120 MRS. BASLEY'S WESTERN POULTRY BOOK 



Directions for Use 



The directions for use are: Use pure water which has been 

 thoroughly boiled and cooled. To each nine quarts of this water 

 add one quart of water-glass. Pack the eggs in the jar and pour 

 the solution over them. The solution may be prepared, placed in 

 the jar and fresh eggs added from time to time until the jar is filled, 

 but care must be used to keep fully two inches of water-glass solu- 

 tion to cover the eggs. Keep the eggs in a cool place and the jar 

 covered to prevent evaporation. A cool cellar is a good place in 

 which to keep the eggs. 



If the eggs be kept in a too warm place the silicate will be 

 deposited and the eggs will not be properly protected. Do not wash 

 the eggs before packing, for by so doing you will injure their keep- 

 ing qualities- Probably by dissolving the mucilaginous coating on 

 the outside of the shell. For packing use only perfectly fresh eggs, 

 for eggs that have already become stale cannot be preserved by 

 this or any other method, and one stale egg may spoil the whole 

 batch. 



I can speak from my own experience, for I have packed eggs in 

 it for five years and shall do so again. We are fond of fresh eggs 

 and use a great many, and I find it most convenient to have a jar 

 or crock full of nice eggs always on hand. I have kept them my- 

 self for eight months and have no doubt but that I could have pre- 

 served them still longer had we not eaten them, for I found them 

 to all appearances as fresh as if not over a week old. It cost about 

 \ l / 2 cents per dozen to preserve them. 



The Kind of Vessels for Packing 



Prof. Ladd, of the North Dakota Agricultural Station, spoke of 

 receiving a few complaints that barrels were not proving satisfac- 

 tory, the water-glass appearing to dissolve some product which de- 

 posited on the eggs. He thinks this might be attributed to the 

 presence of glue, which had been used as a sizing for the barrels. 

 In such instances, charring the barrel inside with thorough wash- 

 ing thereafter, is recommended. Altogether, the preference seems 

 to be for glass or stoneware vessels. 



Prof. Ladd's statement as to the satisfactory results of the 

 water-glass method is very strong. He says : "This method has 

 been tested in a commercial way, in nearly every state and part of 

 our country, and we have not had to exceed eight adverse reports." 

 One of the stations affirms that the failures reported are probably 

 due to receiving water-glass of poor quality. 



It is also stated that these, like all preserved eggs, contain a 

 little gas, and, when boiled, they will be likely to burst unless prev- 

 iously pricked through the shell at the large end. 



As the entire processes of preservation are an effort to fence out 

 germs, the recommendation not to wash off the mucilaginous coat- 

 ing which nature puts on the eggs, and also to use only boiled 

 water, appear very logical. When we know just what we are aim- 

 ing at, we are less likely to omit the little precautions which other- 



