The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-02-28

better not to use such eggs at all. II they are used, and washed, inlmerse the eggs in alcohol. and then allow them to
 drain and dry of their own accord! Dc
 not rub them with a cloth. As pre-
 caution against disease eggs are some
 times dipped in mild disinfectant Al
 cohol may be used for this purpose.
 Needless to say, eggs intended for matching should be set as soon as pos
 sible after they are laid. Not alone be-
 cause the new -laid egg hatches earlier
 than the egg which is kept couple of weeks but because the longer an egg IS
 held the more evaporation takes place, which subtracts from it's vitality. Fur thermore. in holding eggs there is al- ways the danger of unfavorable in fluneces. For instance, If the eggs are stored in too low a temperature the chilling is likely to instre them. If u ey are stored where it is too warm, the development of the germ is apt to start and later die. A temperature of from 50 to 55 degrees has been found to be the best and wherever possible the eggs should not be held over two weeks. In cold weather matching eggs should be gathered several times a day to prevent chilling, and in hot weather they must be gathered often to pre- vent heating. Do not allow the eggs 10 TcHldln III lne UtSL lOT lOIB pcElouS, during which time they are covered by a succession of laying hens. since each hep contributes warmth. which starts tEe development of the embryo. When eggs are held more than two or three days it is we'll to turn or alter their position once a day. This is done to prevent the yolk from gray ita ting to the membrane lining the shell and adhering to it. The yollS of 2 lt,r lai1 te in, hAt fhar mi ter of the albumen. which is rather a dense mass, supporting the yolk ty means of this density. Unless the yolk retains this central position until ha tching time, the life germ which ad- heres to the yolll cannot be expected to develop properly.
 Revolving egg cabinets are made to hold eggs for matching, and they are very convenient to use. The same results are obtained by packing the eggs in cartons or egg crates and turning the container over gently each day. Do not allow the eggs to stand in direct draft or exposed to steam or fumes of a deleterious nature. Re- member, the sKells of eggs are ex- ceedingly porous; therefore they are susceptible to the slightest outside in- fluence.
 SHIPPING LONG DISTANCE IT eggs are purchaSeQ rom distant points and it has been necessary to ship the@ by express, or if for any reason We eggs have been roughly 1 handled, some authorities claim that it Is advisable to allow them to rest for about 12 hours before placing them in the incubator or under the hens. This resting period Is inteded to give the embryos time in which to adjust them selves to a normal position before in- cubation. is started. The writer feels that this precaution is uneccessary. in
 that there is nothing to prevent the eggs from resting in an incubator or under hens quite as well as in any other place. Moreover. considerable l time is saved thereby.
 l In selecting eggs for matching thers ! is a tendency for breeders to take chances on setting all kinds of eggs. Presumably, the assumption is that
 there is very little loss even if some
 of the eggs fail to hatch. Such reason- ing is altogether wrong. Your aim is not merely 8 question of trying to
 hatch the greatest number of chicks from a given number of eggs. You want to hatch chicks of quality, of stamina. which will guarantee the pro- lductiveness of future generations. And
 to secure such chicks, you must have
 prime matching eggs.
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