LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL 



U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, 



BUREAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY, 



Washington. D. f ., May 29. 1911. 



SIR: I have the honor to transmit the accompanying manuscript 

 entitled "The Improvement of the Farm Egg." l>y Harry M. Lamon 

 and Charles L. Opperman. of the Animal Husbandry Division of 

 this bureau, and to recommend its publication as a bulletin in the 

 bureau series. In 1908 a careful survey of the conditions surrounding 

 the egg trade was made and published as Circular 140, u The Egg 

 Trade of the United States," wherein it was shown there was a very 

 large loss in our annual egg output, nearly all of which was due to 

 improper methods of handling on the farm and at the country store. 

 A conservative estimate of this loss was given as 17 per cent of the 

 total value, amounting to about $45,000.000 annually. 



Practically all of this loss is borne by the farmers and other egg 

 producers, and a large part of it should be easily preventable. In 

 order to show how this loss might be prevented, the bureau last year 

 sent the authors of the present bulletin into the State of Kansas to 

 conduct investigations to this end. The results of the first season's 

 work are described herein. 



It is believed that Mr. Lamon, who outlined the field work, has 

 struck the keynote in the solution of the problem by bringing about 

 the organization of the egg buyers, with the cooperation of the State 

 authorities, for the purpose of compelling the traders in eggs to buy 

 on a quality basis only in other words, to substitute the " loss-off " 

 method of buying for the prevailing u case-count " system. Prob- 

 ably the best evidence that the work of the bureau in this matter 

 had been well directed is the rapid spread of the movement into 

 other States. 



The authors desire to acknowledge the assistance of Mr. Alfred 1\. 

 Lee, of the Animal Husbandry Division, who was in the field at the 

 same time. They also wish to thank the egg merchants, railroad 

 officials, agricultural college officers, and the State board of health of 

 Kansas for valuable cooperation. 



Respectfully. A. D. MELVIN, 



Chief of Bureau. 



Hon. JAMES WILSON, 



Secretary of Agriculture. 



