The ease with which a uniform temperature can be maintained by electric heating has been utilized in incubator hatching of chickens. By means of a specially designed electric radiator the incubator is kept at the right temperature throughout the hatching period. When the chickens emerge from the eggs they are transferred to another contrivance called a “brooder,” which also is electrically heated, the heat being decreased gradually day by day until the chicks are sturdy enough to do without it. Even at this stage however the chickens do not always escape from the clutches of electricity. Some rearers have adopted the electric light swindle for the youngsters, switching on the light after the chickens have had a fair amount of slumber, so that they start feeding again. In this way the chickens are persuaded to consume more food in the twenty-four hours, and the resulting gain in weight is said to be considerable. More interesting than this scheme is the method of rearing chickens under the influence of an electric discharge from wires supplied with high-tension current. Comparative tests show that electrified chickens have a smaller mortality and a much greater rate of growth than chickens brought up in the ordinary way. It even is said that the electrified chickens have more kindly dispositions than their unelectrified relatives! Possibly the high-tension discharge may turn out to be as beneficial to animals as it has been proved to be for plants, but so far there is little reliable evidence on this point, owing to lack of experimenters. A test carried out in the United States with a flock of sheep is worth mention. The flock was divided into two parts, one-half being placed in a field under ordinary conditions, and the other in a field having a system of overhead discharge wires, similar to those used in the Lodge-Newman system. The final result was that the electrified sheep produced more than twice as many lambs as the unelectrified sheep, and also a much greater weight of wool. If further experiments confirm this result, the British farmer will do well to consider the advisability of electrifying his live-stock. CHAPTER XXIX SOME RECENT APPLICATIONS OF ELECTRICITY--AN ELECTRIC PIPE LOCATOR