PREPARATION OF POULTRY PRODUCTS 325 



nearly as possible of the same age, size, and weight. It is also an 

 advantage to have them of the same color, for, while color is not 

 of such importance in market as in fancy poultry, as far as it con- 

 tributes to uniformity of appearance it makes a lot more salable, 

 and often brings a little better price. In general it is advisable to 

 have each lot of the same sex, — especially in fowls past broiler 

 size. Grading is less essential when shipping to buyers who dress 

 to sell than when shipping to firms which sell the birds alive. 

 Concerns dressing poultry and buying direct from producers will 

 usually sort mixed lots as they kill and make returns accordingly. 



Eggs. The preparation of eggs for market is the simplest of 

 matters. They must be whole, clean, assorted for color and size, 

 and packed in packages of suitable size. As marketed by a pro- 

 ducer they should always be fresh. If a poultry keeper wishes, 

 either for experiment or for home use, to preserve eggs, that is 

 solely his own affair. If he undertakes to sell at the same time 

 preserved and fresh eggs, he will soon find that all his eggs are 

 under suspicion and that he has damaged his best trade. The 

 poultry keeper who wants to make a reputation for good eggs, and 

 to get the highest prices, should keep rigidly to the practice of 

 selling only fresh eggs. 



Cleaning eggs. If the poultry houses are clean, the nests kept 

 in good condition, and the hens laying eggs with good shells, the 

 proportion of eggs requiring cleaning before being marketed should 

 be small. As far as possible, wetting the shell is to be avoided, for 

 it destroys the "" bloom " which is the conspicuous, distinguishing 

 feature of the fresh egg, disappearing with age and handling. If 

 an egg is only slightly soiled it may sometimes be cleaned by rub- 

 bing lightly with a dry cloth. If this does not answer, a slightly 

 moistened cloth may remove the dirt. Eggs that are badly soiled 

 should be washed in warm (not hot) water, and dried at once with 

 a soft cloth. The warm water removes the dirt more quickly than 

 cold, and eggs washed in warm water are more easily dried. No 

 soap or other cleansing preparation should be used, — only clean 

 water. If the shell is stained, as sometimes it is, with manure or 

 from being wet in the nest, it is better to keep the egg for home 

 cooking. It is not injured except in appearance, but it is salable 

 only as a " dirty " at about half price. 



