164 Cooperation in Agriculture 



temperatures are the sole source of incubation. Stolen 

 nests frequently furnish eggs with chicks so well developed 

 that only a short time is needed to hatch them. It does 

 mean, however, great loss from rots and spots and a gen- 

 eral loss in freshness." 



The packer, upon receipt of the eggs, unpacks them in 

 a chilled room, candles them to remove rotten and broken 

 eggs, and grades them according to size, cleanliness, and to 

 some extent freshness. The eggs are then packed in 30- 

 dozen egg boxes and are shipped to the market center to 

 a commission man, after which they have to pass through 

 the hands of the wholesaler, perhaps the storage ware- 

 house, and the retailer. 



Some of the Remedies for the Egg Situation 



In discussing the remedies for the existing condition 

 in the egg industry, the authors lay down the following 

 sound, fundamental principles : 



''First, the farmer must learn to select good breeds of 

 chickens and take more care of them, that eggs may be 

 larger, cleaner, and more plentiful on the farm. He should 

 also kill off all the mature cocks as soon as the breeding 

 season is over. It is commonly supposed that hens will 

 not lay unless males are present in the flock, but such is 

 not the case. Experiments have shown that flocks with- 

 out males have produced as many, if not more, eggs than 

 when males were present. When, however, males are 

 present, the eggs are fertile, and therefore ready to develop 

 into chicks when temperatures are favorable. Infertile 

 eggs grow stale and shrunken, of course, if held too long, 

 or kept under bad conditions, but they do not form ' heated 



