The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1890-12-03

your own setting. have since cOntrlved
a good nest box, which keeps the hen
to strict business some require more care
in this respect than Others, being liable to
leave the nest too long or even desert it
all together. 1t also prevents other hens
from interfering with them.
When a hen is broody, do not be in too
great hurry to set her, unless you know
by experience that she will stick to her
nest, but watch her for a few days. III
possible set more than one hen at a time
SO that If either has q small brood, all
the chickscan be given to one hen When
you think she will set put q few dummy
eggs in the nest, and place the hen in
front of the nest, do not put her on, but
let her go on Of her own will. find it
best to do this at night, first giving the
hen a good feed and some water. On the
next night, if she has no desire to come
off, take her off and feed her we'll, and
place the eggs you wish her to set on in
the nest, and let her go back. She may
hesitate some time, but be patient, and
she will go on. II the weather be cold,
put the eggs into warm water before plac-
ing them in the nest. The reason for
doing this at night is that the hen is not
so likely to run away. Ii you have a
lantern she will only see the nest and
want to go to it almost Immediately. If
she be at all wild let her set on the dunn
my eggs for another day Or two, but if
when you go to her she pecks at your
hand, yous may safely set her. This ad-
vice is the more necessary to be followed
when you have bought fancy priced eggs,
which is perhaps the very best way of get
ting good stock, when you know you are
dealing with reliable man; it is certain
ty the cheapest. have bought and sold
large numbers of choice eggs, and have
never had to complain of unfair treat
ment, nor have ever had we'll founded
complaintsOf my eggs not Matching. On
two or three occasions have knownofpur-
chasers not getting asingleegg to hatch,
but on examination they all proved to be
fertile and the failure was accounted for i'll
each case, by the inexperienCe OF the pur-
chaser in setting his hens. A word or two
about purchasing eggs may here be in
order. First, go toa good breeder, and
pay him fair price, he will do you Justice.
If the eggs are sent by express, he will
the following to be an excellent plan:
First, wrap each egg in double thick
ness of newspaper, twisted tightly; have
you will be surprised what a large one it
will take to pack properly a dozen of
eggs; at the bottom place some chaff
(not bran) about an inch thick then put
the eggs in with an inch Of chaff between
the outer ones and the sides of the box,
and half as much or more between each
two eggs, SO firmly pressed down that
shaking will not cause the eggs to touch
the sides Or each other, and on top fill up
with chaff. am particular about say
ing chaff because it is less liable to shake
down and leave the eggs loose than are
bran or other meal or saWdust, which is
very important feature, then screw the
lid on-do not nail it or the Earring in
fixing or opening may spoil the eggs.
Then write in very bold letters "eggs for
setting, with great care' and if you think
that the railroad officials will pay the
slightest attention to the Injunction, you
are more sanguine than the writer whose
experience is not favorable to those
gentlemen. Howeverif you do not take the
precaut ion you will give them some sort
of excusefor throwing your precious eggs
out of the baggage wagon and it may be
an open question whether lin Florida) it
would not be wiser to use a very frail
box, that evidently will not stand rough
treatment, because if the box be not
damaged, / presume you will have no
chance of redress for spoilt eggs, with
fifty boxes.
The fresher the eggs for setting, the
better, they should not be more than q
fortnight old They should be examined
on the eighth day, and any that are not