POULTRY. 1077 



soon be in demand at the highest market price. When his 

 brand of eggs becomes well known, and his reputation for sell- 

 ing honest goods is firmly established, he may, by looking 

 around a little, obtain a chance to ship eggs direct to a hotel or 

 restaurant, and thereby get a few cents per dozen above the 

 market price, besides saving commission charges. 



For the New York market, generally speaking, it is best to 

 pack in crates holding from thirty to forty dozen, or in ordinary 

 flour barrels, which hold from sixty to seventy $ozen each. A 

 New York commission merchant furnishes the following direc- 

 tions for packing eggs in barrels : 



" Use strong, stiff barrels, put four inches of packing evenly 

 over the bottom of the barrel (use fine kiln-dried cut straw or 

 wheat-chaff; never use oat or buckwheat chaff], then a layer of 

 eggs laid upon the sides, evenly embedded in the packing, with 

 the ends towards the barrel, but about three quarters of an inch 

 from the staves; cover the layer with packing to the depth of 

 one inch, and rub well in between the eggs with the hand. After 

 each two or three layers they should be well settled by using 

 a plank follower and shaking the barrel. Put about four inches 

 of packing over the last layer. In heading great caution should 

 be used in having the head-press firmly on the packing so that 

 the eggs can not work loose in the barrel by handling, but it 

 should not press so tight as to break them. In winter, to guard 

 against frost, use more packing and leave the eggs farther from 

 the stave. The count should be carefully made and correctly 

 marked on the barrel." 



Concerning western eggs the same commission man says: 



"Be sure (especially in summer) that your eggs are not 

 only sound, but recently laid. Eggs may be 'candled' and 

 repacked at the West, but if they are stale, though apparently 

 sound, they will be sure to reach this market in bad order, or 

 will so rapidly change on being opened that dealers will be sure 

 to lose money on them. The motion of the cars over such long 

 distances so muddles all eggs not strictly fresh that they appear 

 cloudy and stale, and will soon spoil, if, indeed, they are not 

 already bad. Do not hold lots after they are packed. Ship at 



