34 QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. [1 Jan., 1902. 
PRESERVED EGGS. 
A chemist in New Zealand has, itis said, discovered a new method by which 
eggs can be perfectly sterilised and kept absolutely fresh for a period of three 
years. The New Zealand Government appear to believe in thé discovery, for 
Mr. Gow, the Commissioner of Trade, has gone to England with a box of these 
eggs, which will be tried, of course, when he arrives. If the process sould 
prove effective, it will lead to a complete revolution in the egg trade, and 
Australian eggs will be sold as new-laid in the British markets. But there is 
no reason why our eggs should not be sent to England preserved in lime-water. 
We know that eggs so preserved will keep fresh for at least six months, possibly 
twice as long. ‘he voyage to London from Australia only takes from seven to 
eight weeks, and tanks of fresh'eggs might be landed every week. If the eggs 
were coated with vaseline, they could be still easier dealt with, as there would 
not be any weight of water to'be carried. It isa most remarkable thing that 
whilst in other countries people are everywhere to be found who make such 
experiments for themselves at their own expense, in Australia nothing can be 
done without Government help. Everybody wants to be wet-nursed by the 
Government ; and if Government money is not available, then an industry may 
languish and perish before anyone will do anything to try and carry it on on his 
own responsibility. Of course it is quite proper and necessary that the State 
should give all the assistance in its power to the various industries of the 
country, but there are some things not requiring capital as much as energy on 
the part of the individual, and this egg-shipping is one of those things. A 
shipment of 1,000 eggs when eggs are 4d. a dozen would be a trifling matter as 
gauiae money is concerned, but might be the forerunner of an immense export 
trade. 
TO TEST EGGS. 
Take a common candle-box or cigar-box, and take out one end of it. In one 
side make a hole of the size and shape of an egg, and on the opposite side, in 
line with this hole, cut a round hole about an inch in diameter as an eye-piece 
to look through. Light a lamp, and place it outside the box about 2 inches 
from the larger hole. Now take an egg, large end up, between your finger and 
thumb and place it against the large hole, inside the box. Look through the 
smail hole, and you will see the inside of the egg. If too much light comes in 
at the edges of the hole, glue a piece of cloth over it, and cut an oval in it a 
little smaller than the hole in the side of the box. If the eggs appear clear, 
they are fresh. This is a very simple way of testing eggs either for hatching 
or storing. 
