410 COMMERCIAL POULTRY RAISING 



may be attributed to gross negligence and inexcusable ignorance, 

 and through careless packing and shipping, resulting in heavy 

 breakage losses, and because of antiquated selling methods, such 

 as the practice of exchanging eggs at the general store for mer- 

 chandise. 



Think of it, in a single commodity in a single country in a 

 single year there is a loss of fifty millions of dollars. And it has 

 been going on right under our noses year after year. Sounds 

 incredible, no doubt. 



The Department of Agriculture and other bureaus of statistics 

 are authority for these figures. A journey through the egg 

 trade — all the devious channels from the hen's nest to the con- 

 sumer's household — ^will convince the most skeptical that this 

 estimate of the depreciation in eggs is absolutely reliable. If 

 anything, it is too conservative. For example, the above figures 

 represent only actual losses, in addition to which there are cer- 

 tain intangible losses, which are none the less real because of 

 their intangibility. 



The intangible losses are those induced by curtailed consump- 

 tion due to the presence of inferior eggs. Let me explain this 

 point: All are agreed, I think, that nothing disturbs the appetite 

 more than bad eggs. Perhaps this is because of the sensiti\eness 

 of our olfactory membranes. However, when we open a bad egg, 

 even though it is only somewhat stale or of poor flavor, what is 

 the result? Disgust — repulsion. We push it from us, or cause 

 it to be removed from sight. At certain seasons of the year 

 when fresh eggs are scarce this denouement happens frequently. 

 In fact, it is the rule rather than the exception, and what is the 

 result? We regard all eggs with suspicion; they are persona 

 non grata, and in consequence we turn to something else for our 

 breakfast dishes. This cuts down the demand and lowers the 

 price. 



Statistics are sometimes wearisome, especially if they involve 

 large numerals, yet they offer the only means of a convincing 

 argument, outside of the actual conditions. Therefore, at the 

 risk of seeming too statistical I am going to indulge in a few 



