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By F. A. Gougler 



this manner the sacks are kept wet. 

 Circulation is brought about by hav- 

 ing a 20 inch flue made of a piece of 

 down spouting soldered to a hole in 

 the center of the water pan. This flue 

 causes air to move through the moist 

 burlap and the cooled air circulates 

 around the eggs that rest on wire trays 

 which slide in and out at one end of the 

 table. The results accomplished by 

 this method can be compared to the 

 familiar method of keeping a jug of 

 water cool out on the farm by covering 

 the jug of cold water with a wet bur- 

 lap sack. 



Trucks used for assembling eggs and 

 cream will have to have bodies so con- 

 structed as to protect these perishable 

 products while in transit. Large eastern 

 egg cooperatives have also learned that 

 the old type of refrigerator room such 

 as we use now in our creameries for 

 holding butter is not satisfactory for 

 holding eggs while assembling a car- 

 load for shipment. Large coolers built 

 on the same principle as outlined above 

 for the farm egg cooler, are replacing 

 the tefrigerator type of cooler and 

 these can be constructed at much less 

 cost. 



Secret of Success 



In short, the success of this method 

 of handling eggs is a result of frequent 

 and rapid movement and to hold the 

 egg^s at all times at a temperature 

 around 60 to 65 degrees in a relative- 

 ly moist clean place. 



As eggs are now handled in Illinois, 

 where strict grading is done and four 

 grades are established, the percentage 

 of each grade for the year would be 

 about, as foUows: 



Extras ... •■..Iv 



Standards 



Trades 



Checks and cracks 



With 



.40.0% 

 .40.0 

 .19.0 

 . 1.0 



100.0% 



the care in handling eggs as 

 outlined above, it is entirely possible 

 to increase the percentage of "extras" 

 up to 60, 65 or 75%. It should be re- 

 membered that practically all eggs are 

 good when first laid and that the high 

 percentage of low grade eggs is due 

 to poor care and handling. For exam- 

 ple, a large percentage of trade eggs in 

 Illinois are dirty eggs, while a large 

 bulk of the standard grade is due to 



MARCH. 19S6 



SELECTED EGGS BRING A PREMIUM PRICE YET ONLY 40 PER CENT ARE IN THIS CLASS. 



heat and age and the holding of eggs in 

 a ■warm dry place which results in 

 evaporation. 



The final important requirement in 

 connection with handling eggs under 

 this set-up is to establish rigid U. S. 

 Government grades and pack them 

 under the supervision of a competent 

 Federal-State inspector. Such a plan 

 would put our egg business on the same 

 high plane that has been established for 

 Prairie Farms butter. Prairie Farms 

 Certified 92 score bu\ter, no matter in 

 which of our eight plants it may be 

 made, is recognized as such on any 

 market. Likewise, our regular 90 score 

 Prairie Farms butter in cartons or car- 

 lots is so well established on the mar- 

 ket that no one questions its quality. 

 This is because it is always of the same 

 uniform quality. 



A similar reputation must be built 

 up for Illinois eggs and it can only be 

 done by setting up definite grades, edu- 



cating producers to understand these 

 grades and by packing under the su- 

 pervision of a Federal-State inspector 

 so that buyers can always depend on 

 getting the grade contracted for. When 

 confidence is once established on the 

 market, selling takes care of itself. We 

 can always find a good outlet for high 

 quality eggs and such eggs will sell 

 from 2 to 10 or 12 cents above the 

 price paid for ordinary eggs. The 

 spread in price between the best and 

 lower grades of eggs will dejjend large- 

 ly on the season. 



Producers in Illinois can develop 

 such a marketing system if they want 

 it. Not as much capital will be required 

 to finance an egg marketing project as 

 has been required to finance cream- 

 eries. Perhaps about half the amount 

 would be sufficient. The Illinois Agri- 

 cultural Association and County Farm 

 Bureaus are now ready to undertake 

 this project. 



ai 



