The gazette-times. [volume] (Heppner, Or.) 1912-1925, 1914-08-20

" ouohCi IhdH an cSS CuI III Inc bluo
of the box and at the same level as the
light. They may also be tested by sun
light, or daylight, using shutter or
curtain with a small hole in it for the
light to shine through.
A good homemade egg tester, or
GAMBLER, can be made with large shoe
box, or any box that is large enough to
go over a lamp, by removing the end and
cutting a hole little larger than the
size of quarter in the bottom of the
box, 80 that when it is set over kero-
sene lamp the hole in the bottom will
be opposite the blaze. A hole the size
of silver dollar should be cut in the
top of the box to allow the heat to
escape
The eggs are tested with the large
end up, SO that the size of the air cell
may be seen as well as the condition of
the embryo. The testing should take
place in dark room. The infertile egg
when held before the small hole with the
lamp lighted inside the box will look
perfectly clear, the same as fresh
one, while fertile egg will show
small dark spot, known as the embryo,
with mass of little blood veins ex-
tending in all directions, if the embryo
is living; if dead, and the egg has been
incubated for at least 46 hours, the
blood settles away from the embryo to-
ward the edges Of the yolk, forming
in some cases an irregular circle of
blood, known as blood ring. Eggs
vary in this respect, some showing only
streak of blood. All infertile eggs
should be removed at the first test
The eggs containing strong, living en-
bryos are dark and well filled up on
the fourteenth day, and show clear,
sharp, distinct line Of demarcation be-
tween the air cell and the growing
embryo, while dead germs show only
partial development, and lack this clear,
distinct outline.
Causes of Poor Hatches.
The cause of poor matches is a much
discussed question, which depends on a
great variety of circumstances. A poor
hatch is more apt to be due to the con-
dition of the eggs previous to Matching
than to incubation, although improper
handling of either factor will produce
the same results. When eggs fail to
hatch, see whether the breeding stock
is kept under conditions which tend to
produce strong, fertile germs in the eggs,
if the eggs have been handled proper
ly before incubation, and whether the
were right during incubation,
as Judged by the time of the hatch
A daily temperature record should be
kept of each machine The operator can
thus compare the temperature at which
the machines have been kept, which may
prove of value in the future work. espe-
cially if the brooder records can be
checked back against those of the incu
batOr.
Disinfecting and Storing Incubators.
After the hatching season is over,
clean and disinfect the incubators,
empty the lamps, and carefully store the
parts in the machine. Lamps containing
oil which are left in their proper place
IN the incubator for some time after the
Matching season is over will cause trou
Die when it is started again, as the oil
ends to work UP into the hood. The in
.ubator should be .disinfected once
,ear, or oftener if any disease is pres
mt in the hens or chickens Some opera
ors prefer to disnfect their incuba
ors before or after each hatch. A strong
oluton of reliable coaltar disinfec
md may be used to wash out the ma
hine and to disinfect the egg trays and
nursery drawer. If the burlap on the
,ottom of the incubator is very dirty
may be cheaper to renew than to
lean it. For an incubator Of about
ubic feet capacity one may pour one
lalf ounce of formaln, which contains
o per cent formaldehyde, on one-half
unce of permanganate of potash, in a
'an in the incubator, which produces a
cry penetrating gas and thoroughly dis
nfects the machine. The door of the in
ubator should be closed just as soon as
he liquid is poured into the pan, and
eft closed for IL hours or longer. In
ubators should be we'll aired before they
re- used after disinfecting, especially