El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1910-08-27
Importance Of Grading Eggs
and How It Is Done Properly

/, chicks" Blind chicks are those that
are not readily seen, but are detected
with the tester or by clicking the eggs
together. In dents" me egg shell is
pushed in without rupturing the shell
membrane. Leak ers" not only lose
part of their contents Sbut produce
smeared eggs. \ fair estimate of broken
eggs from hen to market is percent,
and the depreciation in value about %
percent.
Grouping Heated Eggs.
Heated eggs are fertile eggs that
have not been kept below a temperature
of 20 degrees Fahrenheit. Commercially
they are grouped as follows:
L No heat shown, cannot be distin-
guished from fresh eggs with the tester.
2. Light floats, the first grade that
can be separated by the tester and cor
responds to IS to "a hours of incuba-
ton; not Objectionable to the average
housewife.
g. Heavy floats. an exaggeration of
the preceding features; the yolk while
and scummy and Objectionable.
4. Blood rings, blood has developed
3. Chicks visible to the candle.
The loss from heated eggs in the mid
die west is Appropriated at one-fourth
the original value; in the east it is less
and greater in the south. The response
bility is divided betw cen the farmer
on one side and the rural buyer anu
freight handler on the other.
Rough Handling Damaging.
Held or shrunken eggs are due to the
escape of moisture through the porous
egg shell. 1t is greatest in warm wealth
er, dry air and currents of air. The
result Is that the contents of the egg
shrinks and the air cell increases in
size. Rough handling may split the
membrane down the side OF the egg and
give the air chamber a larger appear
ance, consequently, to measure the age
OF the egg by the size OF the cell is
deceptive. Rough handling viii also
rupture the inner membrane allowing
air TO mix with the contents of the
shell. producing what is known as
watery or frothy egg. II is in the fall
that the shrunken egg is most common
when the rising prices tempt farmers
and grocer to hold their stock.
Bacteria in Rotten Eggs.
A rotten egg contains a growth OF
bacteria that makes it unfit for food
When laid, the egg IS usually germ
free and will remain so if properly
cared for Although the shell is not
germ proof, the membrane beneath the
shell is as long as it remains dry. AS
soon as an egg becomes damp or
broken or warm enough. the bacteria
begin to develop. The following three
groups of bacterially infected eggs are
recognized:
1. Black rots. It IS caused by many
different species Of bacteria which pro-
duced hydrogen sulphide gas, blackening
the contents and resulting in the char
acteristic odor and sometimes causing
the well known explosion.
.. Sour eggs or white rots. These
eggs have sour OdOr. The contents
are watery. the yolk and white mixed
and offensive to eye and nose
3. The spot rot The entire egg is
not contaminated in this group but the
bacterial growth has remained near
the point of entrance The tester readily
discloses these, and when broken, lum-
py adhesions are found on the inside
of the shell which are of various col
ors and shapes.
The responsibility for decayed eggs
is divided betw cen the farmer who al
lows hens to lay IN the weeds or under
the barn and the dealer who holds the
eggs in damp cellars or poor storage
rooms.
Wetting Causes MOIding.
Moldy or muddy eggs are due to acct
dental " citing or storage i'm damp cell
lars or ice houses. The spot rot is Of
ten found in moldy eggs, but the musty
egg is free from organism though
tainted by the odor of noldy growth
upon the egg shell or the packing ma
terials.
The absorption OF doors is of course
haffling to the egg tester, or GAMBLER.
Held stock of the fall season often is
badly favored by being stored with cit
rus fruit, vegetables, fish, cheese, or in
mUsty cellars
The loss from handling eggs is seen
TO be very great. BY using improved
methods, the farmers and dealers would
secure an increased gain and the con-
sumer a superior and more uniform j
grade of eggs