1873.] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
291 
of the times, so far as he is concerned, he will 
certainly believe that that is better than being 
the least bit behind the times in anything. Let 
our Western friends look forward while they 
enjoy their present advantages lest they, like 
some who were once in the “ far West,” but who 
are now brought by the spread of Western em¬ 
pire into the East, leave an impoverished heri¬ 
tage to their children. By wise foresight now, 
they may preserve the fertility of their fields. 
There is nothing inexhaustible; and the proverb 
that “ riches endure not forever, neither doth 
wealth to every generation,” is as applicable to 
the richest fields of the West as to any other 
matter or thing. 
Packing and Marketing Produce. 
BY J. B. HELFRICH. 
[The recent articles of Mr. Helfrich have been 
for the benefit of the market-gardener and 
fruit-grower; the one we present this month 
covers the subject of poultry and eggs, and is 
of value to every farmer and produce dealer in 
the country. Although the directions may 
seem to many to contain much of needless de¬ 
tail, we can assure our readers that every one 
of them is important, and that what seem to 
be unessential trifles have an actual value in 
dollars and cents. Let any one who happens 
to be in New York visit the large commission 
house of Mr. Helfrich, 92 Barclay street, any 
morning before seven or eight o’clock, and he 
will soon see the difference in value between 
produce that is properly put up and that which 
is not. Many thousands of dollars are annually 
lost to farmers on account of their not knowing 
the simple fact that poultry for the New York 
market must not be drawn.— Ed.] 
DIRECTIONS FOR PACKING AND FORWARDING 
EGGS TO THE NEW YORK MARKET. 
The difference in value of eggs properly put 
up and those packed in a careless and slovenly 
manner is very great, and it is not only import¬ 
ant that eggs should be placed in market fresh 
and sound, but should be as clean and bright as 
possible; therefore, whatever material is used 
for packing should be bright, clean, free from 
dust, not musty, and perfectly dry. If pos¬ 
sible let it be kiln-dried. 
The best material to pack eggs with is clean , 
bright , and perfectly dry rye straw. The least 
dampness is very injurious, and is sure to spoil 
more or less of them. The straw should be cut 
fine and even, from one-half to three-quarters 
of an inch in length, and entirely free from 
long pieces. When rye straw can not be ob¬ 
tained, clean, bright, and dry wheat straw may 
be used. Wheat chaff when perfectly dry and 
clean is also very good. Oat chaff should never 
be used, as it is too light and springy. Eggs 
packed in fine-cut straw or clean wheat chaff 
will sell on an average of one-half to one cent 
per dozen more than those packed in oats. 
Oats are extensively used in this State for 
packing eggs, but are not so good as cut straw, 
except when they are not to be sold or used im¬ 
mediately. But in case the eggs are to be held, 
oats should be used by all means, as eggs packed 
iii straw can not, as a general thing, be kept on 
hand any length of time with profit. The oats 
should be of the previous year’s growth, clean, 
bright, and dry (kiln-dried when convenient). 
Use for packing nothing but good strong bar¬ 
rels (new if possible), well hooped and nailed, 
of the size of a flour-barrel; head line the 
bottom, put a little wisp of long straw or hay 
evenly in the bottom of the barrel, then a little 
fine-cut straw or chaff about two inches thick, 
then a layer of eggs packed on the sides, little 
end out or towards the stave, but not so as to 
touch the stave within an inch and a half, nor 
should the eggs touch each other in the layer; 
then put on a layer of cut straw or chaff, and 
let that be rubbed in well between the eggs with 
the hand, and between the eggs and the stave 
with the fingers. Then put in a layer of eggs 
packed on the sides as before, with at least one 
inch of packing between the layers. After each 
three or four layers are put in, they should be 
well shaken down, by putting the barrel-head 
(or a round board prepared for the purpose) on 
the packing; press on it hard with one hand, 
and with the other shake the barrel so as to 
settle well, repeating this three or four times 
during the process of filling the barrel; finish 
with three or four inches of packing over the 
last layer, and fill so high that the head must be 
pressed in. Great care should be taken to have 
the head press firmly on the straw so that 
the eggs can not work loose by handling; but 
not so tight as to break the eggs. In using oats 
the same directions are to be followed as in 
packing with cut straw or chaff, with the 
addition of a sheet of stiff paper between the 
hay or straw and the oats, both top and bottom, 
to prevent any dust of the hay or straw getting 
into the oats, or the eggs from working through 
the oats to the surface and being broken on top. 
The number of eggs in each barrel should not 
exceed 70 doz.—4| doz. in the first layer, 5 doz. 
in the second, 5J- doz. in each of the next three 
layers, 6 doz. in each of the next three layers, 
5i doz. in each of the next three layers, 5 doz. 
in the next, and 4J doz. in the last or top layer 
—making in all thirteen layers, which are 
enough for an ordinary sized flour-barrel. A 
good reputation for accuracy in count is very 
valuable. Shippers who must use second-hand 
barrels should be very particular in selecting 
none but good, stiff, strong ones, and be sure 
that the bottom is well secured, and instead of 
having the top head to fit in the chine, have 
a head made out of light material, though tight 
enough, so that no eggs can be taken out on the 
way, and a cross-piece, at least one inch thick 
and three inches wide, cut exactly the length to 
fit inside of the barrel; press it down tight, and 
nail with two or three strong nails each side. 
Mark the number of dozens in each barrel 
plainly on the top. 
In shipping from Ohio and the West from 
the first of June to the middle of September, 
the eggs should be carefully “ candled ” before 
packing, and be sent by express; at other sea¬ 
sons of the year they can be safely sent by fast 
freight lines. 
We think that shippers will find it to their 
advantage to follow the above instructions, so 
that their eggs if fresh when packed will be 
likely to reach this market in such order that 
they can be sold with much less loss than is 
usual where proper care is not exercised in 
packing. No one except those taking out and 
selling eggs in this market can appreciate the 
necessity of having the packing perfectly dry 
(kiln-dried if possible), and also of having the 
eggs firmly and securely packed in strong and 
good-looking barrels. 
Marking-plates and shipping-cards are freely 
furnished by dealers to all who desire them. 
Send invoice by mail of each shipment, giving 
number of barrels shipped and number of doz¬ 
ens in each separately, also whether sent by 
express or freight. 
DIRECTIONS FOR DRESSING, PACKING, AND 
FORWARDING POULTRY TO THE NEW YORK 
MARKET. 
First, see that all poultry is well fattened, as 
the'difference in price in our market between 
fat and poor poultry is very great. Remember 
that you not only get pay for every pound your 
poultry gains in fattening, but by improving the 
quality you gain from one-fourth to one-half in 
price on the whole. 
In fattening poultry it is always the best 
economy to feed all they will eat. Poultry fat¬ 
tened on corn is yellower and better than that 
fed on buckwheat or beechnuts. 
Keep the birds from food before killing a 
sufficient length of time to allow the crop to 
become nearly or quite empty, as full crops are 
quite detrimental; they are liable to sour, turn 
black, and buyers object to paying for their 
worse than useless weight. 
The best mode of killing is by opening the 
neck veins or bleeding them in the mouth. 
Deface the neck as little as possible, but be sure 
and bleed freely. The head may be cut off, but 
if so the skin should be drawn over the neck- 
bone and tied after dressing; otherwise the 
skin will recede from the neck and present a 
repulsive feature. Most of the poultry sold in 
this market has the head left on, and this is best 
when the process of killing has not injured the 
appearance of the head. 
The intestines or crop should not be drawn 
for this market, as there is no demand for drawn 
poultry, and such must necessarily be sold for 
much less than if entrails are all left in. 
For scalding, the water should be as near to 
the boiling point as possible without actually 
boiling. The bird, being held by the legs, 
should be dipped three or four times, raising it 
quite out of the water; in this way the water 
can the more readily penetrate the feathers and 
act upon the skin. Pick the feathers off imme¬ 
diately after scalding (pin-feathers and all) 
without breaking the skin. Don’t rub them off, 
as that rubs or breaks the thin outside skin and 
causes it to turn black. The poultry should 
next be plumped, which is accomplished by 
dipping it into scalding water for a few sec¬ 
onds, and then immediately into clean cold 
water for about ten minutes; then hang it up to 
cool and dry. Be careful not to pack until it 
has become perfectly cold throughout, but do not 
allow it to freeze before being packed. This is 
a matter of importance, for if poultry is packed 
with the animal heat in it it will be sure to spoil 
by the time it reaches market. 
Most of the dressed poultry sold in this mar¬ 
ket is scalded, or wet-picked, and such is gener¬ 
ally preferred; but for poultry which is intended 
to be packed to freeze and to hold, we would 
by all means recommend dry-picking, as the 
poultry will keep longer, and when thawed 
out will return nearer to its original color, but 
if scalded it is apt to thaw out black. To dry- 
pick poultry, kill as before mentioned, but be 
sure and commence picking the feathers off im¬ 
mediately after bleeding and before the bird gets 
cold. If it is once cold the feathers are set, and 
the skin is much more liable to be broken in 
picking. Too much care can not be exercised 
in keeping the skin whole. Avoid cutting or 
bruising the flesh or breaking the bones. 
Boxes are the most desirable for packing 
turkeys, geese, and chickens, but for the latter 
barrels may be used. Boxes of a capacity of 
150 to 300 pounds each should be employed. 
Larger boxes are inconvenient to handle, and 
