386 



Hamburg's Trade in Eggs. 



sustaining* such mould developments as long as there is 

 sufficient moisture. The growth is, however, slow, especially 

 with scant access of air ; but with more liberal access of air, 

 with higher temperature, and if the butter is allowed to 

 moisten casks and paper, the formation of mould goes on at 

 a rapid rate. The more salt the liquid contains the slower 

 the growth of mould, and when the percentage of salt is 

 sufficiently high the mould germs do not grow at all. It was 

 found by experiment that even in the most carefully cleaned 

 and steamed casks, when the paper had been sterilised, 

 mould would appear, and this must no doubt have originated 

 from mould germs in the air. It was ascertained that care- 

 less packing greatly assisted the development of the mould 

 germs. 



So far as protective measures are concerned the following 

 are some of the precautions recommended. The mould or 

 mould germs should be removed or destroyed by scouring, 

 brushing, or rinsing the casks in water to which soda 

 •or salt has been added, or by steaming the casks with hot 

 steam for five to ten minutes. The parchment paper should 

 be soaked in a strong solution of salt, or steamed, and tight 

 casks used into which the butter should be packed as carefully 

 and firmly as possible, avoiding empty spaces. The casks 

 should be lined in the warm season with thick parchment 

 paper, or by using two layers of thinner paper, and the inside 

 of the cask should be sprinkled with salt immediately before 

 placing the butter in it: the salt should previously have been 

 placed on a hot stove for half an hour, and should be kept in 

 closed stone or glass jars. 



Hamburg's Trade in Eggs. 



Mr. William Ward, Her Majesty's Consul-General at 

 Hamburg, in a dispatch to the Foreign Office, states that 

 there has been < late years a considerable development in 

 Hamburg's im| ort and export trade in eggs. The total 

 value of the egg > imported into that port in 1898, by sea and 



