PRESERVING EGGS. 



How Eggs are "Put Down" in the Season of Greatest Pro- 



duction, When the Price is Low, to Keep Until 



the Price is High. 



By E. F. Ladd. 



At the present time eggs are largely packed in lime, 

 salt and other products, or are put in cold storage for winter 

 use, but such eggs are very far from being perfect when they 

 come upon the markets, and frequently more than one-half 

 of them are unfit for use, if we are to judge from the condi- 

 tion of most markets. A method to be generally em- 

 ployed must be simple, cheap, and the eggs, when wanted for 

 use, must . be of good quality. 



There was need for a simple method of preserving eggs; 

 one which would enable the farmers or the consumers to- 

 put away eggs during the summer months when they are 

 plentiful and command but a small price, to be used in times 

 of scarcity when the price of eggs rules exceptionally high. 

 For this reason we were led to make experiments in preserv- 

 ing eggs by various means. Of the methods tested, water- 

 glass was the most promising and our experiments continued 

 through several seasons with most satisfactory results.^ 



The shell of an egg has a very thin coating of mucilag- 

 inous, albuminous matter upon its surface that seems to 

 protect the eggs for a considerable time from atmospheric 

 action or the introduction of the germs of decomposition. 

 If this coating be removed immediately after the egg is 

 deposited, while still warm, the keeping quality seems 

 to be much reduced, or if eggs that become soiled in the nest 

 are washed, this albuminous coating is softened and the 

 life of the egg shortened thereby. 



Water Glass the Best Preservative. 



It is believed that in water glass we have a preservative 

 which will, when used for preserving eggs, give better satis- 



