320 CREAMERY BUTTER MAKING 



Those who are handHng eggs as a side line should 

 handle them just as they do cream, because the same con- 

 ditions that will spoil cream will spoil eggs. 



It seems important to have the eggs from each patron 

 examined at the creamery before shipping. Some eggs 

 are bound to be received in an unsatisfactory condition 

 and if any complaint is to be offered this will likely be 

 received with better grace from the buttermaker than 

 from some unknown buyer at the other end of the line. 

 Besides it is a business proposition for the seller to know 

 the condition of his goods before selling them, so that 

 he may know what price they ought to command in the 

 market. Furthermore where eggs are bought from many 

 different sources suggestion for improvement in the con- 

 dition of the eggs should come from as near the source 

 as possible. 



TESTING (candling) AND GRADING EGGS. 



During the summer months at least, the eggs should 

 be tested (candled) at the creamery, and this is a com- 

 paratively simple matter. 



To test the quality of an egg it is held in front of a 

 strong light or flame, which enables one to note the con- 

 dition of its contents. A simple testing outfit consists 

 of a piece of stove pipe with two holes cut into it about 

 the size of a silver dollar, the holes to be in a horizontal 

 plane about one inch apart and right opposite the flame. 

 The only objection to the stove pipe is that it radiates 

 too much heat. A wooden box lined with tin and pro- 

 vided with a lamp makes a very satisfactory tester. The 

 chimney of the lamp, of course, should be allowed to pro- 

 ject through the top of the box. A i6 candlepower elec- 



