The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1909-04-20
HOW EGG TRADE
CAN Be BETTERED
Government Expert Tells
of Investigations
GREAT ANNUAL LOSSES
Failure Properly to Handle the IN
dustry Has Caused Enormous Waste
in the Business-HOW This Could be
saved by a Proper Handling of the
Business by the Farmers of the
Country.
(By the Associated~Press.)

Country.
(By the Associated@Press.)
Washington, d. c., April 15.-Mil-
lions Of dollars. are carried down the
sewers Of the country in the shape of
bad" eggs, according to Milo NJ.
Hastings, scientific assistant Of the
Bureau of Animal Industry Of the De
partment Of Agriculture.
He has just completed some inter
esting results of a study made during
the past year OF the conditions sur
rounding the production and market
ing of eggs, with a view to determin-
ing causes of deterioration in quality
and consequent loss. Mr.. Hastings
observations are presented in a bulle-
tin entitled THE egg trade of the
United States In this publication
he calls attention to the enormous loss
due to the spelling of eggs which It is
pointed out could largely be prevent
ed by improved methods.
Briefly. Mr.. Hastings points out the
necessity first for a campaign of edu-
cation among egg producers that will
show every farmers wife that when
eggs are allowed to remain in damp
nests, under broody hens, or in hot
kitchens there is a loss in quality
which means an actua loss of money
to herself and to her neighbOrs; and,
ScCOIulS, a. SSStcHt y DuS iAS 1888 -
actly in accordance with what those
eggs are worth.
Although an individual farmer may
appear to make a few cents by hold
ing or picking his eggs says Mr..
Hastings, the gain is apparent only,
for the destruction of wealth involved
in the injury to the quality Of the egg
must be borne by the farmer himself
Above all else, the infallible rule IN
oarnin0 tho n1arEpfi1o nf aopS NS for
the farmer to sell his eggs as soon as
possible after they are laid
Mississippi Valley Seat Of Industry.
The great bulk of the poultry wealth
of the country is produced by the gem
eral farms of the Mississippi Valley,
and it is also in this region that the
mos rapid increase in production is
shown Some idea of the rapid
growth of this industry in this region
may be gained from the figures for
Kansas, the value of poultry and eggs
sold in that State increasing from
S6,498,856 in 1903 to $40, 800 S2 in
1907.
In spite of the rapid increase in the
production of poultry products, the
supply has not kept ace with the de-
mand. The price Of eggs for the last
ten or twelve years has shown not
only an absolute rise. but also a rela-
tive rise when compared with the gen.
eral average OF values of either farm
crops or food products. Attention
is called to the fact that the quality
of American eggs in the general mar
ket is decidedly inferior to that of sew
eral countries.
In pointing out that freshness is not
the only vital point Of quality in eggs,
Mr.. Hastings states that he actual
of an egg is only one of the factors
which affect the quality. An egg 4S
hours old that has lain in a wheat
shock during a warm July rain would
probably be sWarming with bacteria
and be absolutely unfit for food, while
another egg stored eight months in a
first class cold storage room would be
Of much better quality. The two
changes which cause the greatest OBJ
lection to eggs are due to the develop
ment of the embryo chick or to the
formation in the decaying eggs of the
very foul smelling hydrogen-sulphid
gas.
Loss Very Heavy.
Concerning the detrimental changes
in eggs and the consequent financial
losses, it is shown that the amount
of such losses to the trade caused by
needless deterioration runs into very
large figures. The absolute preven-l
ton Of loss cannot be attained. Mr..
Hastings points out, but the estima-
ton and classification Of the cost of
deterioration should serve to call at
tention to it's extent and to show
where the remedy is most needed.
summarizing it is found that the lossJ
from each class as compared with the
total value of the nations egg cron
IS ABOUT as follows: Dirty eggs 2 ner
cent 2 per cent chick de-