Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1909-10-13
PRESERVATION OF EGGS.
Circular From Iowa Agricultural
College Gives Several Methods
Of Preserving Eggs.

The high price of fresh eggs in
the winter make it desira BILE to have
some simple, cheap and reliable
method of preserving the low-priced
spring and summer eggs for home
consumption during the winter. Such
a process would allow the poultry
man or farmer to preserve cheap
eggs for his own consumption while
he could sell his fresh eggs in he
winter time for high prices, Ii
would allow the consumer to buy
eggs when low in price and save
buying many when the prices are
high On a commercial scale this
is done by means Of cold storage,
hut this method is rot practicable in
the home. The price of cold storage
eggs Furthermore is determined by
the price of fresh eggs and is, as
rule, much higher than the cost of
storage.
Many methods of preservation
have been tried by many people and
various experiment stations. Some
of these have been packing the eggs
in salt, oats, or bran. covering them
with parafine, vaseiine. butter or
lard; storing OH shelves and in racks
in Xool places; and immersion in salt
brine, salicylic acid, water glass (sol-
uble sodium silicate, or lime water.
OF these methods OF preservation,
none have been effective in keeping
eggs several months except those
making use of water glass or lime
water. OF these two, the water class
is the better preserSa;i {.
Eggs nave been kept in water
glass solution for three years With
out undue deterioration. but it does
not pay TO keep them over 10 ar Il
months. as they would Their lass
through another period Of low Eliccs
Water glass ((soluble silicate of
sodium is a pale, yellow, Odorless
syrupy liquid. 1t mag De obtained
from most druggists al from 6h To
80 cents a gallon. For use. stir I
part of water glass by measure into
IL parts of boiled water, either hot
or cold. If mixed hot. allow the mix
ture to cool before using.
Lime Water Mixture.
Stake three pounds of good quick
lime in a small amount of water.
them add the milk lime thus formed
to 3 gallons of water. Keep the mix.
ture we'll stirred fer a day. then al
low the excess of lime to settle and
use only clear liquid.
Kind of Eggs to Preserve
Only absolutely fresh, clean, un-
washed, sound eggs with smooth
firm shells are suitable fer preserv-
ing by these methods. The best quail
ity eggs are laid during the months
of April and May Infertile eggs are
preferred as they keep better than
fertile eggs. Any dirty, stale, crack
ed or thin-shelled eggs should be dis
carded as they are liable to spoil and
affect the good eggs around them.
Any eggs that float in the liquid
should be removed as floating indi-
Gates that the contents of the egg
are shrunken, leaving large air
cell. Such eggs are Usually stale,
cracked, or thin-shelled.
Vessels to Use.
Any earthenware, glass or wooden
jar, tub, or barrel may be used as
depending upon the num-
Der of eggs to be preserved. Metal
dishes must not be used as the solu-
lions will attack and corrode them.
All vessels used must be absolutely
clean and sweet because eggs are
very susceptible to odors and taints
of any nature. Scald the vessels with
boiling water just before using, TAX
ing especial care with those made Of
wood. Six gallon earthenware jars
with covers are convenient contain
ers. They hold from 20 TO "a dozen
eggs each, depending upon the size
of the eggs. They are easily cleaned
and prevent evaporation of the pre-
servatlves.
Packing the Eggs.
The eggs may be placed carefully
in the vessels small end down and
the solution Of water glass or lime
water poured over them, or the YES
sells may be filled about one half full
with the liquid and the eggs care
fully placed in as gathered. The lat
ter method is preferable as it allows
of packing the eggs Just as soon as
laid; also any eggs that may natur-
ally float may be removed as they
vii! not be held down by heavy eggs
above them. The LIQUID rises as the