The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1912-01-04
PROFESSOR SUGGESTS
GOOD EGG PACK

That the poultry producers Of the
country are losing vast sums through
improper handling and marketing Of
eggs, is the contention Of Prof. james
Dryden Of the Oregon Agricultural
College, who has made a special study
Of the marketing question and has
some valuable remedial measures to
suggest.
He estimates that about II per cent
Of the value Of the eggs is lost by i'm
proper handling, which is a total loss
of about 500, 600, 900 a year to the
United States. At that rate, the loss
10 Oregon would be a half million
dollars. A government expert has
figured the loss on a basis Of 2 per
cent for dirties. 2 for breakage. 8 for
chick development, for shrunken OF
held eggs, n for rotten eggs, and ! for
mouldy or bad favored eggs. Need
less to say large part of this II per
cent loss could be saved by care IN
handling.
II properly marketed Oregon eggs
produced by farm hens could easily
sell for 40 cents a dozen in Portland
if they were properly marketed.
Farmers trade the eggs off to the
merchants of local stores for SIS a
dozen. and when laid they were as
good as those the city purchaser pays
$40 a dozen for gladly But by the
time they get to the city they are
worth no more than the original SIS a
dozen. plus the freight. Why? They
were mixed by the storekeeper with
eggs of all sizes, all degrees Of stale
ness and dirt, and shipped in leisurely
fashion. and afterward passed through
several hands. In certain seasons Of
the year it is common to test out Is
per cent as fit only for fertilizer. Not
many businesses can stand such loss.
There are too many profits to pay,
too, between producer and consumer,
the farmer, shipper, commission
man, jobber, slaughter house man and
retailer all must have their rake
off, " putting the final price Of chicken
out of reach of the slender purse.
Some 10 per cent is thus added to the
II per cent loss by handling, making
q per cent loss to the farmer. Small
wonder that some people say poultry
don't pay !"
One of the first requisites is proper
attention to the handling of the eggs.
Prof. Dryden has named six points to
be observed in this regard:
/. Clean yards for the fowls to run
in and clean nests for them to lay in,
cutting of the 2 per cent loss on
"dirties.
2. Care in gathering, packing and
handling to market save per cent on
''breakage. F"
3. Regular and frequent gathering
of the eggs, and the keeping Of them
in cool places would prevent the per
cent loss on "chick development.
4. Selling the eggs when not more
than three or four days old would save
anoher per cent loss on "sta,e" eggs.
s. Watching hens to prevent
'broodiness and stolen nests"
would prevent the "a per cent loss on
rotten eggs.
6. Attention to breeding, and to
keeping the eggs in a clean, sweet
smelling place where they can. absorb
bad flavors would save the ! per cent
loss ia low estimate) on mouldy and
bad Favored eggs.
These are matters for the individual
to remedy, but the marketing is a
different matter. Unless enough hens
to make regular shipments himself he
must submit to his eggs being mixed
with those of Others who may be less
careful in the handling. Cooperation
and friendly neighboriness are neces-
sary if the best results are to be Sc
cured in the present system of pool
ing" eggs for shipment BY guaratee-
ing the quality of the eggs. they can
ship to town and get much higher
price than at the country store where
they are usually traded" for goods.
Some rules and regulations, in such CO.
operative shipping would, of.course, be
necessary. Each shipper should have
a number and brand on a small rubber
stamp with which to mark the eggs,
so that, if a bad one is found, it eau
be traced and the difficulty removed.
The grading of the eggs would have to
be workedIout by experience, absolute
freshness, uniformity of size, color,
and weight being matters to determine
grades.