92 



Poultry Societies in Ireland. 



[may, 



from some farmer in harvest-time and stored in a shed or loft, 

 so that when required for use it may be quite dry and free from 

 mustiness. This is of the utmost importance, because eggs 

 would assume a musty flavour in a day or two if packed for 

 transit in damp or musty straw. Wood fibre, or wood-wool as 

 it is also called, is made by special machinery from soft woods, 

 and is then dried and pressed into bales of I cwt. each. It is 

 largely manufactured in Ireland, and the societies obtain it from 

 Dublin, Belfast, or Cork. It is considered a cheaper packing 

 material than straw, although it costs £$ per ton, when straw 

 can be bought at £2 or £2 10s. This is because it goes farther 

 than straw. Some merchants prefer straw packing, and others 

 like wood-wool better, so that societies must stock both materials 

 in order to please all their customers. 



A case of eggs contains only one size or grade, and they are 

 packed in four layers, with a layer of packing material on the 

 bottom, another on the top, and one between every two layers 

 of eggs. The lid is securely nailed down and marked on top 

 as follows :— " Irish Eggs " ; " With Care " ; " This Side Up " ; 

 " Keep Dry." The ends of the cases are branded as shown in 

 the illustration with the trade mark of the society, and with 

 figures indicating the number and weight of the contents. 



All the eggs are sold at net prices f.o.r. at the nearest station, 

 and when the railway company takes them in hand the society 

 has no further responsibility, and if there are breakages, delays, 

 or any other mishaps, they are settled between the purchaser 

 and the railway company. 



So far as the egg department of a poultry society is concerned, 

 success may be measured by the increase in the size and weight 

 of the eggs, about which I have written above, and also by the 

 improved price which the members realise as compared with 

 the price which they could make when handling eggs by 

 the old system. I have made particular note of the prices 

 paid to members, and also of the prices obtained from the 

 English buyers, and I am quite satisfied that a well-managed 

 up-to-date society pays for eggs at the rate of at least two- 

 pence per dozen above the price which used to obtain in the 

 district before its establishment. The increase in price has been 

 brought about by the immensely improved method of doing 



