The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-02-20
II SETTING len.
AND KNOW WHAT a MYSTERY or
MTsTERTFS SHE rs,



bic Settlement OF n Delicate Question.
From the BOSTON Erenino 7ranscript.
Now Is the timc to set q hen for carly chickens
and the carly chicken is the only one that will
lay eggs next winter when they are so conts y
dozen. The chicken that is born on or before
tho first day OF March is worth dozens born in
May or June, when NIL the hens want to set. Tue
trouble is to find the hon who is inclined to in.
cubation in tho month OF February. Gen.
orally speaking. she must DO n March
chicken herself; therefore to have March
chickens. you must first have March chick
ems. II Is like tho Rroat economic propositions
To make money YOU must have money to maks
1t with. However, 1t is not necessary to Inherit
March pullets; they can DO acquired at reason
ablo rates; and every practical hen keeper
inside from those Wholesale gentlemen whorcSn
devote all their time and attention 10 tho mon
umontnl task of making incubators incubato,
and who are consequently independent OF tho
natural means of incubation-will tell you that
the carly-born pullot, who is under n sort Of
natural cOmpu!sion to lay early herself, Ia, ovon
when of no brood Mt all, OF more valuo than tho
high.br. d fowl who declines to lay any eggs
until tho balmy springtimo has como and eggs
can DO bought for 10 cents q dozen.
The ecccntricitics OF the setting hon are boz
yond all account. No power on earth or heaven
can prevent certain hens from setting half their
lives. They will sot on good eggs, on bad eggs.
on china eggs. on stones, on sticks, on nothing
at all. Turned out OF one place. they will set In
any other. By actual experiment n certain
Plymouth Rock tof whose breed one of the
many noble qualities is broodiness) per.
sisted In setting for six weeks running, though
she was given no eggs at all and was treated
with the greatest contumely. b,ing moved
from pillar to post and afflicted with sharp
cornered cobblestones. and daily driven away
with violence from her pathetic attempt tn con.
vert these ignominious rocks into tho noble
ones Of Plymouth. At the end Of the six weeks
she did give up further setting. but she appeared
to entertain no grudge on account OF hor treat
ment. and would on occasion como and cat out
Of the hands OF her late tormentors. 1t was in
the autumn when she made this q~uiNotic at
tempt. and she had already in this same yoar
brought off two fine broods OF chickens-one in
early March and the other in June.
Other hens will never sit al all. Tho white
Minorcas-thoso hens with great combs. which
look exactly like ROSTERS and are called "Cata-
lans by the S~panish-will lay perhaps moro
eggs in a year than any other sort Of hen. but
they will not lay them In cold weather, and 1t 10
unlikely that any one OF them was ever known
to hatch a brood Of chickens. The Minorcas will,
indeed, sometimes begin to set. but they seem to
be under tho impression that three days oughtto
be. In all conscience. n long enough time In which
TO hatch out an egg. and at tho expiration Of
about that time they will abandon tho attcmpt
with u great nutter and much denunciatory ora.
tory. II they are fastened down on the ncst
with a board placed above their backs, they will
stand up as high as they can under the board
and let the cold air addle their eggs. 1t is doubt.
full II ever any human being. male or female,
wicked or pious. Christian or pagan, ever got
through without profanity an attempt TO mako
n Minorca hen set. .Thcro are other breeds of
non.settcrs, which are not merely too humorous
but also, too contemplate to mention. The
DIV N VRAnly yvill not 1nu M r,n - a--a L. 4.
year rs the Minorca, but she will 10y What she
does lay when. you want them. and she will per.
Strange TO say. another kind Of hon that
makes a COOL mother is the game hen. She
a certain amount OF Amazonianism is not In
consistent with n proper regard for the duties
nc not m Snssn%ssted a mi ESFy the Psl Sork & S'n the Al.
three s]ars sE -four sw years 'sF Gre, ere; 5 aaTIes s 81 s.ss.
he bought one Of a good working woman.
and nd who hoeh hap S@ ID to o ha"s male S' %re e%a se~ q
sporting proclivities. though the gentleman did
h hSi h sGG End 5SS!' T fna s wSHia h p4oeiir haEs o of 5sas &c
persons could hardly affect the hens oges raised
Ss s s1S ! PlSss ind Th Il s SSd lint q sons sons ss sTssI; SSs
LITTLE red chickens were running about with the
old gray hen who had been their foster-mother.
were NeG ' admired % ABOVE so all 'Fe others 'ne on 'a eSs
place. They grew apace. and before
were engaged in warfare most of the time.
either with one another or with other little
any chicken of any other brood. when they
fought with one another 1t seemed to he u fight
to the death. The peacoablc gentleman depre-
Gated these contests very much. but he was
powcrloss to prevent them. What could make
BY and BY village tradesman who happened
TO 6e at the place one day noticed the chickens.
looked at the gentleman, who owned them.
wip y broadly: and remarked. nRHisin' samso.
tic N" "WRy "n game As foSls .n' r na,na@s K ihc
other Game fowlsl What can you be talking
= ,h bi%i =. wv Wei. @ 5Ss%'s 'n s%ae s a5 sass
daS aWne eae on sam he f hnma a"e 'r Eeniieman's = m asS:
The proclivities of the men OF. the household
had indeed led them to a part i% a for game anne
fowls. and by innocontly buying 2 bakers dozen
9in eg ine lron nn dee women " hen G be ' hsa n1 9nsen seH ssE,
embarked in the business OF keeping fighting
cocks; He sacrificed the brood bro rs soon as the.
excellent, eating; but 1t is doubtful Il he will
ever DC able to get up = reputation IN that town
The following true story is sent by n lady: Out
in a quiet corner OF the garden. In two barrels
tiently awaiting, tho happy day when the Joys
of freedom. SO dear to their hearts. should bo
pseping brood Of downy d@rlines all their own.
What lover of hens has not seen, during these
Pp fip,T rs Of q thap e sye. Akin "n to tRa, o.; t tns h isnasn
dreamer. and the expression of gravity, reveal:
lnB " intent = nsc vi coming TcSpOllSlDlily ana
trust which steals over the habitualiy immobile
countenance OF the much. mnliRned hen
The hours Of the long. bright spring days slow.
~ ran their course. and half OF the allotted
time of waiting had been overwhelmingly en-.
dured by one OF tho pair. while her noighhor
had just entered upon her term of enforced
seclusion. when one night II fierce tempest swept
down upon those two humble dwellings,. Tho
wind and rain cano with such terrific force
that II seemed nothing short OF a mountain
could withstand it. The next morning We has
tened to tho spot, preparo! 70 find utter
great surprise, We found the frail Indications
still standing. Moreover. they were still ten
Hntcd. although there were unmisIuknblo signs
OF hardship and suffering having been heroicnily
me, by those two stout hearts. On closer exam.
nation, however. we found that n singular
thing had happcned. During The CONFUSION. the
panic ,"nuscd by tho storm. the two had lost
their lrtds-nOt literally, MS we had at first
fcs red and had mistaken their own nests; oach
was occupying the home or the other, SO that
the hen who knew nnthing OF the fatigue of long
watching became n usurper. while tho other MAS