Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-04-20
PRESERVING EGGS.
Very Successful Results From the Use
Of Water Glass.


&c. S. Valentine, Ridgewood, N. il
This question of egg preservation has
always been of next Importance to that
of making hens lay in the off season.
| 1t has never yet been answered with
any approach to satisfaction. notwith-
standing the scores of recipes offered,
urtdl the discovery OF the adaptation
of water glass to this use.
Silieate of soda. or water glass, APP
pears commercially In several forms.
When solid it looks like genuine glass,
but dissolves slowly in hot water. As
a crystal mass or a stony powder, it
must needs be dissolved; hence, the
best form to secure for egg preserva-
ton is probably the liquid form, for
which druggists charge in the neigh
borhnod of 60 cents a gallon. Its use
adds less than one cent dozen to the
cost OF eggs, but It can be used more
than once, so that this cost is much
reduced in time.
1t is likely that much of the failure
to keep eggs good when preservation
for a few months is attempted lies in
not experimenting that such eggs should
be packed before they are a week old
Scientists tell US that oxygen is the,
chief supporter of the chemical changes
which take place when an egg spoils.
Thus it becomes q matter of getting
the eggs away from the air as quickly
as possible. Nearly every method of
preservation long known-mere make
shifts. most of them-present the sup
posed preserved" egg with a hardened
yolk AMI discolored or watery white,
n os~ al n,nt~ m tv,rjp 0r
, thrice It's original size.
Water glass as a preservative over
Icomes all these difficulties. Eggs pre-
served in it for months, using a 10 per
cent solution, are reported as having
normal yolks, both as to color and con-
dition; normal air sells, and whites
clear but not so hnpid as those of
fresh eggs One pint of water glass
and nine pints of boiled water We're the
proportions used. Experts pronounced
these eggs 100 per cent good, the only
adverse criticism being that the taste
was sligh tly flat. Inasmuch as an egg
two weeks old. under average condi-
tons, lacks the pleasing high flavor of
an egg one or two days old, this lack
of flavor in the preserved eggs must be
expected.
Perha DIS the most extended series of
experim ants reported in this country
was carried thru at the Rhode Island
station in 1900 Rather there We're
four series of these experiments. The
first series, including the use of eleven
preservetiyes considered worthy of
experimental tests showed only slaked
lime with -salt and water glass as In
any way satisfactory for long period
needs, such as ten or twelve months.
These " ere the only two processes that
showed a normal air cell at the end of
the period The lime. and salt process
gave eggs a slightly salty, or sharp.
taste. The three following series were
with the use OF water glass in varying
strengths, at different seasons, and
with fertile and sterile eggs Nearly
thirty tests were made, most of which
gave 100 per cent good eggs at
the end of the period. Eggs were
from four or five days to two weeks
old. Stone vessels which could he COW
cred were chiefly used. and Were kept
in a temperature varying from 81 to 81
degrees in summer. AS low as 2 per
cent of water glass was used in some
of the satisfactory tests.
Strangely enough, one might think.
one of experiments differing in no