The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1883-04-26
A PATENT HENS NEST.
Assisting the Poor, Disconssla.e, Neglected
Barnyard Fowl.

The Baltimore (Md.) Rambler says:
An Ingenious Carroll county man has
invented patent hens nest. Never
within the scope of our memory has an
act been so opportune. Just in the
midst of lent when there is such a strain
On overworked hens for eggs, an inven-
ton like this is boon to every female
fowl in the country. The great need of
the world for centuries has been pat
ent hens nest. We have patent stables
and patent beds for our cattle, our
horses, our mules. our sheep; we have
patent cages for our canaries; we have
patent collars for our cats and lap robes
and sleeping cots for our poodle dogs;
but until the happy thought of the Car
roll county man was practically real
lied, the poor, disconsolate, neglected
hen had to stoop to the mental pursuit
of making her own nest. Few people
have ever fully appreciated the hard
ships of the hen. It's no easy thing to
lay an egg every day, with special
annual egg for the country editor to lie
about in his local columns. It's bad
enough to ask the hens to lay eggs, but
its nothing less than outrage to require
the selfsame hens to make their own
nests. Thanks, then, to the invention
of the Carroll county man. Then
again, this invention, in addition to OBJ
waiting the necessity of making the lady
chicken get up at sunrise in order to get
her nest fixed in proper time, will great
~ promote the capabilities of the hen.
The time formerly spenti in nest-making
can be applied to egg aging, so that we
may not only expect the egg-laying
matinees but evening performances, as
well as occasional morning rehearsals.
There is possibility, too, of eggs get
ting cheaper.
We have not seen the invention, but
suppose ii is folding apparatus in ma
hogany and maroon plush, combining a
coy nest for the eggs and roomy
wardrobe for the hens winter clothes.
1t should also have bell-punch attach
ed.to ring for every egg deposited, SO
that the hen cannot get ahead of the
owner. Eggs frequently disappear, and
it would be well to take all possible
precautions. 1t might also be good
idea TO fix on a gas-stove to cook the
eggs as fast as they are laid. It would
do much to establish public confidence
in omelets, and take away an unpleas-
ant spring-chickenish look from certain
restaurant dishes.
We fear only one danger in this new
contrivance. The hen has long bee
plodding domestic. This sudden ele
walton to luxury may upset her mind
1t generally does. She might aspire af
ter real ostrich feathers and other finery
and neglect her household duties of egg
laying.
At any rate it might make her so
dainty that she would lay small eggs
without the special edition for the coun.
try editor. Such a change would be de
plorable, very deplorable
The chickens of this country should
hold general conference, to which OF
course, the hens would go as lay dele
gates, and pass resolutions of heartfelt
respect for the Carroll county n an. He
is evidently a chicken-hearted person,
although it is hoped that he is not hem
pecked.
Every person who has hen should
buy one of these patent hens nests. II
the hen-owning public will not purchase
them voluntarily, congress ought to pass
law making such purchase obligatory,
for
OF all the sad words of tongue or pen
The saddest are these-A nestless hen.