MARKETING EGGS FOR HUMAN FOOD 433 



committee of the Mercantile Exchange, which committee is 

 appointed by the president. The sliding scale was devised in order 

 to meet the variations in the price of eggs during different sea- 

 sons, and to permit the practical adjustment of these fluctuations. 

 This classification is, of course, not ideal, but it is a practical 

 one, designed to meet the conditions in a market, not as they 

 ought to be, or as they would be under ideal conditions, but 

 as they actually are. In speaking of a best egg we cannot have in 

 mind the best egg for the whole year, but the best one possible at 

 the particular time in question. This sliding scale becomes espe- 

 cially valuable in those seasons when an absolutely good, fresh, 

 clean egg is not obtainable. At such times, with a system as out- 

 lined above, the whole classification slides to a lower scale, as 

 shown by the A, B, C of the classification. With a reliable com- 

 mittee, this shifting of the scale will be slight and beneficial. 



1 . " Eggs shall be classified as ' fresh-gathered , ' ' held/ ' refrigerator, ' and ' limed . ' 



2. "There shall be grades of 'extras/ 'extra firsts/ 'firsts/ 'seconds/ 'thirds/ 



'Nos. 1 and 2 dirties/ and 'checks.' 



3. "Fresh-gathered extras shall be free from dirt, of good uniform size, reason- 



ably fresh, sweet eggs, with full, strong bodies, at the discretion of the 

 egg committee, as follows: A, 90 per cent ; B, 80 per cent; C, 65 per cent. 



4. "Fresh-gathered firsts (or extra firsts) shall be reasonably clean and of 



good average size, and shall be reasonably fresh and full, strong-bodied, 

 sweet eggs, at the discretion of the egg committee, as follows: A, 75 

 per cent; B, 65 per cent; C, 50 per cent; D, 40 per cent. 



5. "Fresh-gathered seconds shall be reasonably clean, of fair average size, 



and shall be reasonably fresh and full eggs, at the discretion of the egg 

 committee, as follows: A, 65 per cent; C, 40 per cent; D, 30 per cent." 

 The following classification* of fresh eggs shows the compara- 

 tive prices paid for different grades of eggs in the New York 

 market, according to size and color (Fig. 196) : 



Whites: Large, 27 ounces and above 40 cents 



Medium, 21 to 27 ounces 38 cents 



Small, 18 to 27 ounces 30 cents 



Culls, under 18 ounces 20 cents 



Browns: Large, 27 ounces and above 32 cents 



Medium, 21 to 27 ounces 30 cents 



Small, 18 to 21 ounces 25 cents 



Culls, under 18 ounces 20 cents 



Mixed: Large, 27 ounces and above 31 cents 



Medium, 21 to 27 ounces 28 cents 



Small, 18 to 21 ounces 24 cents 



Culls, under 18 ounces 20 cents 



* This classification originally worked out by the Poultry Department of 

 Cornell University. 



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