I Dec., 1899.] QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. 561 
brought to a close, with this and other preservatives will be of intetest to your 
readers. The investigation was commenced last September, perfectly fresh 
eggs from the farm poultry house being used for the test, which consisted in 
immersing the eggs for varying lengths of time, from a few hours to six 
months, in (@) limewater, and (6) 10 per cent. solution of “ water lays.” 
Those eggs which were treated for a few hours, days, or weeks, as the case 
might be, were subsequently placed, together with the untreated eges to be 
used as a check, in a rack within a drawer in the laboratory till the close of 
the experiment, 30th March, 1899. All the eggs were at a temperature from 
65 degrees to 72 degrees Fahr. throughout the trial. The testing consisted in 
breaking the eggs into a glass and noting the appearance of the “white” and 
yolk, whether the yolk was stuck to the shell, size of air-space, odour, &c. 
The eggs were then poached and again the odour, appearance, &e., noted. 
Without giving in detail the results of the various trials, it may suflice for the 
present purposes to summarise the conclusions reached, as follows :— 
CONCLUSIONS, 
1. In no instance, either of treated or untreated eggs, were any “bad” 
eges found. 
2. In all cases where the eggs were not kept covered throughout the period 
of the test with the preservative solution, shrinkage of the contents had taken 
place, as shown by the larger air-space, less globular form of the yolk, and in many 
instances by the adherence of the yolk to the shell. The eggs treated for 
seven days and less with limewater showed somewhat less shrinkage than those 
treated a similar length of time with silicate of soda. 
3. It would appear that limewater and “ water glass” used continuously 
are equally efficacious in preventing shrinkage. ‘They may also be said to give 
practically the same results as regards both external and internal appearances, 
favour, &ec., of the eggs preserved. Since “water glass’ (silicate of soda) is 
more costly and more disagreeable to use than limewater, we could not from 
the present results recommend the former as the better preservative. 
4. The albumen or “white” in all the preserved eggs was very faintly 
yellow (though not to the same degree in all the eggs), the tint becoming 
deeper on boiling. 
5. No offensive odour was to be perceived from any of the eggs when 
broken, but in all instances a faint but peculiar musty or slate odour and flavour 
developed on poaching. 
6. It is probable that no preservative will prevent the loss of flavour 
possessed by the fresh egg, but those which wholly exclude the air (and thus at 
the same time prevent shrinkage from evaporation) will be the most successful. 
Continual submergence is evidently better than treatment for a few days. 
The limewater may be made by putting 2 or 8 Ib. of good fresh lime in 5 
gallons of water, stirring well at intervals, for a few hours, and then allowed to 
settle. ‘The clear supernatant fluid can then be poured over the eggs, which 
have been ‘previously placed in a crock or water-tight barrel. 
Some authorities recommend the addition of 1 Ib. or so of salt to the lime- 
water, ‘but the writers are of the opinion that this is unnecessary, and probably 
leads to the imparting of a limy flavour to the eges by inducing an interchange 
of the fluids within and without the egg. ‘The all essential points to be 
remembered are :—(1) ‘That the eggs to be preserved shall be perfectly fresh, 
and (2) that they shall be covered with the preservative fluid. 
HOW CHICKS GROW. 
‘Tz following is an estimate given of the rate of increase in weight feed in 
ordinary conditions:—The eggs weigh 2 0z.; the newly-hatched chick weighs 
1 02.; at one week old, 2 0z.; three weeks old, 6} 0z.; four weeks old, 10 oz. ; 
five weeks old, 14 0z.; six weeks old, 184 0z.; seven weeks old, 234 oz.; nine 
weeks old, 32 0z.; ten weeks old, 36 0z:; eleven weeks old, 41 oz.—Furmer and 
Stockbreeder. 
