British Columbia, although far-famed as being the home of the largest poultry 

 ranches in Canada, still remains an importing province, and much development is 

 required before supply will be equal to demand. 



Canada should have a surplus of eggs for export, and except for a period of six 

 years between 1908 and 1913 inclusive, has consistently followed this course. During 

 the time that supply was less than demand, prices ruled high. High prices resulted in 

 increased production, and during the past two years Canada has again been in a position 

 to export. 



Great Britain is Canada's logical market for eggs, but under normal conditions 

 Canadian dealers — not having made a special study of the requirements of the British 

 market and suddenly being obliged to find a market for a surplus of several million dozen 

 — would have met with most strenuous competition. The emergency of the hour has, 

 however, given Canada access to the British market in a way and to an extent which, 

 under normal conditions, would have been difficult to obtain. 



Fifteen years ago, when Canada was shipping to the British market, Canadian eggs 

 compared favourably in the matter of quality with eggs from other countries. In the 

 interval, however, on account of the strenuous competition they had to meet, marked 

 improvement was made in the quality of the Danish, Irish, Dutch, and other nearby 

 fresh receipts, while in Canada, with such prosperous conditions at hand, it is only 

 recently that any decided improvement has occurred. 



To this improvement the educational campaign carried on by the Live Stock Branch 

 of the Dominion Department of Agriculture during the past few years has largely con- 

 tributed.. Some important results have been achieved; the trade in bad eggs has been 

 checked, quality payment has been inaugurated in many parts, and co-operative market- 

 ing on the part of the producers encouraged. Tentative standards for eggs have been 

 suggested, and these have been adopted by the trade. These standards provide for 

 three classes for eggs, namely, "Fresh-Gathered," "Storage," and "Cracked and Dirties." 

 In the Fresh-Gathered class, there are four grades: — "Specials," "Extras," "No. l's," 

 and "No. 2's;" in the Storage class there are three grades, "Extras," "No. l's," and 

 "No. 2's;" and in the third class, "Cracked and Dirties," there are two grades, "No. l's" 

 and "No. 2's." For deterioration in transit an allowance of 10% is made; that is, eggs 

 should grade at point of delivery 90% of the grade named at the point of shipment. 



The various grades are defined as follows: — 



Specials — Eggs of uniform size weighing over 24 ozs. to the dozen, or over 45 lbs. 

 net to the 30 doz. case; absolutely clean, strong and sound in shell; air cell small, not 

 over 3-16 of an inch in depth; white of egg to be firm and clear, and yolk dimly visible; 

 free from blood clots. 



Extras — Eggs of good size, weighing at least 24 ozs. to the dozen, or 45 lbs. net to 

 the 30 doz. case; clean; sound in shell; air cell less than % inch in depth; white of egg to 

 be firm and yolk slightly visible. 



No. l's — Eggs weighing at least 23 ozs. to the dozen, or 45 lbs. net to the 30 doz. 

 case; clean; sound in shell; air cell less than M inch in depth; white of egg to be reason- 

 ably firm; yolk may be quite visible but mobile, not stuck to the shell or seriously out 

 of place; air cell not necessarily stationary. 



No. 2's — Eggs clean; sound in shell; may contain weak watery eggs, and eggs with 

 heavy yolks, and all other eggs sound in shell and fit for food. 



These regulations have been well received by the produce trade, particularly so in 

 the Western Provinces. Several of the large produce associations have strongly 

 commended the Department for its activities along this line, and have recommended 

 that not only should the standards above mentioned be legalized, but that inspectors 

 should be appointed to supervise the egg trade of the Dominion, particularly the grading 

 of that portion of the product intended for export, in order to insure the terni "Canadian 

 Eggs" becoming synonimous with quality in the export markets. 



126 



