16 



Washing Eggs. 



Careless, neglectful methods in the poultry house as well as wet and 

 dirty ranges often result in a large proportion of dirty eggs. It is the 

 common practice of some of the most self-respecting farmers or their 

 wives to carefully wash these stained or otherwise soiled eggs. For 

 immediate consumption such eggs are as good as those that are unwashed,, 

 but for storage purposes they are not so valuable. This is due to the fact 

 that the soluble portion which serves as a hindrance to evaporation, and 

 a protection against the entrance of organisms of deterioration, is washed 

 from the surface of the shell. Moreover, such a practice is liable to 

 dampen the membrane which is immediately beneath the shell. When 

 this membrane is wet, germs of putrefaction effect an entrance much more 

 readily, thus rendering the egg more subject to contamination. 



Fig. 5.— A " found " nest. 



Marketing of Partially Incubated Eggs. 

 Unfortunately cases of this dishonest practice are not wanting. 



It 



certainly can hardly be claimed that such a practice results from ignorance. 

 The same may be said of marketing eggs from stolen nests, which is an 

 all too common practice, as borne out by the candlers of large city egg 

 dealers. Many of these eggs are found in the fields or in favorite hiding- 

 places about the buildings. While accumulating before discovery, they 

 are probably being subjected to dampness from frequent rains or exposed 

 to the direct rays of the hot sun. Both of these factors cause eggs to 

 deteriorate very rapidly. 



