1150 



EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



period of preservation increases a distinct change is noted both by the eye and 

 palate. Eggs whicli have been 3 or 4 years in water ghiss are easily recog- 

 nized, the white becoming pink in color and very limpid. " The slight alteration 

 in the flavor of the egg and in the liquidness of the white may he due to the 

 increase in soda." Even when 4 years old no unpleasant taste or smell was 

 observed and the white coagulated in the usual manner when cooked. There 

 was a slight characteristic odor which did not suggest sulphureted hydrogen. 

 "The changes in the preserved eggs take place vei\v gradually. At 1 year old 

 they are hardly noticeable; at 2 years they are distinct, but not so distinct as at 

 3 or 4 years old." 



To summarize the data gained from general observations a number of experi- 

 ments were made in which fresh eggs and eggs preserved for different lengths 

 of time were compared, the jirincipal results being as follows; 



Coiiipositioji iif ffcsJi and preserved egffs. 



Kind of egg. 



Fresh eggs 



Eggs preserved 1 year . 

 Eggs preserved 2 years 

 Eggs preserved 2 years 

 Eggs preserved 3 years 



Per cent. 

 10.40 

 10.70 

 10. 41 

 11.19 

 9.42 



Ash. 



Per cent. 

 1.02 

 .93 

 1.02 

 0.92 

 1.00 



Per cent. 

 0.120 

 .101 

 .073 

 .075 

 .069 



Soda. 



Per cent. 

 0.194 

 .215 

 .311 

 .296 

 .343 



Silica. 



Per cent. ■ 

 0.010 

 .022 

 .039 

 .023 

 .019 



In general, " there is practically no change in the composition of eggs even 

 from lengthened immersion in water glass. Practically no silica and very little, 

 if any, soda find their way into the eggs." 



To determine whether much silica was deposited in the shells of preserved 

 eggs the shell and adhei'ing membrane of a number of samples were analyzed. 

 " If we omit the different quantities of organic matter adhering to the shells, 

 the main difference between the different samples is in the amount of silica 

 which they contain. In the fresh eggs this is about 0.5 per cent, and it in- 

 creases according to the length of time the eggs have been in the solution. 

 In the eggs Ayhich were 3 years in the solution the silica amounts to nearly 

 2.5 per cent. It appears, then, that a slow^ deposition of silica takes place in 

 the shell of the egg. The percentage of lime in the shells remains practically 

 constant. This deposition of silica in the shells probably blocks up the pores 

 of the shells to some extent and renders them less permeable." 



Analyses of the sodium silicate used for the preservation of eggs showed 

 that it " does not contain quite sufficient soda to form the acid metasilicate, 

 NaHSiOa. The solution given by the water glass is strongly alkaline in 

 reaction." 



A sample of sirup-thick water glass contained 37.91 per cent silica, 10.48 per 

 cent soda, and 0.14 per cent potash, and a solution prepared for preserving eggs 

 2.7G per cent silica, 1.20 per cent soda, and 0.01 per cent potash. 



Influence of temperature and atmospheric moisture on the preservation 

 of eggs, De Lovr.RDO iCompt. Rend. Acad. Sci. \ Paris], J//// (1907). pp. 

 Jil-'iS). — Fresh eggs, it was found, could be preserved for months in the cold 

 without loss in weight or any apparent change, provided the temperature was 

 kept at — 1° C. and the moisture content of the air at 78°. If the temperature 

 is lower than —1.5° C. the eggs freeze, while if the air is more moist they will 

 mold. 



Chemical composition of oyster liquor, J. Baylac (Compt. Rend. Hoc. Biol. 

 |Por/.s-], 672 {1907). No. 6, pp. 250-2.52).— Analyses of the liquor of oysters from 

 tlie Mediterranean and from the ocean, which are re])orted in full, showed that 

 the composition of the liquor of each variety is relatively constant as regards 



