26 BULLETIN 471, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



in mining districts, and in such sections as Alaska and Hawaii, where 

 the egg production was Aery small as compared with the popula- 

 tion and most of the eggs were shipped from a great distance. 



The growing importance of eggs is also shown by the growth of 

 the industry. The United States formerly imported a large number 

 of eggs and exported very few. The ratio has changed within recent 

 years, and now the exports largely exceed the imports as the follow- 

 ing figures indicate. In 1890 the total number of eggs exported was 

 381,000 dozen, worth $59,000. In the 12 months ended June, 1915, 

 is was 20,784,424 dozen, worth $5,003,764. In 1890 this country im- 

 ported 15,000,000 dozen eggs, which were valued at $2,000,000, and 

 in 1915 only about 3,046,631 dozen, valued at about $438,760. 



Eggs are used in nearly every household almost every day in one 

 form or another and in varying amounts. From the results of 

 numerous dietary studies it has appeared that on an average eggs 

 furnish 3 per cent of the total food, 5.9 per cent of the total protein, 

 and 4.3 per cent of the total fat used per man per day. For com- 

 parison it may be noted that cheese furnishes 0.4 per cent of the 

 total food, 1.6 per cent of the total protein, and 1.6 per cent of the 

 total fat, while milk and cream together furnish 19.9 per cent of 

 the total food, 10.5 per cent of the total protein, and 10.7 per cent of 

 the total fat, in addition to some carbohydrates (which eggs and 

 cheese do not supply in appreciable quantities), and veal and beef 

 together were found to furnish 10.3 per cent of the total food, 24.6 

 per cent of the total protein, and 19.5 per cent of the total fat. 



The amount of nutritive material which a given quantity of eggs 

 will furnish at any stated price per dozen may be readily calculated. 

 When eggs are 25 cents per dozen, 10 cents expended for them will 

 furnish 0.60 pound of total food material containing 0.08 pound of 

 protein and 0.05 pound of fat, the whole having a fuel value of 380 

 calories. At 35 cents per dozen, 10 cents will procure 0.43 pound of 

 total food material, containing 0.06 pound of protein and 0.04 pound 

 of fat, and furnish 275 calories of energy. At 45 cents per dozen, 

 10 cents' worth of eggs will furnish 0.33 pound of total food material, 

 supplying 0.04 pound of protein, 0.03 pound of fat, and 210 calories. 

 Ten cents expended for beef at 16 cents per pound will furnish 0.63 

 pound of total food material, containing 0.12 pound of protein and 

 0.08 pound of fat and supplying 560 calories. Expended for beef 

 sirloin at 30 cents per pound, 10 cents will furnish 0.33 pound of total 

 food material, containing 0.05 pound of protein and 0.06 pound of 

 fat and supplying 345 calories. If wheat bread is purchased at 5 

 cents per pound, 10 cents will pay for 2 pounds of total food mate- 

 rial, containing 0.18 pound of protein, 0.03 pound of fat, and 1.06 

 pounds of carbohydrates, and yielding 2.430 calories. 



