Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1913-06-19
METHODS BEING STUDIED Tc
OVERCOME ENORMOUS LOSS
~ eREA,<AoE.
NINE PER CENT OF ALL
EGGS CRACKED IN TRANSIT
Breakass Affects Prices to Consumers
Railroads Cooperating Because
Loss Prevents Profits in Handling
Product Experiment. in Bread
Wrapping Also Conducted.
Especial correspondence.l

Washington, June 19.-To reduce the
enormous breakage of eggs In transit.
which yearly causes loss Of millions
of dollars to producers, and raises the
price OF eggs for consumers. the United
States department of agriculture, thru
its bureau Of chemistry, is conducting
extensive experiments to determine the
safes: manner OF packing eggs for long
and short shipment by rail The effect
of present methods Of handling eggs on
the INDUSTRY and product" in New York
City alone IN 1909 was over 131, S0A,IsS
total consumption in 1903 or H.
6S9, 500 dozens OF eggs. In other woros'
about 3 per cent Of all eggs received IN
New York were cracked. and OF these
a large number We're unfit for FOOD use'
The egg supply Of large cities. and par
ticularly New York. has 20 come from
q long distance, because. according 10
the thirteenth census, the mldole AZ.
lantic states in 1903 sold only ABOUT
10 100000 dozen eggs, or not enough
to supply New York alone If every egg
had been sent to that point For tne
eastern coast cities, the distant corn
districts are practically the sole source
of supply, because the little gray men
does not have to scratch so hard for
living in the corn field as she does
where grain is scarce Increasing con-
sumption of eggs adds to the distance
from which eggs must come, and makes
the safe shipment Of this valuable 1000
product more and more essential.
Brsakass Affects Prices.
The bureau Of chemistry regards tho
Of the methods OF pre-
venting egg breakage as particularly
.mportant because the many millions
Of dozens OF eggs now broken IN SHIP
ment naturally tend to keep the price OF
this valuable food higher than II tnero
were no breakage. or breakage were
reduced. The bureau. thru
tho food research laboratory. u now
eneaged in shipping eggs handled IN
different ways on long journeys - dn-
ferent points in tho United States. ana
y carefully noting their condition on
receipt at their destination Shippers.
railroad men and commission men are
90 generating heartily with the investt-
gators OF the government. thru their
ioin, conferedoe committee composed
OF REPRESENTATIVES from the NationA
Butter. Egg and Poultry ASSOCIATION.
the Traffic Managers Association o.
Chicago. and the United States DEPART
ment Of agriculture. The situation -
growing very acute, because tho rail-
roads are claiming that their damage
losses are such as to mako the carrying
Of eggs an Improbable commercial
signees have large sums OF nooe9 tea
up in claims and litigation wseh the
roads. II the department Of asstoaseore
succeeds. as 1t hopes 70 do. IN devaino
. successful method Of shipping sgss. =
win contribute Importantly TO tAs pst,'-
try industry. in which the little Grsy
hen produces food worth hall Q bullion
annually.
Broad Wrapping investigation.
Many persons who arc fond Of fresh
" baked and even warm bakers bread
have, It seems. been oppostns tAe mod
ern sanitary method Of having all bread
wrapped and sealed cold and not
handled by clerks OF exposed to duse,
flies. germs and hleh on counters or IN
wagons. Tho bureau Of chemistry OF
the department regards the wrapping
Of bread a. so important that II has
caused the plant chemistry laboratory
Il mako Q series Of experiments to de-
tSrmiue whether those who like fresh
or warm bread can not get what they
want in wrapped form. Bread fresh
from the oven II wrapped while warm
becomes moist and clammy and OF I'M
pleasant flavor. Lo4ves therefore must
be allowed to cool thoroughly before
being wrapped. After some experiment.
the experts found that II cold wrapped
loaf is unwrapped and placed In . pan
In the oven In good medium heat Tor
ten minutes. 1t will be as good az fresh,
crisp without and tender within, ana. 1t
the same time will be free from any
pollution It might have gained Il con-
veyed unprotected from baker to con.
sumner The bureau believes that II
- ~x, t,enoA xu,@lI texy Ia MIN n