496 



Preservation of Eggs. 



and kept at an even temperature, not falling below 33 degrees 

 Fahrenheit, with a free circulation of air, which air should be 

 absolutely sweet. No other products may be kept in the same 

 room, otherwise the eggs will be affected. By this method, pro- 

 vided that the eggs are new laid when placed in storage, they can 

 be kept for many months in good condition, but great care is 

 necessary in removing them for use, as a too sudden change of 

 temperature causes rapid deterioration. In all cases they require 

 to be used very speedily on removal from the cool chamber, and 

 the evidence obtainable in this and other countries shows that 

 cold storage eggs will keep for a much shorter period after they 

 are taken out of the chamber, than if preserved either in solutions 

 of lime or waterglass. 



General Suggestions. 



Eggs for preservation should be treated as soon as possible 

 after they are laid, but not until they have been cooled. It 

 is recognised that an egg twenty-four hours old is superior to 

 and has greater food value than it would have at the end of a 

 week. Consequently, if when preserved the egg has depreciated 

 to this extent, the final result cannot be as satisfactory as under 

 the former conditions. It is, therefore, desirable that preserva- 

 tion should be as near to the point of production as possible. 



Eggs should not be treated in a warm place, and where lime- 

 water or waterglass is used the preparation should be quite 

 cold before the eggs are placed in the solution. 



Eggs from hens fed chiefly upon grain, and with full liberty, 

 are likely to keep better than those laid by fowls in 

 confined runs. 



The general experience has been that infertile eggs keep in 

 good condition longer than those which contain a living germ. 

 Probably this is less apparent when eggs are preserved at a low 

 temperature. 



When eggs are preserved in waterglass or lime-water the 

 containing vessels should be stored in a cool place, at a 

 temperature not less than 33 degrees Fahrenheit, or more than 

 45 degrees. A cool, sweet cellar is excellent for this purpose. 

 Exposure to a higher temperature even for a few hours will 

 cause deterioration, in spite of the preservative. 



