i54 



Marketing of Eggs. 



who sells them at once, has no need to test, for these can be 

 guaranteed with confidence. But so many cases have been 

 met with in which, especially during the autumn and winter 

 months, producers themselves hold the eggs, or even buy 

 foreign to mix with their own, that many retailers with 

 a first-class trade are compelled to " candle " every egg 

 before it is sold. A reliable farmer who determines to win 

 the confidence of his customers can do so in a very short 

 period if he takes care never to send out a doubtful egg, for 

 retailers do not want the trouble and expense of testing. 

 Where, however, the produce has to pass through the hands 

 of collectors, they should perform the work ; they would soon 

 be rewarded by enhanced prices for fresh eggs, and could 

 pay more to such poultrv-keepers as supply them with the best 

 and freshest. The system is simple and inexpensive. A woman 

 or a girl can handle several thousand eggs per diem. A dark 

 room, with walls painted or coloured dark, is most suitable 

 for the work. A candle may be employed, but a lamp, 

 costing half-a-crown, is now sold, which concentrates light 

 through a powerful lens, and greatly facilitates the operation. 

 The object is to discern the size of the air space in the egg. 

 When perfectly fresh this is very small, and can just be seen 

 at the broad end. Every day it' increases in size, and when 

 plainly apparent the egg should be ranked as a " cooker," 

 and sold as such. There are other ways by which the 

 freshness of an egg can be determined by the expert, 

 such as general appearance of the shell, etc. ; but the most 

 certain test is by candling as already described, for with 

 care a mistake is scarcely possible. Cloudy eggs, or those 

 in which the contents rattle in the shell, are not suit- 

 able for use in the household, but should be sold to con- 

 fectioners or for manufacturing purposes, as are many of the 

 foreign. The collector who adopts the system of testing 

 should make this fact known to buyers, and quote prices 

 for " new-laid " and " cookers." 



Grading. — The system of grading eggs is carried out in all 

 foreign countries from which we obtain supplies, but has 

 been brought to the greatest state of perfection in Denmark, 

 whence six sizes are received — namely, 13 to 18 lbs. the long 

 hundred (120). For the past two years the Irish Agricul- 



