38 IMPROVEMENT OF THE FARM EGO. 



ble to get under these conditions is maintained. Some of the packers 

 consider this such an important feature in improving the quality of 

 the eggs handled by them that they intend to run refrigerator cars 

 at their expense over some of the lines from which they draw heavily. 

 The following are some of the most important ways in which the 

 railroads can help in this movement for the improvement of quality 

 in eggs: (1) Provide covered sections of station platforms and re- 

 quire that eggs waiting for shipment be stacked there out of the sun ; 

 (2) provide local refrigerator service for eggs; (3) if refrigerator 

 service is deemed out of the question, provide stock cars rather than 

 box cars for moving eggs during the summer months. 



THE CAR-LOT SHIPPER. 



After the eggs leave the hands of the country merchants and local 

 cash buyers they are next handled by the packers and car-lot shippers. 

 These men maintain central houses at important railroad junctions 

 and at various other large towns and cities. They are keen, shrewd, 

 business men, handling large quantities of eggs, so that they realize 

 the necessity of good treatment after the product reaches their hands. 

 While there is still room, no doubt, for considerable improvement in 

 methods from this point on, this end of the trade is much further 

 advanced at the present time than that represented by the producer 

 and storekeeper, so that the greatest need for the improvement of 

 methods of handling and thus of improving the quality of eggs is 

 from the farm to the packing house. 



During the course of the investigation of conditions it was found 

 desirable to carry on certain experimental work. This consisted of 

 following shipments of eggs which had been subjected to various con- 

 ditions through to the packing house to determine the changes which 

 took place. In this work a card, the front and back of which is 

 shown below, was used in assembling the data. The work along this 

 line thus far conducted is not yet sufficient to be conclusive, and is 

 not, therefore, discussed in this bulletin. 



[Front of card.] 



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

 POULTRY AND EGG-MARKETING INVESTIGATIONS. 



HANDLING EGGS. 



Observer Date Experiment No 



Statement of experiment 



Material used . 



Eggs produced by ' Farmers' Card No. 



Date laid Where held 



Container and its condition How long held 



Date and hour left farm for market, . . . 



