78 Experiments in Preservation of Eggs. 



ing one per cent, would appear to be of no advantage ; indeed, 

 when the salt present amounted to two per cent., it was noticed 

 that the quality of the preserved eggs had suffered. The 

 one per cent, solution is prepared by dissolving ij oz. of 

 common salt in each gallon of the saturated lime-water. 



The vaseline-covered eggs were not quite as well preserved 

 as those simply immersed in a solution of lime-water ; and all 

 the other methods tried were decidedly inferior. 



The general conclusions from the experiments made in 

 1 90 1 tend to confirm the view that lime-water is a most effec- 

 tive preservative, and to indicate that the addition of not more 

 than one per cent, of common salt is an advantage. Lime- 

 water has the further recommendation of being cheap, easily 

 prepared, and pleasant to handle. 



At the Rhode Island Agricultural Experiment Station 

 experiments were carried out last year in the preservation 

 of eggs with the following substances : viz., water glass, 

 dry table salt, lime water and salt brine, vaseline, ashes, 

 gypsum, powdered sulphur, powdered sulphur and sulphur 

 fumes, permanganate of potash, salicylic acid and salt 

 brine. Of the various methods tested, the old way of 

 using slaked lime and salt brine was found to be very 

 effective and inexpensive. For short periods of a few 

 weeks, smearing eggs with vaseline or with any other 

 clean greasy substance was an effective preservative, while 

 for a period of a few months packing in dry salt was 

 successful. Of all the substances experimented with, how- 

 ever, a water glass solution proved to be the most useful. It 

 is easily manipulated, and the solution can be repeatedly 

 used. The eggs should be completely immersed in the 

 solution, and, if any eggs float, an inner cover which will 

 sink them below the surface of the liquid should be used. In 

 several tests where eggs were placed in stone jars, inverted 

 saucers were used for this purpose. It was found that the 

 strength of the water glass solution could be reduced to as 

 low as 3 per cent., and it still retained a complete pre- 

 servative power over eggs after an interval of ten or eleven 

 months. 



