BUREAU OF CHEMISTRY. 447 



shipped in refrigerated cars. The condition of the birds on arrival 

 depended upon the manner of dressing, as was plainly apparent to 

 even the casual observer. Such practical demonstrations to the 

 industry of the results of proper handling on the condition, appear- 

 ance, and eating quality of the birds are creating a higher and more 

 rigid standard or excellence and decreasing the poorly handled 

 poultry found on the market. 



Field Investigations on Eggs, 

 handling of eggs. 



The handling of eggs has received a goodly share of attention in the 

 field work. The condition of eggs of varied liistories brought to the 

 packing house in diverse ways has been studied on their arrival, 

 riiey have been subjected to varied experimental handling and finally 

 a number of shipments have been made, especially of the much- 

 debated "Southern" egg to determine its ability to travel, store, and 

 market. Experimentation along this line is especially desirable in 

 view of the enormous numbers of southern eggs lost by bad handling 

 and their lowered market value due to poor condition. 



A practical demonstration of the field work was given during the 

 early summer to the members of the Southern Poultry and Egg 

 Carlot Shippers' Association when the organization meeting of that 

 body was held in Nashville, Tenn. The demonstration, which was 

 given in the packing house, involved killing, picking, chilling, and 

 packing poultry, and the candling, cliilling, grading, and packing of 

 eggs. A lantern-slide talk showed as plainly as possible poultry 

 conditions in other territories, and the laboratory, with its varied 

 apparatus, was thrown open and its work explained. 



FROZEN AND DESICCATED EGGS. 



The actual condition of damaged eggs of various sorts — as cracked 

 eggs, slightly incubated eggs (such as appear by the thousand in 

 every market during hot weather) shrunken eggs, etc. — has been 

 made the subject of a special investigation during the summer of 

 1911, as well as the study of frozen and dried aggs and egg products, 

 the great bulk of which are prepared in the producing sections of the 

 Central West. It has seemed desirable to conduct the experiments in 

 that section, cooperating with the industry as heretofore, and accord- 

 ingly the Omaha food and drug inspection laboratory, with its equip- 

 ment and working force, was assigned to this investigation for the 

 season, and the laboratories of the bureau in Washington, as well as 

 the food research laboratory, were drawn upon for workers to pros- 

 ecute the inquiries. Egg-breaking establishments within the radius 

 of a night's ride from Omaha were visited and worldng relations estab- 

 lished. Eggs from various sources were secured and examined bac- 

 teriologically and chemically, their quality varying from the highest 

 grades to the eggs unfit for food as judged by odor, taste, and ap- 

 pearance. Samples of eggs broken and handled in the manner cus- 

 tomary in the various breaking plants were sent to the laboratory 

 and examined. wSpecial methods of breaking and handling were triedf, 

 and the results carefully compared, that bettor methods for the saving 



