114 EGGS AND POULTRY 
families are so small that it would be im- 
possible for small shipments to be made 
profitably either to buyer or seller. 
Again, this is made impossible by the fact 
that in the spring there is a great surplus of 
eggs beyond the daily consumption. Unless 
such surplus is absorbed by the storage house 
great loss would result as eggs deteriorate 
very rapidly in warm weather. The poultry- 
man wants no accumulation on hand if he is 
catering to the family trade. 
Part of the storage eggs may come from 
poultrymen who send in their surplus rather 
than hold for a length of time, but the vast 
majority probably are gathered eggs. All 
through the country are stores and dealers 
who collect eggs, the former taking eggs in 
trade for groceries and other merchandise, 
allowing 15 to 21 cents a dozen in the spring. 
These eggs get to the store house some way. 
A fresh laid egg put in cold storage the day 
it is laid would probably be just as good six 
months from that time. But how many are 
put in storage in the fresh condition? 
Farmers save up their eggs until 100 or 200 
are on hand, then sell to the store or the 
collector. When the dealers’ stock hais 
reached several hundred they are crated-.and 
