THE POULTRY AND EGG INDUSTRY IX EUROPE 59 
large proportion of moderately soiled eggs in British retail markets 
is perhaps due to the greater rainfall in the British Isles and con- 
sequent muddy feet of the fowls. 
INTERIOR QUALITY 
Generally speaking, the best grades of eggs sold in England show 
more shrinkage than do the best grades in the United States. That 
is, less attention is paid to fullness of egg. On the other hand, the 
white must be firm and no evidence of heat or germinal development 
is permissible. Here again is seen the reflection of the European 
climate on the quality of the eggs. In the cooler summer tempera- 
ture eggs deteriorate much less rapidly, because germinal develop- 
ment proceeds very slowly, if at all. 
FLAVOR 
The emphasis placed on the character of flavor in eggs by the 
British dealer is astonishing. Slight variations in flavor that would 
pass unnoticed in the United States are deemed very important in 
England and other parts of Europe. An exporter in northern Italy 
will say that his eggs are sought on the London market because of 
their superior flavor. Irish eggs are also highly regarded in this 
respect. These distinctions are not confined to the detection of off 
or bad flavors, but also consider the variations in true egg flavors 
which are characteristic of eggs from various sections of different 
countries. 
Probably this discrimination has been brought about by the cus- 
tom of eating soft-boiled eggs direct from the shell. "When served 
on the table a soft-boiled egg is supported by its lower end in a por- 
celain or metal standard, the top of the shell is cut or carefully 
chipped away, and the contents eaten with a small spoon. By this 
means the aroma and flavor are conserved. There is no chance for 
odors to pass off, as occurs when the egg is first broken, under the 
American custom, into a cup or glass. 
The reputation of American eggs on European markets has suf- 
fered in the past because of bad flavor, which may be divided into 
two classes — storage flavor and absorbed odors. The storage flavor 
is that bitter, acrid taste found sometimes in poor quality of cold- 
stored eggs. The absorbed odors complained of are mainly those of 
citrus fruits, as lemons or oranges. These fruity flavors may have 
been caused by contaminating odors reaching the eggs while under 
refrigeration on steamers in transit. But whatever the cause, the 
effect has been that the sale of all American eggs has been hurt in 
European markets. 
Canadian eggs, on the other hand, have an enviable reputation in 
England because they must meet the Canadian Government export 
requirements as to quality, and the British dealer feels that he is pro- 
tected thereby. The Canadian Government also watches its English 
egg trade very closely through trade commissioners in England and 
through egg specialists. 
PACKING 
Although the ordinary veneer case containing 30 dozen eggs 
packed in ordinary fillers and flats with excelsior pads is sufficiently 
strong for export purposes to Canada. Mexico, and Cuba, where 
