CHAPTER II 

 A DISSERTATION ON EGGS 



THE fact that English railway companies 

 carry over their lines large quantities of 

 foreign eggs at lower rates than the British 

 farmer pays for sending his own eggs to market 

 is regarded by many people as a striking example 

 of the " preference " that is alleged to be shown 

 by them to the foreigners, and the real position 

 of affairs in regard to this particular matter is 

 worth examining with some degree of detail. 



To begin with, it must be borne in mind that 

 the conditions of the trade in English eggs are 

 very different from those of the trade in foreign 

 eggs. The market value of eggs depends on 

 the distance they travel before reaching the 

 hands of the wholesale or retail egg merchant, 

 each day that has elapsed since they were laid 

 being assumed to have added to their deteriora- 

 tion, except in the case of " pickled " eggs, large 

 quantities of which are imported, not alone for 



12 



