The Plymouth Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1869-1941, 1870-09-08
Preservation of Eggs.

THIS subject has recently attracted a
great deal OF attention, and many meth
DDS of effecting it have been published,
though none are altogether perfect, for
the simple reason that the true cause of
the spelling OF the eggs is either unknown
by those who have attempted to furnish
us with directions, or has been lost sight
of by them. There are two efficient
causes for the spelling of eggs, and unless
one or both OF these are avoided we car
not hope for success. The first is expos
ure to high temperature, and the other
is access Of air. 1t may be safely affirmed
that at temperatures below 32o Fab.
nearly all change ceases IN organic bodies,
while very few organic substan ces will
bear continual exposure to temperature
above 90o. The freezing point is rather
too low for the preservation of eggs in
good condition, IS freezing affects the fla
vor unfavorably; but if we desire to pre-
serve eggs in the best manner, we must
keep them cool-say at q temperature be-
low So if possible, temperature which
is frequently maintained in good cellars.
But il will be Of no use to place eggs IN
cool cellar if they have been previously
exposed for hours to a temperature OF
over 90o. The collection of the eggs
must therefore in the first place engage
our attention. Now, it has been well
known that hens are most inclined to set
in the months of May, June and July, and
that during these months the eggs IN the
nest are peculiarly liable to be set upon
by bronding hens. On the other hand,
during the month or August, and
subsequently, the tendency to
brood is not so strong, and
the eggs are less liable to be injured.
Those who false poultry, and especially
those who keep fowls tor the sake OF their
eggs, commit great error when they fail
to remove from their yards those birds
that are inclined to set, and which conse-
Quently take every opportunity of warm
ing the eggs in the nests. If any one will
attempt to preserve eggs that have been
subjected to the patching process for one
or two days, such person will discover
the force OF these statements.
KOhier, of Germany, who possesses an
extensive poultry-raising establishment,
and who every winter preserves thousands
OF eggs without ever losing one, has re-
Gently published an account of his method
of proceeding, and has given the follow
ing rules for securing favorable results
1st. The nest must be placed in a cool
position.
3D. The fowls that show tendency to
set must be removed at once, and placed
in separate enclosures Until the propensity
has left them.
Sd. If many chickens be confined in
the came enclosure, or use the same nests
for laying their eggs, the eggs ought to be
removed from the nests several times
day.
4th. The eggs ought to be assorted &C
cordlDg to age, and preserved in boxes
with the covers always partially open.
These boxes must be kept In cool, airy,
and perfectly dry place.
9th. AT the commencement of winter,
the store of eggs is placed in some room
that is not heated by fire, but that is at
the same time thoroughly protected from
frost.
9th. The packages are SO arranged
that the Oldest may be used first.
Eggs treated according TO these rules
do not acquire the peculiar taste which
Is generally the result of the recipes IN
vogue for preserving eggs. The number
OF these recipes is almost unlimited. Some
recommed the use of lard or butter.
watch, when rubbed over the eggs, fills
the pores, excludes the air, and prevents
the eggs from drying out. That there are
powerful causes in the spelling Of eggs is
easily proved, for the time that has elaps.
ed since an egg was laid may be roughly
estimated by taking its specific gravity.
II we dissolve common salt in water At
the rate of three ounces of salt in twenty
five of water, it will be found that fresh
ly laid eggs will just sink in this solution.
An egg That has been kept tor one day
Will hardly sink to the bottom at three
days old 1t will float in the LIQUID, and
when five days old it will float ON the sur
face, more OF 1t being elevated above the
surface, III proportion to its age These
phenomena are caused by the drying out
OF the eggs, and the extent To which
they take place in a given time de-
Ponds somewhat on the weather. Smear-
ing the eggs with lard or butter prevents
this, but these oily matters are apt
to become rancid, and thus destroy the
flavor of the eggs. Dipping the eggs in
llme-water is also recommended. The
lime fills the pores of the eggs and serves
the same purpose that the grease did.
But of all the materials that have been
recommended for this purpose, water glass
or silicate of soda is the most effectual
and least Objectionable. 1t was first sug-
gested by Nowatny, in Dingler's Poiytech-
nic journal for 1854. IL acts chemically
ON the shell, and forms with the cartoon
ate OF lime of which the shell is composed
a hard, compact mass that effectually ex-
cludes the air, since it is 10 longer por-
Gus. AS it is deemed desirable TO remove
even the small quantity of air that is con-
tanned in the egg itself, it has been recon-
mended to warm the solution to point
nearly equal TO that at which the albumen