by rail in 1947. He made claims in 37 shipments, involving 612 cases and 

 13,517 eggs. In these two examples, the percentage of cases claimed to be 

 damaged varied greatly and amounted to % of 1 percent for one shipper 

 and over 13 percent for the other. Data made available by railway express 

 officials indicate very great differences in the losses claimed by various 

 shippers. Some shippers who pack their eggs carefully in new or good used 

 cases have held loss claims very low. Shippers who handle eggs as packed 

 by various producers will have variable results and higher losses may be 

 sustained. 



Some comments of hatching egg producers and handlers on rail and 

 truck shipments follow: 



Producer ( A ) ''High rail rates are forcing hatcheries to buy locally." 

 Producer (B) "Principal trouble one of packing eggs of poor quality." 

 Producer (C) "Rail rates too high. Truck door-to-door service reduces 



expense and breakage." 



Producer (D) "Use rail shipments to Virginia and the South;' truck 



shipments to Maryland." 

 Producer (E) "Have shipped eggs by rail with good resuhs." 

 Producer (F) "Have shipped eggs to Florida by rail for 20 years in 



cases with cup flats." 

 Producer (G) "All eggs go by rail." No special trouble. 



It is evident that some shippers have shipped over long periods by 

 rail with small losses. It appears that much of the difficulty in both eggs 

 and chicks occurs at certain transfer points. But much depends upon the 

 care in packing eggs, since considerable variation occurs between producers 

 in shipments to the same points. 



The use of wooden egg cases in poor repair, old and worn flats and 

 fillers, and inclusion of blind checks are important reasons for excessive 

 visible egg breakage in transit. 



Poor stacking of cases, such as may result from mixed lots of paper 

 and wooden cases, rough handling, and numerous transfers are other factors 

 in additional egg breakage. 



One of New Hampshire's largest shippers of hatching eggs, R. C. 

 Durgin, issues a sheet on which common difficulties and methods of cor- 

 recting them are listed. The items on which the producer needs improve- 

 ment are checked. This seems to be a quick and satisfactory way of en- 

 couraging changes in practices which will improve the condition and 

 quality of hatching eggs. This sheet is reproduced on the next page with 

 his permission. 



Care in Packing Eggs 



Considerable variation exists in the care with which eggs are packed. 

 Shippers who give special attention to packing eggs have relatively small 

 losses. Some producers use many cases which should have been discarded. 

 One producer, who holds breakage at a very low figure, packs 24 dozen 

 to the case and places double flats, top and bottom, and between each layer. 

 Another who maintains low breakage uses all new paper cases. A railway 

 express agent, who made a practice of adding extra flats on the top layer 

 of eggs where needed, stated that he had had no claims since the practice 

 was placed in effect. 



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