POULTRY 361 



and as seconds when they weigh less than twenty-four 

 ounces. In some places eggs are now sold by weight. For 

 these reasons the size is of great importance. 



To command the highest price, eggs should also be uni- 

 form in shape and color, the shell smooth and free from 

 spots, and clean without having been washed. Tested with 

 the candler the air cell should be no larger than a dime, 

 thus indicating freshness; the contents must appear opaque, 

 the yolks barely visible, and free from any discoloring; the 

 white- must .show thick and compact, the yolk not floating 

 about. 



i; 1. Make a candler test as described in the text, and 

 learn to tell fresh from stale eggs ; fertile from infertile. 



2. Score the eggs collected for several days from your 

 farm hens. How many extras; firsts; seconds? How many 

 were dirty? What was the average score? 



Effect of infertility on quality. No eggs except those 

 intended for hatching should be fertile. This is .because 

 infertile eggs keep much longer and in better flavor than 

 fertile eggs. If a fertile egg is allowed to stand in a warm 

 temperature for two or three days it begins to develop 

 blood-rings ; that is, it begins to hatch. This process is sure 

 to go on during the marketing and shipping, thus greatly 

 reducing the value of the eggs. The infertile egg is free 

 from all this difficulty, and will keep fresh much longer. 



It is estimated that the loss from allowing eggs to be- 

 come fertilized is more than fifteen million dollars annually 

 in the United States. All male birds should therefore be 

 kept away from laying hens when the eggs are to be used or 

 sold. This will have no effect on the number of eggs pro- 

 duced. 



Rules for egg production. The following rules for 

 egg production are given by the United States Depart- 

 ment of Agriculture : 



