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  AMERICAN 
  HOMES 
  AND 
  GARDENS 
  

  

  January, 
  1907 
  

  

  Preserving 
  the 
  Eggs 
  

  

  By 
  A. 
  S. 
  Atkinson 
  

  

  jE 
  TOOK 
  to 
  poultry-raising 
  like 
  a 
  duck 
  to 
  

   water 
  when 
  we 
  secured 
  possession 
  of 
  our 
  

   suburban 
  home. 
  There 
  was 
  only 
  an 
  acre 
  of 
  

   land 
  around 
  the 
  house, 
  which 
  had 
  to 
  serve 
  

   as 
  a 
  flower-garden, 
  orchard, 
  kitchen-garden, 
  

   and 
  poultry-yard. 
  But 
  our 
  ideas 
  of 
  poultry 
  

   were 
  somewhat 
  exalted. 
  We 
  had 
  no 
  love 
  for 
  the 
  common 
  

   barn-yard 
  birds. 
  We 
  chose 
  the 
  aristocrats 
  of 
  the 
  flock 
  — 
  

   fancy 
  poultry, 
  if 
  you 
  please. 
  

  

  They 
  came 
  high 
  at 
  first, 
  and 
  a 
  little 
  later 
  they 
  proved 
  dear 
  

   investments, 
  for 
  half 
  of 
  them 
  died 
  the 
  first 
  year 
  and 
  most 
  of 
  

   the 
  fancy 
  eggs 
  which 
  we 
  purchased 
  failed 
  to 
  hatch. 
  We 
  

   secured 
  more 
  eggs, 
  with 
  guarantees 
  attached 
  to 
  them, 
  and 
  

   restocked 
  with 
  more 
  choice 
  old 
  birds. 
  Experience 
  had 
  taught 
  

   us 
  how 
  to 
  avoid 
  some 
  of 
  the 
  common 
  mistakes 
  of 
  beginners, 
  

   and 
  we 
  had 
  less 
  sickness 
  and 
  anxiety 
  of 
  mind. 
  

  

  But 
  after 
  two 
  years 
  of 
  such 
  work 
  we 
  gradually 
  drifted 
  

   back 
  to 
  the 
  common 
  idea. 
  Fancy 
  poultry 
  are 
  fine 
  for 
  show, 
  

   but 
  after 
  all 
  good, 
  fresh 
  eggs 
  count 
  more. 
  So 
  we 
  slowly 
  

   replaced 
  our 
  expensive, 
  birds 
  with 
  good 
  layers. 
  We 
  soon 
  had 
  

   a 
  colony 
  that 
  furnished 
  us 
  with 
  all 
  the 
  eggs 
  we 
  could 
  use, 
  

   and 
  in 
  time 
  a 
  surplus 
  accumulated 
  in 
  summer. 
  

  

  We 
  had 
  the 
  experience 
  so 
  common 
  among 
  most 
  subur- 
  

   banites 
  who 
  like 
  to 
  raise 
  their 
  own 
  fresh 
  eggs. 
  There 
  was 
  

   always 
  a 
  surplus 
  in 
  summer 
  and 
  a 
  dearth 
  of 
  eggs 
  in 
  winter. 
  

   We 
  had 
  to 
  sell 
  or 
  give 
  away 
  part 
  of 
  the 
  summer 
  eggs 
  and 
  

   go 
  into 
  the 
  market 
  in 
  winter 
  to 
  purchase 
  fresh 
  (or 
  more 
  often 
  

   cold-storage 
  eggs) 
  at 
  double 
  the 
  prices 
  we 
  sold 
  fresh 
  eggs 
  

   for 
  in 
  summer. 
  This 
  didn't 
  seem 
  right. 
  There 
  should 
  be 
  

   some 
  way 
  to 
  remedy 
  such 
  a 
  deplorable 
  state 
  of 
  affairs. 
  

  

  Why 
  not 
  preserve 
  the 
  eggs? 
  Nearly 
  everything 
  is 
  pre- 
  

   served 
  for 
  winter 
  consumption, 
  and 
  why 
  not 
  eggs? 
  Well, 
  we 
  

   inquired 
  into 
  the 
  question, 
  and 
  found 
  that 
  cold-storage 
  eggs 
  

   were 
  kept 
  from 
  three 
  to 
  six 
  months, 
  but 
  to 
  do 
  this 
  one 
  re- 
  

   quired 
  an 
  extensive 
  and 
  costly 
  plant. 
  Limed 
  eggs 
  were 
  not 
  

   enjoyed 
  by 
  any 
  of 
  us, 
  and 
  refrigerator 
  eggs 
  generally 
  spoilt 
  

   on 
  account 
  of 
  the 
  excess 
  of 
  moisture. 
  

  

  Our 
  convictions 
  were 
  sufficiently 
  strong 
  to 
  lead 
  us 
  to 
  experi- 
  

   menting. 
  Possibly 
  there 
  was 
  a 
  way 
  to 
  preserve 
  eggs 
  which 
  

   all 
  the 
  philosophers 
  and 
  men 
  of 
  science 
  in 
  the 
  past 
  had 
  failed 
  

   to 
  discover. 
  We 
  tried 
  some 
  of 
  the 
  time-honored 
  methods 
  

   which 
  have 
  been 
  handed 
  down 
  from 
  generations 
  past, 
  and 
  

   ventured 
  into 
  new 
  fields 
  of 
  our 
  own. 
  Painting 
  the 
  eggs 
  with 
  

   various 
  oils 
  and 
  paraffin 
  mixtures 
  yielded 
  some 
  good 
  results. 
  

   Some 
  of 
  these 
  methods 
  consisted 
  of 
  coating 
  the 
  eggs 
  with 
  

   salicylic 
  acid 
  and 
  cotton-seed 
  o'il 
  with 
  and 
  without 
  alcohol, 
  

   paraffin, 
  collodium, 
  and 
  gum 
  arabic. 
  Fairly 
  good 
  results 
  

   were 
  obtained 
  with 
  eggs 
  treated 
  in 
  this 
  way, 
  but 
  they 
  did 
  

   not 
  prove 
  satisfactory 
  for 
  any 
  great 
  length 
  of 
  time. 
  

  

  The 
  lime 
  solution 
  we 
  next 
  tried 
  consisted 
  of 
  lime 
  and 
  salt, 
  

   with 
  a 
  little 
  borax 
  and 
  sodium 
  bicarbonate. 
  The 
  eggs 
  were 
  

   kept 
  in 
  good 
  condition 
  upward 
  of 
  several 
  months 
  in 
  this 
  

   solution, 
  but 
  the 
  shells 
  were 
  discolored 
  and 
  they 
  did 
  not 
  

   present 
  a 
  fine 
  outside. 
  They 
  could 
  not 
  have 
  been 
  sold 
  in 
  the 
  

   market 
  except 
  as 
  limed 
  eggs. 
  Their 
  method 
  of 
  preservation 
  

   was 
  too 
  apparent. 
  They 
  had, 
  after 
  six 
  weeks, 
  a 
  slight 
  musty 
  

   taint, 
  which 
  increased 
  every 
  month 
  until 
  they 
  were 
  not 
  good 
  

   for 
  much 
  except 
  cooking, 
  where 
  the 
  musty 
  odor 
  would 
  be 
  

   disguised 
  by 
  the 
  other 
  ingredients. 
  

  

  Various 
  salicylic-acid 
  solutions 
  were 
  tried, 
  but 
  in 
  nearly 
  

   every 
  case 
  the 
  acid 
  weakened 
  the 
  shells, 
  and 
  when 
  kept 
  too 
  

   long 
  some 
  of 
  the 
  shells 
  broke 
  and 
  the 
  acid 
  got 
  inside, 
  com- 
  

  

  pletely 
  spoiling 
  the 
  eggs. 
  We 
  used 
  about 
  one 
  ounce 
  of 
  this 
  

   acid 
  to 
  each 
  gallon 
  of 
  water, 
  and 
  a 
  stronger 
  solution 
  increased 
  

   the 
  injury 
  to 
  the 
  shells. 
  

  

  After 
  all 
  these 
  experiments 
  we 
  were 
  induced 
  to 
  try 
  water- 
  

   glass, 
  liquid 
  glass, 
  or 
  silicate 
  of 
  soda. 
  Under 
  these 
  various 
  

   names 
  water-glass 
  is 
  sold 
  at 
  druggists' 
  for 
  egg-preservation. 
  

   The 
  material 
  is 
  perfectly 
  harmless, 
  and 
  it 
  preserves 
  the 
  eggs 
  

   longer 
  and 
  more 
  satisfactorily 
  than 
  any 
  other 
  substance. 
  In 
  

   the 
  last 
  year 
  or 
  two 
  it 
  has 
  been 
  used 
  extensively 
  throughout 
  

   the 
  country 
  for 
  preserving 
  eggs, 
  but 
  at 
  the 
  time 
  of 
  our 
  experi- 
  

   ment 
  it 
  was 
  not 
  a 
  popular 
  or 
  generally 
  known 
  preservative. 
  

  

  We 
  first 
  used 
  a 
  ten-per-cent. 
  solution 
  of 
  water-glass; 
  that 
  is, 
  

   one 
  part 
  by 
  measure 
  of 
  water-glass 
  to 
  ten 
  parts 
  of 
  water. 
  The 
  

   water 
  should 
  be 
  boiled 
  and 
  cooled 
  before 
  the 
  water-glass 
  is 
  

   mixed 
  with 
  it. 
  The 
  water-glass 
  if 
  good 
  should 
  be 
  about 
  as 
  

   thick 
  as 
  mucilege, 
  and 
  when 
  mixed 
  with 
  the 
  water 
  the 
  barrel 
  

   containing 
  the 
  mixture 
  should 
  be 
  kept 
  in 
  a 
  cool, 
  dark 
  place. 
  

   Sometimes 
  in 
  hot 
  weather 
  the 
  water-glass 
  shows 
  a 
  tendency 
  

   to 
  separate 
  from 
  the 
  water, 
  but 
  if 
  the 
  barrel 
  is 
  kept 
  in 
  the 
  

   cellar 
  or 
  other 
  cool 
  place 
  little 
  trouble 
  will 
  be 
  experienced. 
  

  

  With 
  the 
  water-glass 
  solution 
  June 
  eggs 
  were 
  kept 
  until 
  

   December, 
  and 
  with 
  but 
  few 
  exceptions 
  they 
  were 
  in 
  good 
  

   condition 
  when 
  used. 
  Here 
  and 
  there 
  one 
  was 
  found 
  which 
  

   had 
  the 
  whites 
  coagulated. 
  A 
  few 
  would 
  sink 
  to 
  the 
  bottom 
  

   when 
  placed 
  in 
  water. 
  But 
  none 
  of 
  them 
  were 
  actually 
  spoilt 
  

   or 
  so 
  musty 
  as 
  to 
  be 
  useless. 
  In 
  fact, 
  some 
  of 
  the 
  eggs 
  used 
  

   six 
  months 
  after 
  storing 
  were 
  so 
  fresh 
  in 
  taste, 
  odor, 
  and 
  

   appearance 
  that 
  I 
  believe 
  they 
  would 
  have 
  passed 
  as 
  fresh 
  

   eggs 
  in 
  the 
  market. 
  It 
  was 
  apparent 
  that 
  some 
  of 
  the 
  eggs 
  

   did 
  not 
  keep 
  so 
  well 
  because 
  of 
  improper 
  coating 
  of 
  the 
  

   water-glass 
  solution. 
  We 
  made 
  another 
  trial 
  with 
  a 
  twenty- 
  

   per-cent. 
  solution 
  of 
  water-glass, 
  reasoning 
  that 
  if 
  a 
  weak 
  

   solution 
  would 
  do 
  so 
  well 
  a 
  strong 
  one 
  would 
  accomplish 
  

   much 
  more. 
  But 
  in 
  this 
  we 
  were 
  mistaken. 
  The 
  stronger 
  

   solution 
  gave 
  no 
  better 
  results, 
  and 
  in 
  some 
  respects 
  we 
  

   thought 
  it 
  not 
  quite 
  so 
  good. 
  An 
  eight-per-cent. 
  and 
  later 
  a 
  

   fifteen-per-cent. 
  mixture 
  were 
  tried, 
  but 
  with 
  such 
  poor 
  results 
  

   that 
  we 
  decided 
  that 
  the 
  ten-per-cent. 
  strength 
  was 
  about 
  

   right. 
  

  

  We 
  found 
  upon 
  inquiring 
  for 
  water-glass 
  that 
  a 
  number 
  

   of 
  druggists 
  had 
  never 
  heard 
  of 
  it, 
  but 
  when 
  we 
  asked 
  for 
  

   silicate 
  of 
  soda 
  there 
  was 
  no 
  trouble 
  to 
  secure 
  all 
  we 
  needed. 
  

   When 
  a 
  barrel 
  of 
  the 
  solution 
  is 
  made 
  and 
  placed 
  in 
  the 
  cellar 
  

   or 
  other 
  cool 
  place, 
  the 
  fresh 
  eggs 
  are 
  simply 
  dropped 
  into 
  

   the 
  liquid 
  from 
  day 
  to 
  day 
  as 
  they 
  are 
  gathered. 
  The 
  eggs 
  

   should 
  be 
  kept 
  covered 
  with 
  the 
  solution, 
  usually 
  an 
  inch 
  or 
  

   two 
  giving 
  the 
  best 
  results. 
  If 
  the 
  eggs 
  increase 
  in 
  numbers, 
  

   the 
  liquid 
  must 
  be 
  increased, 
  if 
  there 
  is 
  any 
  danger 
  of 
  the 
  

   former 
  being 
  exposed 
  to 
  the 
  air. 
  Air 
  is 
  fatal 
  to 
  the 
  preser- 
  

   vation 
  of 
  fresh 
  eggs, 
  and 
  they 
  should 
  never 
  be 
  taken 
  from 
  

   the 
  barrel 
  an 
  instant 
  except 
  when 
  ready 
  for 
  using. 
  

  

  If 
  it 
  is 
  desirable 
  to 
  sell 
  the 
  eggs 
  in 
  the 
  market 
  they 
  can 
  be 
  

   removed 
  from 
  the 
  barrel 
  and 
  rinsed 
  off 
  with 
  fresh 
  water. 
  

   The 
  solution 
  immediately 
  leaves 
  the 
  shell, 
  and 
  the 
  eggs 
  will 
  

   pass 
  for 
  fresh 
  eggs. 
  The 
  water-glass 
  seals 
  the 
  egg-shells 
  air- 
  

   tight, 
  and 
  this 
  is 
  the 
  simple 
  reason 
  for 
  the 
  success 
  of 
  the 
  plan. 
  

   Where 
  the 
  eggs 
  are 
  to 
  be 
  kept 
  a 
  great 
  while, 
  they 
  can 
  be 
  

   taken 
  out 
  of 
  the 
  old 
  solution 
  and 
  placed 
  carefully 
  in 
  a 
  new 
  

   barrel. 
  This 
  repacking 
  enables 
  one 
  to 
  get 
  at 
  the 
  lower 
  

   layers, 
  which 
  naturally 
  are 
  the 
  oldest 
  eggs. 
  Eggs 
  six 
  months 
  

   old 
  may 
  not 
  sell 
  as 
  well 
  as 
  strictly 
  fresh 
  ones, 
  but 
  for 
  home 
  

   use 
  they 
  are 
  just 
  as 
  good. 
  

  

  