124 EGG MONEY 



shape, size and color is obtained by building a strain of fowls 

 with this end in view. Cleanliness is simply a matter of 

 keeping the nests where the eggs are laid thoroughly clean. 

 Washed eggs are not to be rated as A 1. Washing destroys 

 the fresh appearance of the shell and, by removing a cert.ain 

 glutinous substance from the outside of the shell, detracts 

 from its keeping qualities. 



Grading and Shipping. 



Whether eggs are marketed wholesale or retail, through 

 commission merchants or to hotels or private families, the 

 rules for selecting, grading and shipping have the same 

 application. Understanding that all the eggs are fresh, 

 as they should be when they leave the plant of the producer, 

 the first thing to do is to sort them according to size and 

 color. Small eggs and extremely large ones should be count- 

 ed out and white eggs should be separated from brown ones. 

 This will give us four divisions; white eggs, that are off in size 

 and brown eggs that are off in size, uniform white eggs and 

 uniform browri eggs. The latter two divisions are the ones 

 to be sold under the producer's mark and guarantee. The 

 others must be sold as "seconds" and will not suit the more 

 particular trade. 



As an extra precaution some sliippers candle all eggs 

 before sending them out, even when there seems to be no 

 chance for any egg to be over twenty-four hours old. This 

 is to guard against the distribution of any eggs which are not 

 correct as to contents, for example those that may not be 

 of the proper consistency, those not full, or those with 

 blood spots. This candling, or testing, is done only when 

 the eggs are to be forwarded to a high-class customer. Con- 

 signments forwarded to commission merchants or to retail 

 establishments usually go forward in ordinary egg cases 

 which are not expensive, though occasionally the shipper 

 uses more substantial and attractive cases bearing 

 his name. These are returned to him when empty, the ex- 

 press companies returning them free or charging 'him a 

 nominal fee. 



Eggs forwarded to hotels or clubs usually go forward in 

 better cases. Sometimes in addition they are packed in 



