igoy.] Report on Agricqltural Education. 689 



B.Sc, of the University of Aberdeen,* in which it was found 

 that eggs which had been kept in water-glass for a few months 

 could hardly be distinguished in appearance, flavour, and smell, 

 either raw or cooked, from what are called " fresh eggs," that is, 

 fresh eggs in the commercial sense, which may be several days 

 old. The eggs which had been preserved in water-glass for 

 about six months tasted and smelt like well-kept eggs a few 

 days old. As the eggs in question were a few days old when 

 they went into the water-glass, it did not seem that they were 

 appreciably changed. 



As the eggs get older, however, a distinct change occurs which 

 can be appreciated both by the eye and palate. Eggs which 

 have been three or four years in water-glass are easily recog- 

 nized. The white becomes pink in colour and very liquid, and 

 the eggs acquire a slightly peculiar taste suggestive of soda. 

 At the same time, even when four years old, the eggs had no 

 unpleasant taste or smell, and the white coagulated in the usual 

 manner in cooking. The changes in the preserved eggs take 

 place very gradually. At one year old they are hardly notice- 

 able, at two years they are distinct, but not so distinct as at 

 three or four years old. 



An endeavour was also made to determine whether any dis- 

 tinct changes take place in the composition of eggs when kept 

 in water-glass, and especially whether the soda and silica of the 

 water-glass penetrate into the egg to any great extent. The 

 general conclusion arrived at is that there is practically no 

 change in the composition even from lengthened immersion, and 

 that practically no silica, and very little, if any, soda, find their 

 way into the eggs. A slow deposition of silica takes place in 

 the shells, which blocks up the pores of the shells to some 

 extent, and renders them less permeable. 



The annual publication by the Board of Agriculture and 

 Fisheries on the Distribution of Grants I for Agricultural Educa- 

 tion and Research, for the year 1905-1906, 



Report jg prefaced by a Report by Dr. Somerville, 



on Ag-picultural ^ . ^ u r ^1 • 



Education. contams reports on each of the mstitu- 



tions receiving grants, an account of the 



* Journal of A^^ricultural Science, ]zxi\x'^x^, 1907. f Cd. 3317. Price lod. 



I I I 



