44 
BULLETIN 1385, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
straw or wood shavings and in various sized containers is prevalent 
for the local markets of France and southern and eastern Europe. 
In Germany, Denmark, the Netherlands, and Belgium cases contain- 
ing flats and fillers similar to the American package are used. In- 
stead of holding 3 dozen, as in the American case, each filler holds 
100 eggs, being 10 eggs square; thus a square package 10 fillers 
deep will hold 1,000 eggs. The fillers and flats are necessarily much 
heavier than the American fillers and flats. The paper stock from 
which they are made is apparently about one-eighth inch thick. 
In the Netherlands the flats are perforated with round holes, so 
that the egg fits into the hole and remains in an upright position 
when the fillers are removed. This aids in the candling of the eggs 
under the mass system, as previously described. By varying the 
PIG. IT. — Wagonload of eggs packed in straw in rod poultry coops. 
contains 1.000 e^tfs. Rome, Italy 
Each coop 
depths of the boxes the capacity of the cases is varied from 200 to 
1,000 eggs, although the larger boxes are seldom used. The usual 
capacity is 400, 500, or 600 eggs. 
EXPORT CASES 
For export purposes all of the countries use the same style of box 
(fig. 18). The inside dimensions of this box or crate are about 69 
inches in length, 21 inches wide, and 10 inches deep, with a double 
partition in the center, allowing the box to be sawed in two, making 
a complete box out of each half without opening the package. The 
material used in these boxes is an odorless, well-seasoned wood, usu- 
ally poplar or fir. Pine is used, but not extensively, because of its 
odor. The end and partition material is about seven-eighths inch 
thick. The sides, tops, and bottom are made of strips of approxi- 
mately one-half-inch lumber, each strip being 4 to 5 inches wide. 
