144 AWAKENING OF ENGLAND. 



time they were on the breakfast-table in town, 

 after passing through the hands of the whole- 

 sale and retail merchants, they would be 

 at least ten days old ; and during hay and 

 corn harvest, when the farmers could not spare 

 the time to bring the eggs in once a week, 

 and broody hens were perhaps allowed to sit 

 on the eggs for a week undisturbed, the results 

 were disastrous. That is to say, a large per- 

 centage of the eggs had to be returned as unfit 

 for the market, or were sold as " seconds," or 

 •' cookers," at a reduced price. 



Though now the Society has to pay for the 

 upkeep of a van to collect the eggs two or 

 three times a week within a radius of ten 

 miles, a saving in labour is effected in the 

 testing-room, and a higher average price is 

 maintained in the marketing. 



Instead of getting 6d. or even 5d. a dozen 

 for their eggs at the cheapest time, the 

 members now never obtain less than 8d., as 

 well as the trading profit made in selling 

 them to large dairy companies at Is. a dozen. 

 Whilst the usual wholesale price in March 

 and April is quoted at lid. a dozen, any 

 restaurant -keeper should be willing to pay 

 Is. a dozen for guaranteed new-laid eggs. 



