34 IMPROVEMENT OF THE FARM EGG. 



he has no room specially equipped for holding eggs and must depend 

 upon using the back part of his store or a cellar, this is a serious 

 cause of deterioration. The produce dealer, on the other hand, under- 

 stands better the necessity for moving the eggs as quickly as possible, 

 and not infrequently ships daily during hot weather. Under such 

 conditions little of the deterioration occurring can be laid at his door. 

 In the country store it was frequently observed that the egg cases 

 were piled alongside of merchandise of many kinds, among them 

 barrels of kerosene, barrels and crates of vegetables, and other mate- 

 rials from which the eggs were almost certain to absorb undesirable 

 flavors or odors. 



THE CASH BUYER. 



The cash buyer or produce dealer may be in business for himself 

 or may be the agent of some large car-lot shipper, or creamery com- 

 pany. His method of doing business is very similar to that of the 

 country merchant, except that he offers cash instead of merchandise. 

 He is often not looked upon with favor by the town merchants, be- 

 cause they realize that the farmer prefers the cash in order that he 

 may purchase his merchandise from the firm offering the lowest 

 prices. As long as the merchants were able to dispose of their eggs 

 on a case-count basis they could, by offering 1 or 2 cents more per 

 dozen in merchandise, retain the greater part of their trade. The 

 enforcement of the loss-off system, however, is working a slow but 

 sure change in this system and a greater proportion of the trade is 

 going over to the cash buyer. 



In studying the conditions found at the country store and at the 

 cash buyer's the following card was used. This card is self- 

 explanatory. 



[UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, BUREAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY.] 

 POULTRY AND EGG-MARKETING INVESTIGATIONS. 



COUNTRY STORE OR PRODUCE DEALER'S CARD. 



No. 



Name 



Address 



Date 



Sources of supply 



Relative proportion from each source- 

 Frequency of receipts 



Character of payments 



Grading 



Methods of holding : 



Containers 



Repacking 



Nature of storeroom 



Capacity of storeroom 



Temperature of storeroom 



Length of time held 



How shipped 



Size of shipment 



