HOW TO CANDLE EGGS. 
Fi g . 1 .— A 
s torve pipe 
candle. 
Handlers of large numbers of eggs, such as hucksters, grocers, and 
egg shippers, should have a candle made especially for the work. A 
good candle which can be made by any tinner is illustrated in figure 2. 
Working drawings are given in figure 3. A strong 
white electric light should be used in this candle. 
THE STRUCTURE OF THE EGG. 
Before attempting to candle, the beginner should 
break a good egg into a saucer and become familiar with 
its different parts and their arrangement. By compar- 
ing the egg in the saucer with figure 4, in which the 
structure of a typical egg is shown, and following the 
description given below, the various parts of the egg 
can be identified easily. 
The yolk is contained m a membrane of delicate con- 
struction. It varies in color from light yellow to 
orange, but occasionally is olive green. On the surface 
of the yolk is a small light-colored circular area called 
the germinal disk, from which the chick develops. It is present on 
the 3^olks of all eggs whether fertile or infertile. The } 7 olk always 
floats in the white with the chick spot on top. By this provision of 
nature, the developing 
chick comes nearest the 
body of the hen during 
incubation and on that 
account receives the 
most warmth. 
Around the yolk, as 
indicated in figure 4, 
lies a small quantity of 
thin white ; then comes 
a heavy layer of thick 
white; and outside of 
this another layer of 
thin white. Extending 
from the yolk through 
the white toward each 
end of the egg are 
twisted, cordlike coils of an opaque white material called the chalazae. 
These cords may be likened to hammock strings in that they serve 
to hold the yolk in position, yet allow it to turn freely. The chicken 
does not come from the chalazse as is often supposed, but from the 
germinal disk. The white has a firm, gelatinous consistency, due 
to a network of interlacing fibers, which are so fine that they can 
2. — Method of holdin 
candling. 
