402 QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. [1 Oocr., 1901. 
prominent items on the list of articles we receive from Belgium are eggs, pork, 
potatoes, and sugar. Strange to say, butter figures very low down on the list, 
and, compared with a country like Denmark, is hardly appreciable. This, 
however, is easily understood when the population of Belgium itself is taken 
into account and the requirements of the people. A feature of the export 
trade is the use of cold storage in central depdts (La Iermiere), where every- 
thing is handled upon the latest and most economical labour-saving principles, 
The accompanying engravings show two of the appliances used in egg sorting 
and grading. The egg chambers are thus described :—The process with the 
eggs is very carefully carried out. First of all, when the eggs arrive, they are 
a inspected quickly by means of an egg-testing machine. One of these machines 
is installed in a separate chamber close to the egg chambers, and can be worked 
q up to a capacity of 1,400 eggs inspected in three minutes. These machines 
measure over all 13 feet long by 7 feet high, and consist of a frame fitted with 
an endless moving carrier propelled by hand. The carrier is constructed of 
bobbins fitted closely together, and lined with cloth, thus affording an accurate 
hollow into which to place each egg. The centre portion of the frame is 
covered with a dark cabin, through which the endless carrier is moved. Beneath 
the carrier at the portion which traverses the cabin is a powerful lamp 
or electric light, and as the eggs are passed over this the bad ones 
are easily detected by their dark colour or spots. The eggs are fed on 
trays to the machine, and the process of inspection is exceedingly 
rapid. When the eggs have been inspected they are packed in cases of 
from 800 to 500, the smaller package being preferable for convenience of 
handling. The cases are first taken into the outer egg store, where they 
are reduced to a temperature of about 83 degrees Fah. They are then 
carried into the large egg store, and kept there until the time comes for their 
removal. This general store is kept at a temperature of just below freezing. 
An important point to watch in the storage of eggs is the humidity. This is 
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