i52 



Marketing of Eggs. 



undertook to deliver all eggs the morning after they were 

 laid, so that the retailer always found them reliable. And 

 yet not twenty miles away egg-s were being sold at very 

 little more than half the price. 



The directions in which special attention should be paid 

 in the marketing of eg'gs are : — 



Gathering. — Eggs should be gathered from the nests once, 

 and if possible twice, a day — morning and afternoon. In 

 warm weather, and when any of the hens are inclined to 

 broodiness, loss by evaporation soon commences. An 

 egg upon which a hen has been sitting for six hours will be 

 partially incubated, and the development of the germ vesicle 

 will have commenced. To avoid this the eggs should be 

 taken away as soon as possible after being laid, and it is 

 better to remove hens from the laying house as soon as they 

 show signs of broodiness. In winter there is less danger of 

 evaporation, but if the temperature is very low there is a risk 

 of the eggshells cracking if left in the nest. 



Keeping. — When removed from the nest, eggs should be 

 at once placed in a cool atmosphere, free from taint or smell, 

 and where they will not be exposed to either heat or frost. If 

 they are stained or dirty the marks should be wiped off with 

 a clean sponge or flannel, using cold water. It is much 

 better, however, if this can be avoided, and hence the 

 nests should be kept supplied with fresh, clean straw. A 

 washed egg never looks so well as one unwashed ; buc a dirty 

 egg becomes tainted sooner than one perfectly clean. Care 

 must be taken to keep the eggs apart from any strong- 

 smelling or tainted material, and if the place is cool and 

 perfectly sweet it is better for the air to circulate around the 

 eggs whilst they are being chilled. 



Marketing. — Where eggs are sold direct to consumers they 

 should be delivered at as short intervals as possible. The 

 best plan is to do this daily when practicable, but certainly 

 the intervals should not exceed three days in summer or five 

 days in winter. If to be sent by rail under the small parcels' 

 rates, the usual course is to forward weekly, in which case 

 the freshest eggs should be chosen. Under these circum- 

 stances much will depend upon the method of keeping before 



