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PRESERVATION OF EGGS. 



The supply of eggs upon our markets is very irregular. 

 During the spring and early summer months they are plentiful, 

 both as regards home production and foreign imports. As a 

 consequence prices fall considerably. In the autumn and winter 

 new-laid eggs are scarce and realise high rates, whilst the returns 

 for even the cheaper grades of foreign eggs, the major part 

 of which are preserved or " pickled," are considerably above 

 the spring prices. Hence an egg produced in November 

 will command twice, and sometimes thrice, as much as it would 

 in the month of April. If eggs were a non-perishable product, 

 and they could be kept in prime condition from one season to 

 another, these variations would be avoided and the extremes 

 of prices prevented. But an egg under normal conditions 

 deteriorates quickly. Vast quantities of eggs are kept, however, 

 and when the natural deterioration is retarded or stopped they 

 can be sold, if in a good state, at rates which leave a considerable 

 margin of profit, even though they are not equal to " new-laids." 

 Simple methods of preservation, too, are extremely useful as a 

 means of regulating the domestic supply. 



The following are the methods which, up to the present, have 

 yielded the best results : — 



Lime Water. 



Upwards of one hundred years ago Letters Patent were 

 granted to William Jayne for an egg pickle, composed of lime, 

 salt, cream of tartar, and water, and this preparation, or a modi- 

 fication of it, is used extensively both at home and abroad. The 

 pickle generally employed is made by mixing four parts by 

 measure of finely slaked lime with twenty parts of water, and 

 afterwards adding one part of salt. This solution should be 

 prepared by mixing the lime and the water a week before it is 



