36 IMPROVEMENT OF THE FARM EGG. 



rounding cities. In most towns where cash buyers are located it is 

 usual for the merchant to dispose of his receipts through this chan- 

 nel. In many towns, however, there is not enough business to sup- 

 port a cash buyer, and in such cases the merchants ship to the firm 

 offering highest quotations. In cases where the cash buyer is a sal- 

 aried agent of some large shipper or packer he of course forwards 

 all receipts to the central plant, but should he be in business for him- 

 self the parties offering the best prices will receive the bulk of his 

 trade. 



In shipping the eggs both the country merchant and the cash buyer 

 are often guilty of careless packing, which is responsible for a part 

 of the breakage. It is a frequent occurrence to find old tattered 

 fillers used which waste more money in time spent in packing the 

 eggs in them than new ones \vould cost. Often no flats are used be- 

 tween the fillers, but a few thicknesses of newspaper are depended 

 on to take their place. A small pad of excelsior should be placed in 

 the bottom of each side of the case and on the top of the uppermost 

 flats. These will provide elasticity and do much to prevent break- 

 age. Frequently, too, the trouble is taken to nail the top of the case 

 securely in the center. This is a mistake, as it prevents elasticity 

 and is unnecessary if the top is nailed securely at the ends. Excep- 

 tionally large eggs, even though they may have strong shells, are 

 almost sure to be broken if packed in the case, and will smear a large 

 number of other eggs. In fact, any of the factors causing broken 

 eggs result in a much greater loss than that of the eggs actually 

 broken, for many others are so badly smeared that they must be 

 classed in lower grades than they would otherwise be placed. 



The eggs, after leaving the hands of the immediate collectors, are 

 handled mainly by local freights. During this stage of their jour- 

 ney there is liberal room for improvement. The general rule of 

 most railroads is that eggs or any other products which are to be 

 shipped on the daily freight must be delivered at the depot at least 

 one hour before scheduled train time. If all trains ran on scheduled 

 time this rule would not be so harmful, but since this is the exception 

 rather than the rule with the local freight, it often happens that the 

 eggs remain exposed to the direct rays of the sun for several hours. 

 During the months of June, July, August, and September the quality 

 of the eggs suffers from this treatment. Plate IV, figure 2, shows a 

 shipment of eggs which was exposed to the sun for six hours in a 

 temperature ranging from 110 to 130 F. In accordance with the 

 rule, these eggs were delivered at the depot one hour before train time. 

 On this particular day, however, the freight was several hours late, 

 and the eggs were allowed to remain in this extreme temperature 

 until it arrived. Such a condition could be materially improved if 

 the eggs were placed under a covered portion of the platform, where 



