The sun., 1903-08-30
VALEF OF THE EGG CROP.
Year In. Year Out. 1t Beats the Production
OH Precious Metals.

Russia ia the largest seller OF eggs
in the world. She sells to foreign countries
$50 ,0O0,O 900 dozen eggs nearly every year
In 1896 she sent abroad l,475, 100000 eggs;
In 1897, 1877 ,OOO, 900 and in 1893 s31 900 900
Her sales are all the time increasing.
China is supposed to be the largest pro-
ducer Of eggs In the world. There is no
such thing as statistics of poultry pro-
ducts in China, but there are over 400 900. =
600 persons in that empire who are very
fond of eggs; 1t takes good many eggs to
supply them. The humblest farm hut has
| hens in plenty, and they do their best to
supply the demand There is little doubt
that China takes the cake as an egg pro-
ducer. Her entire supply is usually con-
sumed at home, though she sometimes
manages to spare few for Japanese con-
sumers
Great Britain is the largest buyer of for
, eign eggs in the world. or course no
! English breakfast table is complete without
eggs as complement to its toast and mar
malade. Great Britain buys every year
an average OF l.5OO, 900 900 eggs from about
twenty countries and this is only 40 per cent
of the consumption. British hens manage
to produce three e-fifths of the eggs that the
home market demands. In 1901 Russia
sold to England 500 ,O53 900 eggs. and the
next largest sellers were Belgium, Denmark,
Germany, France, Egypt and Morocco.
Great Britain spent $28, ,745, 1914 in the pur-
chase of eggs in 1901
Our entire export of eggs in 1902 was only
2,7i 900 dozen, valued at 352S,879, which
cuts a small figure i'll comparison with Rus
sia's total. But our hens are very indus
trious, and it is only the enormous home de-
mand that keeps our exports at such a
low figure.
In 1890 there were 1858, ,0O5 chickens
in this country, and they produced l,2a3,-
SlS, l44 dozen eggs; and the fact that we con-
sumed 90 per cent of them shows that we
are a nation of egg eaters. 1t is enough
to make any hen dizzy to think that train
of ordinary refrigerator cars containing
our entire egg crop Of that year would have
extended from Chicago TO Washington,
with several miles of cars to stretch along
the track toward Baltimore.
In 1901 the receipts and consumption
of eggs in New York city were 2,372. 800
even larger per capita consumption. or
an average of 1851 ,sh5 crates year. Truly
the egg industry is great business; and
when we consider il in connection with the
broilers, spring chickens, tough and tender
and roosters we consume, the poultry inter-
tslS dSSuIns pToOlSlouS pTopCTtlOlS.
The total value of the poultry and eggs
we produced In the last census year was
S2s1 ,l7s247. The industry was worth more
than all the cattle and hogs we slaughtered
II was worth more than the wheat crop
of twenty-eight States and Territories;
and the value Of our eggs alone was higher
than that of the combined gold and silver
product of the United States in any year
since 1850 except in 1890, when the precious
metals excee dcd the eggs by S8,41s,125
These are surprising statements, but they
are true, il the census figures from which
they are taken are correct
But such facts are not 40 wonderful when
we remember that the dietary studies OF
recent years have shown that eggs compare
favorably with mcst animal foods, both in
respect of the total food material and the
total protein and fat which they supply.
They are also valuable for giving variety
to the diet and for furnishing light, easily
dgested. nitroRenous food ospt cially suit
able for breakfast or other light meals.
These things are appreciated in the Ameri-
can household, and il is no wonder that
eggs have prominent place in the diet ary
of nearly every family. We have $3.50, ,8S7
farms in Uncle Sans domain. nearly every
one Of which il producing eggs right along