322 



Nature-Study Agriculture 



Fertile 

 and infer- 

 tile eggs 



U. S. D. A. 



FIG. 265. Preserving eggs in water glass. A quart of commercial water glass 

 diluted with 9 quarts of water that has been boiled and then cooled is enough 

 to preserve 15 dozen eggs. A covered glass or stoneware jar should be used. 



Since infertile eggs are not entirely spoiled even by 

 being under the hen or in an incubator for a week, we 

 can see that they have good keeping qualities. This 

 makes them more desirable than fertile eggs for market- 

 ing. A fertile egg begins to develop blood rings in about 

 two days. Even the heat of warm summer weather 

 will sometimes start the germ of a fertile egg to growing 

 and make blood marks in the egg. Poultrymen usually 

 keep the hens and the roosters separate when they want 

 eggs for the market, so that the eggs will be infertile. 

 Farmers' Bulletin No. 528 states that there is an annual 

 loss of fifteen million dollars' worth of eggs due to blood 



