- 
teristics as in other colors. 
The Columbian is one of the latest 
introductions, and in some quarters a 
great future is predicted for it. In color 
and marking it is exactly like the Light 
Brahma, and in shape, head and legs as 
the other varieties of Wyandottes. 
[oe ican aera nace neuen eee raceme ee 
Parentage is one of the most important 
points to be remembered when setting 
eggs. All eggs should be marked when 
collected, so that it is known which hen 
has laid them. The chicks should then be 
marked as soon as hatched (this is usually 
done on the webs of the toes), and a 
record kept of snch marks, together with 
the particulars regarding the parents. 
Make provision for shade, both for 
fowls and drinking water. now. Don’t 
wait till Summer arrives. 
FOR UP-TO-DATE FOOTWEAR 
And DOWN-TO-DATE PRICES Try 
E. C. JARMAN, 
101 Hindley Street vere Grant’s Dining 
Rooms), ard 2494 King William Street 
(Moss’ Corner). Repairs neatly and 
promptly executed. Measures a speciality 
THE AUSTRALIAN GARDENER. 
Nests for Sitting Hens. 
Soma make the nests at various di-- 
tances from the ground or floor, others 
try to keep them all low. The latter are 
decidedly to be preferred in hot weather, 
* but now the elevated nests are not objec- 
tionable to any extent: the ordinary 
laying boxes may be employed in hatch- 
ing, but each one should have a shutter 
in front with a little round hole in the 
middle, The hen then usually settles 
down with her face to the hole. She seems 
to enjoy the ray of light, and sits better 
with it, A wide space for the nest is not 
needed. The eggs are kept better together 
when confined. In making the nests put 
a layer of muist fine ashes in the bottom, 
then a layer of pliable straw, well packed 
round the sides, and line with soft hay. 
Do not make a deep hole in the middle, 
as some of the side eggs will tumble down 
and be squashed. A soup plate arrange- 
ment is most suitable, and all should be 
very firm to prevent the eggs from be- 
coming embedded in the material. It is 
best to make the nests up as they are 
- wanted. If done long beforehand, they 
lack the sweetness when the hen is put in 
that she relishes. When completed and 
the hen ready, put a bad or dummy egg 
or two in, and :lways in the dusk in the 
evening: put the hen on, and close. She 
may flutter and be wild. To put the 
whole of the eggs in straight away often 
results in breakage: lence the object of 
a trial, Next evening look at the hen. [f 
she will bear hondling without fear, it 
may be taken that she has settled down 
to her work. If she is restless, let her 
remain till she settles, bus water and feed 
in the meantime Some would be ready 
the following morning, others not for a 
day or two, and others who do not mean 
business, but o ly make # pretence at 
sitting, will clear out quickly on the first 
chance. Let them go, for one must be 
quite sure they are to stay before putting 
the eggs under. 
This should. be done in the evening 
after the hen has been watered and fed. 
Let the hen find her own way back to the 
nest and settle agai . Then take out the 
eggs she had on trial and introduce those 
to be hatched. She will be pleased with 
the numbers and work: gently to get them 
under her feathers. Next evening, before 
dark, take her off to feed and water. Care- 
fully catch hold of both wings. There 
may be eggs under them, which, if roughly 
handled, might fall down and break. Close 
the entrance that she cannot rush back to 
the nest, and let her eat and drink, re- 
main off fifteen minutes or so, then return. 
At first they may not go back to the nest 
quietly, and must be caught and put on, 
but they soon come to manage this part, 
It should be seen that they do not change 
nests. Hach one should keep to her own, 
or trouble may follow, As for feeding, 
green feed is not suitable, only hard corn, 
wheat, barley, and Indian corn, They must 
have sufficient, as the work is exhausting. 
I5 
Preserving Eggs. 
In the local markets eggs are taking a 
downward tendency, aud in a few weoks 
will be still lower in pricc. Tho foilowing 
formule: for preserving eggs are reliable, 
they having been tested thoroughly : — 
Limewarter-Brine Metnop. 
Limewater brine his been used for 
packing eggs for many generations, and 
the formula is undoubtedly old. Various 
modifications of it have been printed from 
tim’ to time, and every now and then we 
hear of a new limewater formula for use 
in the preservation of eggs, but when they 
are brought down to bedrock the formule 
are all very much of the same character. 
Careful test has shown that this method, 
whéh properly employed, can be depended 
upon to preserve eggs for from six months 
toa year, kecping them in a fairly good 
condition with very little loss. 
Experiments made by the Rhode Island 
Agricultural Experiment Station resulted 
in their keeping eggs in limewater-brine 
solution from 18th May, 1899, to 30th 
May, 1900. The eggs, after being in the 
solution more than a year, were in very 
good condition. The exteriors of the 
shells were clean and clear, th> contents 
were normal in appearance, and the air- 
cells had not increased in size. ‘These 
eggs proved very satisfactory for culinary 
purposes. but had a rather salt and sharp 
taste. This pecullar taste is common to 
all limed eggs if they have been kept any 
length of time, as the strong alkali and 
brine are bound to penetrate the shell, 
Formula. — The limewater-bring solu- 
tion is made by mixing 16 ounces quick- 
lime with 8 ounces common table salt. 
This is thoroughly slaked by adding 1 
gallon of water that has been bolled and 
allowed to cool. After the mixture has 
been thoroughly slaked and well stirred 
allow it to settle, and draw off the clear 
solution. The eggs should be perfectly 
fresh and clean. ‘hey should be packed 
in stoneware, glass, or galvanised iron 
receptacles, and the clear limewater-brine 
poured over them until it stands 2 or 3 
inches above the topmost layer of ezgs, 
The container should then be tightly 
covered and placed in a cool cellar or cold 
chest until the eggs are needed for use, 
Tur WareR-cuass Merruop, 
Water-glass, soluble glass, or silicate of 
sodium has during the past ten years 
become recognised as the most reliable 
and desirable means of preserving eggs. 
The silicate of potassium has also been 
used, but is not as desirable as the sodium 
silicate. Sodium silicate or soluble glass 
is met with in commerce in a variety of 
forms, notably as a solid in crude lumps 
or glossy masses, or as a crude powder of 
awhitish-brown color. It is also obtained 
as a jelly having a whitish-zrey color. 
None of these forms are desirable for 
the poultryman because of the difficulty 
in preparing them for use. The sodium 
silicate which concerns the poultryman 
