Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-10-31

channels of the small restaurants, the
bakery and the small grocs(.
Some of the larger grOc/rs are i'm the
market for strictly fresh eggs, and for
the purpose of securing <hem employ eX-
perts, who can detec: the quality by
holding them before an electric light or
a candle. Traders of this class frequent
~ attempt to get their supplies direct
from individual farmers, but the pro1t
i'm that method is smaller, and the farm
err is often tempted to buy eggs from
his nei&hbOrs which are likely to be un-
certain.
In the regions of heavy production the
largest number of eggs are traded for
merchandise at country stores and pass
through the commission houses in the cit
les to retail dealers. Regular poultry
farms, which are numerous in the east.
but are almost unknown i'm the west,
ship their product direct to fancy gro
cerv dealers hotels or clubs under con-
tract Many big hotels have their own
supply farms make permanent ar
rangements with poultry farms for a
regular supply OF eggs. broilers and roast
ing chickens ducks and geese, which are
received daily. They pay fancy prices
and get the best quality of eggs within
twenty-four or forty-eight hours after
they are laid
Delay in Reaching Consumer.
The ordinary farm eggs of the west,
however. are usually two or three weeks
reaching the consumer, and lose vaiue
every day. The cold storage industry,
which l. a modern development. Mr..
Hastings says, has been of great rnefIt
To both the producer and the consumer.
II has tended toward the leveling OF the
price of eggs throughout tie year, and
has resulted in Il large incrt ase in the
fall and winter consumptioE. Speaking
generally the cold storag egg. while
not unwholesomc. is inferior in favor
and strength to the fresh egg Cold
storage eggs can be- detected 10y eN-
perts because of the uniform shrinkase,
but the growth of bacteria is practically
prevented Ivy the low temperature.
TheN local produce buyers usually fur
nish the stock for the cold storage COM
panies when the demand is SLACK and
prices are low. particularly in the sum
Ter months. They can sell Ia the cold
sto age men for cash OH delivery without
anv risk. and. therefore. prefer To de al
with them than to ship to a railing mar
ket.
Mr. Hastings thinks the greatest draw
back i'm the egg trade is the exchange
of eggs at the general store Tor mef-
ci,n5ise regardless of quality The
country merchant has neither time nor
facilities nor knowledge that will en-
able him to detect inferior eggs. and, as
the profit on the farmers purchase Is
worth more than the loss of one or two
cents a dozen. he will accept all the eggs
that are brought. without asking ques-
lions. and ship them to market without
inspection. 4 remedy for this. the weak
est spot in the egg industry. Mr.. Hast
ings suggests. is the establishment OF
cash markets at the larger towns, like
the markets for cream and butter fat,
where the farmers will be independent
of the country merchants. where they
Will come in contact with men who Will
educate them in the production of high
grade eggs. and offer inducement to i'm
prove his product and bring IL promptly
to market, because the freshest eggs will
command the highest prices. In remote
and less productive regions the problem
is not so easy of solution. but arrange
ments could he made With the railway