US EGGS 



are not profitable to sell, because they bring very little, 

 if any, higher price in the general market, and hens do 

 not lay so many. For a special market, however, it is 

 sometimes possible to get a premium on eggs that 

 average about 2 l /2 oz. 



The weight of eggs depend to a large extent on the 

 breed of fowls that lay them and also on the peculi- 

 arities of individual fowls. The following, however, 

 gives the average weight of various eggs: 



Eggs Ounces 



8 hen's eggs, average 16 



11 guinea eggs 16 



1 duck egg 3 



1 turkey egg 4 



1 goose egg 6 to 7 



Washing of Eggs. Eggs that are so badly soiled as 

 to need washing to fit them for market may be cleaned 

 with a solution made up of 1 oz. of ammonia to 2 qt. of 

 water. Soiled eggs may also be washed in warm water 

 and rubbed dry with a piece of cotton cloth or flannel. 

 Deep stains may be removed by rubbing with dry, coarse 

 salt. When cleaned in this way they should be rinsed 

 in lukewarm water. Stained eggs are sometimes cleaned 

 in lukewarm water that contain .a small quantity of soap. 



After soiled eggs have been cleaned their appearance 

 is improved by rubbing them with a cloth that has been 

 moistened with a solution made up of 4 oz. of salt to 

 1 pt. of vinegar; this treatment, however, is not neces- 

 sary for eggs that have been washed in a solution con- 

 taining ammonia. 



Percentage of Loss of Total Egg Crop. According to 

 the United States Department of Agriculture, about 17% 

 of the total egg crop of the country is lost, because of 

 improper handling, or because of unsanitary conditions 

 where the eggs are laid. The following table shows the 

 percentage of loss of the total egg crop due to various 

 causes: 



