PRESERVATION OF EGGS. 87 



They should be arranged on their smallest 

 ends, otherwise the yolk will adhere to the 

 sides. In this way they may be kept for 

 several months. I am informed that eggs 

 formed without the presence of a cock may 

 be set upon three or four weeks without 

 producing the slightest change, being as 

 sweet and palatable as when first laid. 

 This may afford a useful hint to those who 

 wish to put up eggs for long sea-voyages. 



In 1820, a tradesman of Paris asked per- 

 mission of the prefect of police to sell in the 

 market eggs that had been preserved a year 

 in a composition, of which he kept the se- 

 cret. More than 30,000 of these eggs were 

 sold in the open market without any com- 

 plaint being made, or any notice taken of 

 them, when the board of health thought 

 proper to examine them. They were found 

 to be perfectly fresh, and could only be dis- 

 tinguished from others by a pulverulent stra- 

 tum of carbonate of lime on the shell. It 

 was discovered that they had been preserv- 

 ed in highly-saturated lime-water. Com- 

 mon sea- water has also been suggested for 



