HOW TO CANDLE EGGS. 



Fi g . 1 .— . 

 stovepipe 

 candle. 



Handlers of large numbers of eggs, such as hucksters, grocers, and 

 egg shippers, should have a candle made especially for the work. A 

 good candle which can be made by any tinner is illustrated in figure 2. 

 Working drawings are given in figure 3. A strong 

 white electric light should be used in this candle. 



THE STRUCTURE OF THE EGG. 



Before attempting to candle, the beginner should 

 break a good egg into a saucer and become familiar with 

 its different parts and their arrangement. By compar- 

 ing the egg in the saucer with figure 4, in which the 

 structure of a typical egg is shown, and following the 

 description given below, the various parts of the egg 

 can be identified easily. 



The yolk is contained in a membrane of delicate con- 

 struction. It varies in color from light yellow to 

 orange, but occasionally is olive green. On the surface 

 of the yolk is a small light-colored circular area called 

 the germinal disk, from which the chick develops. It is present on 

 the yolks of all eggs whether fertile or infertile. The yolk always 

 floats in the white with the chick spot on top. By this provision of 



nature, the developing 

 chick comes nearest the 

 body of the hen during 

 incubation and on that 

 account receives the 

 most warmth. 



Around the yolk, as 

 indicated in figure 4, 

 lies a small quantity of 

 thin white ; then comes 

 a heavy layer of thick 

 white; and outside of 

 this another layer of 

 thin white. Extending 

 from the yolk through 

 the white toward each 

 end of the egg are 

 twisted, cordlike coils of an opaque white material called the chalazse. 

 These cords may be likened to hammock strings in that they serve 

 to hold the yolk in position, yet allow it to turn freely. The chicken 

 does not come from the chalazse as is often supposed, but from the 

 germinal disk. The white has a firm, gelatinous consistency, due 

 to a network of interlacing fibers, which are so fine that they can 



Fig. 2. — Method of holding 



js during candling. 



