The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1890-07-31
"CANDLlNG" EGGS.
RAPID WORK IN THE EXAMlNA.
TON OFHEN FRUIT.
AS Many as 5000 Dozen Eggs Ban
died in One Day by Tester
Storing Eggs-Utilizing
the Bad Eggs.


door. The walls, ceiling and floor were
painted black, an the funeral gloom
seemed deeper and blackcr under the
rays of single gas jet of many candle
power.
Seated in front of the gas jet, and so
close that he could touch the flames
easily with his extended hands, was a
smooth faced, medium-sized man, whose
gray eyes had a preternatural pupil dila-
ton, like those of cat. On either side
of him was box half filled with eggs,
which he was engaged in shifting from
one box to the other.
Taking five in his left hand and three
in his right he juggled the lot before the
light, shifting the eggs from the top to
the bottom of his hand with astonishing
rapidity. For q moment each egg was
brought to the level of his dilated eyes,
which were directly opposite the gas jet
and did not blink in the powerful light.
AS the eggs were thus held each was skill
fully turned until each portion of the
shell was critically inspected. Like o
well-constructed machine the mans arms
and fingers worked, and the pile of eggs
in one box decreased while the other re-
ceptacle was rapidly filled. Finally one
box was emptied and the other was heap
ing full. Then the mans arms and fin
gers ceased to work and he turned to
face his visitor.
eyes" said he, to Philadelphia Press
reporter, II am an egg-tester, and the
process you have just witnessed Is what
we call Gambling eggs. Formerly can
die was used, but it is not as satisfactory
as gas. The burner we use was made
specially for the purpose and gives very
powerful light. We have tried elec.
tricity, but it doesn't work. It dazzles
the eyes, and after while we can't tell a
good egg from a bad one. As it is, egg
testing has its effect on the eyesight.
81 was reared at the business, and
reckon that I am as expert as any man in
the country. Just before Easter, when
a great many eggs are coming in, ham
die as many as 5000 dozen in day.
Every egg that comes into the establish
ment passes through my hands.
"The lot that have just examined
contains an unusually large number OF
what are known to the trade as 'foat-
ers.' You will notice, If you hold the
egg between your eyes and the light, q
dark, almost black substance close to the
shell. That is the yolk, which has set
tied through the albumen and is sticking
fast to the shell. 1t is caused by allow
ing the egg to lie too long on one side.
In summer time 'Hoater' would be bad
in two days, but now it will last week.
SIN the spring and summer we get q
great many swimmers or halt-hatched
eggs. They have been under the hen
two or three days, and in the albumen is
little black spot, not larger than PIN
head. These eggs are all right in the
winter time, but in the summer they
soon become bad.
"When we receive more eggs than we
have a market for, we store them fox
future use in an air-tight loom, which is
kept at uniform temperature of thirty.
five degrees. They are packed in flour
barrels, in oats that are extra cleaned. In
the bottom of the barrel we put two or
three inches of clean hay, then a couple
of inches of oats, on which we put a
layer of eggs, with the fat side down.
Between the layers are OATS and on the
top of the filled barrel we put more hay.
The barrels are placed on their sides, and
they will keep in that condition for
eighteen months, perfectly fresh and
good. These eggs are not worth much
now. When we fetch them out next
winter, they will bring twenty-three or
twenty-four cents.
"Somtimes We wax eggs to preserve
them, but this gives the she'll a glossy
appearance that Injuries their sale. In
this process beeswax is melted, and when
very warm the eggs are dipped into it,
and the pores Of the shell are thus
stopped up. Then there are also lining
and picking as means of preservation.
The she'll of lined egg is always rough,
while that of O picked egg is smooth.
If you examine the latter before gus jet,
the white looks watery, and if broken
and eaten the albumen will taste
salty. You can't boil either lined OF
a picked egg. Both lime aud pickle
eat into the shell, and make it very thin
and fragile. When you put them into
hot water the shell cracks open and the
albumen oozes out"
"What do you do with the bad eggs3"
eff they are too utterly bad we throw
them away; ones that are q little off
bring three cents Dozen"
"To what possible use can those egg:
be put4"
"The yolks are used by morocco fin
ishers in their business"
"And the whitesp
"You'll be surprised if I tell you that
coufectioners use them in making fancy
cakes. They can't use a mysty egg,
though. The best eggs that are sent to
us come from the West. a. frosted egg
becomes 7ratery and cracks. The cracks
close, tho Ig;:, when it is thawed out, but
will open again when it is placed in boil
ing water. An egg that is six or nine
months old is graded by dealers as fresh.
Cracked eggs bring t%o-thirds price.
A Marshal's Brave Wife.