PREPARATION OF POULTRY PRODUCTS 285 



shelled eggs separately, particularly if the market pays a pre- 

 mium for one color over the other. To a certain extent, eggs 

 should also be graded according to their size, putting in one 

 box only eggs as nearly as possible of a uniform size. Ex- 

 ceptionally large or exceptionally small eggs should be kept 

 for home use. If the market is high grade, it may be well 

 to candle the eggs to make sure that none have blood spots. 

 Blood spots may form in strictly fresh eggs, owing to injury 

 of the oviduct during the formation of the egg. Pack the 

 eggs in strong, durable cartons to avoid breakage. In packing 



Fig. 157. 



Fia. 158. 



Fig. 157. — A crate used in the shipping of live poultry to market. 

 Fig. 158. — A crate used to ship exhibition or breeding birds. 



cases or crates of eggs, the top and bottom should be padded 

 with excelsior or paper to keep the eggs from sudden jars 

 and breaking. For retail or any other high class trade it 

 may pay the poultr5Tnan to grade the eggs carefully and pack 

 them in one-dozen boxes, these boxes being carefully labelled 

 and sealed. Put up in this way eggs bring from three to 

 six cents more per dozen than wholesale quotations. 



Live Poultry. — When poultry is shipped alive it may be 

 of two kinds. First, poultry shipped to commission mer- 

 chants, ultimately reaching the butcher (Fig, 157). Second, 

 breeding males and females which are sold and must be 



