INTRODUCTION. 17 



that eggs imported from France into England amount to about 

 60,000,000 a year." These are sold to the consumer for a 

 sum not less than $1,065,000. 



" When we look," says McQueen, " at the immense num- 

 ber of eggs brought from Ireland, (50 tons of eggs, and 10 tons 

 of live and dead poultry, having been shipped from Dublin 

 alone in one day,) and 66,000,000 eggs imported from France 

 to London alone, and this immense number a trifle certainly 

 to what are produced in this country, (England,) we shall cease 

 to wonder at the large capital (=8,000,000) invested in poultry 

 of all kinds. The quantity of eggs imported into Liverpool 

 from Ireland, in 1832, was 4097 crates, value j81,940 ster- 

 ling ; which, at sixpence per dozen, gives 3,297,600 dozens of 

 eggs, and the number 39,331,200. In 1833, the import had 

 increased to 7,851 crates, or upwards of 70,000,000. The 

 number imported into Glasgow from Ireland, in 1835, by the 

 custom-house entries, was 19,321 crates, which, at nine eggs 

 to the pound, gives the number 17,459,568." 



" The quantity of eggs used annually in France exceeds," 

 says one of the late journals, " 7,250,000,000, of which enor- 

 mous number Paris uses about 120,000,000." 



In Bixio's Journal of Practical Agriculture and Gardening, 

 for April, 1848, it is estimated that the whole valuation of eggs 

 consumed and exported in France will amount to $57,000,000. 

 The value of eggs shipped from Dublin to Liverpool and Lon- 

 don was more than $5,000,000, for the year 1848. 



Our convenience to the London market, by the aid of steam- 

 ers weekly, enables the farmer, through the egg merchant, to 

 make sale of his surplus eggs in that quarter. 



In the sale of poultry itself, it seems that large sums are also 

 realized. The amount of sales of poultry at the Quincy Mar- 

 ket, Boston, for the year 1848, was $674,423. The average 

 sales of one dealer alone amounted to $1200 per week, for the 



