The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1914-06-17
TO PRESERVE EGGS

Clemson College, June IA. One OF the
ways in which the poultryman can reduce
the cost Of living Is by canning" eggs at
this season Of the year, Eggs are plenti-
full in South Carolina now and can be only
sold at prices which are low in comparison
with those Of winter. For this reason the
farmer usually has more on hand than he
can dispose OF readily. How to keep them
fresh for months Is described by.F.C G. Hare
State poultry demonstration agent IN co
operation with Clemson College,
One OF the pest and simplest methods OF
preserving or canning" eggs Is to place
them In q solution of "water glass;, or
sodium s~ilicate. This is a Transparent IL
.auid that looks like thin, strained honey
andis used commerciallyin manufacturing
mucilage. 1t can be secured from a drug
gist. This liquid covers the shell OF an egg
with m impervious coating OF glue
and prevents bacteria-laden air from
penetrating inside the shell and rendering
the egg unfit for food. Eggs treated with
sodium ~silicate can easily be kept for nine
months in good condition, provided they
are perfectly fresh when placed in this
solution.
Secure a suitable glazed earthen ware
crock with cover-afve gallon butter crock
is a good size-the glazing to prevent the
solution from being absorbed. Secure one
quart or more Of sodium silicate or water
glass. Thoroughly rinse the inside OF the
crock and the cover with boiling water to
kill any germ life that may be there.
Boil three or four gallons Of water and
allow to cool. When cold, make a mixture
of nine parts Of this water and one part OF
the sodium silicate.
Fill the crock two-thirds full with the
preserving mixture. AS the eggs are
gathered daily, put them into the crock.
Do not keep eggs for several days before
uniting into the solution, as 1t Is very
Important that the eggs 60 in the day they
are laid. The eggs must on no accoont be
washed before being placed in the crock
and cracked eggs or those with thin shells
that might be broken must be discarded
Eggs may be put in the crock until it is
three-fourths full, bearing In mind, how
ever, that at least one inch OF the liquid
must be above the top layer OF eggs
Place the cover on the crock and set in a
moderately cool place to prevent excessive
evaporation of liquid. Eggs should be ex-
amined from time to time and more boiled
water added II necessary 10 keep the solu-
ton above the top layer Of eggs.
For general culinary purposes wafer
glass eggs are equal to ordinary fresh eggs
They may be poached, fried, scrambled or
used in making cakes or biscuits, just as
they come from the crock. However, II IL
is desired to boil them stick a pin In the
large end of the shell and make a small
hole to allow the gas to escape when the
egg is heated. The water-glass solution
closes the pores OF the egg shell and acts
like q tin can around tomatoes. II an
oDening is not made the shell will crack
in boiling for the heated gas to escape.
The cost OF preserving eggs in this wayis
about one and an-half cents per dozen.
BY canning eggsin the spring when they
are plentiful, spending one and one-hal
cents per dozen to do so, and holding them
until winter, one could probably get twice
as much per dozen for them as he could
get by selling them now, The yolks of
these eggs stand up like those OF eggs just
taken from the nest and the whites will
beat into a firm frOth.