The Osceola times., 1883-05-12
MATCHED IN THREE HoJ,.
The Latest Marvel of Electri-
cal Science.
Wonderful Improvement Upon Nature
and Heat Incubating Machines Lively
but Foatherless Chickens.


n. \. Mercury.
Some remarkable facts were told a |
Mercury reporter in connection with the
artificial incubation experiments of NJ.
Emil f. Damoreau, Belgian machinist |
and electrician. Hitherto all attempts at |
artificial egg Matching have been confined
to an effort to supply as nearly rs posi-
BILE the same amount of heat in the same |
time to the eggs as the bird during the
incubation period.
Heat was the only agency ever dream
ed of, and the imperative necessity of APP
plying it uniformly has always been rec
ognized.
The ordinary barn yard fowls period
of incubation extends over three weeks,
while goose egg requires month. Ar
tifcial incubators, therefore, require three
weeks of careful, patient watching and
attendance. If the temperature rises
above certain degree, the whole hatch
is spoiled; if it falls below, the eggs are
chilled, and equally spoiled.
Ten years ago, in his native city of
Liege, the idea entered Damorean's brain
that eggs might be hatched in less time
by electricity. He has been experiment.
ing from that time to the present, and he
has triumphantly demonstrated that eggs
may be successfully incubated, not in
three weeks, but in three hours, by the
application of peculiar vitalizing quail
ity of
ELECTRICITY.
To the reporter NJ. Damoreau said:
81 am exceedingly sorry that my ex-
periments have got noised abroad, for
they are as yet far from being satisfac-
tory to myself have no objection to
show you the results arrived at 50 far;
but after you have seen them Think you
will agree with me that it would serve
no useful purpose to publish particulars
till the Matching is perfected, which l
expect will be in time for the opening of
the American Institute Fair in Scptcm-
Der next"
Escorting the reporter into large rear
room, around whose sides were arranged
coops or cages of wicker work, contain
ing chickens of various ages, NJ Damo
reau said:
"There are some Of
THE LIVING RESULTS.
These chickens" pointing TO a coop con-
tanning nine full-featheIed chicks. "were
Matched two weeks since; those in this
cage" indicating coop on shelf, "were
introduced to the light last night. They
are curious looking creatures, aren't
they?"
Curious looking creatures" but family
conveys an idea of their grotesquely ri
diculous appearance. Let any reader of
this article endeavor to recall his impress
sion when he first came in contact with
q hairless Chinese dog, whose skin re-
sembled a cleaned hog, and variegated
with dark blotchcs, and he will have
seme idea of those tiny featherless birds,
looking as if they had been scalded and
pluckcd, walking around in the coop,
pecking seeds and each other, the males
occasionally Tapping their skinny pin.
lens and uttcring feeble crowings.
"Ah-h; why did you pluck thcm?"
the reporter wonderingly and rather se-
verely asked.
"Ah, ha hal ha that is good; that is
bully! Pluck them! didn't pluck
them; they were born into the world
that way. You see" becoming serious,
"that is the present defect in my system.
The process of incubation does not in
clude the feathers-the bird is born with
out any clothing. 1t looks very funny to
see a gosling without his usual green and
yellow covering of down. Come in here
and
LOOK AT THESE FELLOWS"
The reporter followed into a small
room, heated by tiny stove, where four
perfectly nude and unshapcly bird-look.
ing creatures whistled and hustled about
among the seed on the floor They had
also been introduced TO each other and
the light the previous night.
Not vestige of down or feathers was
visible, and yet they marched around the
room feeding, on apparently strong legs,
and with keen appetites. NJ. Damoreau
said that if the reporter would call again
in fortnight he would see the four nude
goslings perfectly feathered and twice
their present size.
NJ. Damorcau next led the way TO a
room on the second floor back, which at
once revealed itself as his workshop and
electric room. There was an elaborately
tool furnished bench lathe, shelves with
chemicals, chemical apparatus and re-
tor,s, and various forms of electrical ma
chimes.
THAT" said he, indicating a peculiar
looking arrangement Of wires, helics and
wheels in black walnut box, sis the
machine that does the incubating. 1t
has six differently conditioned coils, and
produces fifteen different qualities of
electricity. 1t will shortly be patented
in the United States, France, Belgium,
and England. | will endeavor to ex-
plain the peculiarly of its action upon
the imprepuated EGG to Won /"