30 BULLETIN 664, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
SUMMARY. 
(1) All the eggs observed during this investigation were re- 
handled and repacked at the packing house. They were put into 
new standard cases, with new medium (3 pounds, 3 ounces) fillers and 
flats. The work was done by the employees of the house. As the 
cases left the house they included approximately 5.39 per cent of 
lightly cracked and dented eggs. Leaking eggs were rarely found. 
(2) All the shipments studied were in carlots. The average haul 
was over 1,200 miles. When the shipments arrived at destination 
each egg in the experimental cases was again individually examined, 
and its condition compared with that previously noted at the pack- 
ing house. It was found that when eggs were shipped in carlots, 
packed in good, well-made, standard cases, with new medium or 
heavier fillers and flats, with properly placed and suitable cushions 
at top and bottom, with cases tightly stowed and efficiently braced in 
the car, and the car handled in accordance with good railroad prac- 
tice, especially when switching, the total damage referable to transit 
was less than 2 per cent. 
(3) The size of the egg influences its safety in transit. Eggs 
which were longer than the cells of the fillers showed 3.71 per cent 
damaged. 
(4) The eggs with hghtly cracked or dented shells, but with mem- 
brane unbroken, showed a transit damage of 2.88 per cent, as com- 
pared with 1.77 per cent for eggs with sound shells. Appled to case 
lots of broken eggs, the increased lability to damage is noteworthy. - 
Applied to the 19 lightly cracked eggs in the rehandled and repacked 
case of commerce, the additional damage, referable to checks and 
dents, is 4 egg per case. 
(5) Egg cases must be standard, svmmetrically made with 5, or 
preferably 6, 3-penny cement-coated nails at-each corner of the sides 
and bottom and at the center partition. While cottonwood, gum, and 
tupelo cases vary but little in strength, the cottonwood case has, on 
the whole, the greatest number of advantages. 
(6) Medium fillers (3 pounds, 3 ounces) or heavier should be used. 
It is absolutely necessary that the filler be perfectly new. Even a 
short-haul shipment into the packing house should disqualify the 
filler for further use. 
(7) Suitable cushions of excelsior, with a flat, should be placed on 
the top and bottom of the case. The quarter filler is strong enough, 
and it forms an even cushion. Corrugated board on the top of the 
case affords practically the same protection as the excelsior cushion, 
provided it takes up the slack. 
