Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-06-18
Eggs by Parcel Post==Marketing
System Offering Possibilities OF
Better Prices and Fresher Articles

Where the container can be USED
more than once, this cost can Oh
course be somewhat reduced Large
sized containers will stand from two
to four trips, smaller ones three to
FIVE so that it will pay the producer
to induce his customer to return the
containers periodically. The postage
required for this is of course deducted
from the bill for the next shipment.
Although 1t is obviously advantage
Gus both to the producer and con-
sumner that the eggs be shipped IN
large quantities and consequently
economically, 1t must be remembered
in taking orders that the supply OF
eggs undergoes the greatest fuctua-
TONS In times of scarity it is not
good policy for the producer to send
all his output to one customer,
neglecting his other friends, nor in
times of plenty can he expect to dis
pose of his entire stock to his regular
customers. These points must be
given due consideration and the
quantities that are to be supplied at
each season of the year carefully
stated in the contract. The price,
too, varies with the supply. One
good method of determining this is to
take as basis the wholesale price of
eggs on the open market and add to
this a certain number of cents a dozen
for the new-laid parcel post eggs.
Care should be taken, however, to see
that there is no possibility of any
misunderstanding arising in regard to
the basic price. To obviate this, the
quotations published in given news
paper or some other similar authority
may be accepted.
Eggs are scarcest and highest in the
fall. Chickens should, therefore, be
Matched early enough to begin laying
at this season. Moreover little diff
Guilty will be experienced then in dis
posing of the entire output and it will
in consequence be Improbable to di-
vert any of the supply to home pur-
poses This difficulty can be over
come by preserving eggs in the spring,
when they are plentiful and cheap. A
solution Of water glass, which can be
obtained at drug stores for IS cents
gallon, should be used for this pur-
pose, each quart being diluted with 10
Quarts of water which has been boiled
packed in stone jars or crooks and the
solution poured over them, or they
may be carefully placed in the solu-
ton each day Eggs kept in this way
are perfectly good but naturally they
do not command the prices of those
nevly-1aid The shells sometimes
break in boiling, but this may be
avoided by puncturing the end with
pin just before they are dropped into
the water.
The only drawback TO marketing
eggs by parcel post appears to be the
time and trouble involved in packing
them. This is compensated for by
the extra price that can always be OBJ
tanned for products that are abso-
lutely reliable. At bottom, therefore,
the shippers success depends upon
the care with which he safeguards the
reputation of his products. Salts
fled customers will soon build up his
business for him. Any Post Office
will furnish complete information in
regard to regulations and rates, and,
as already stated, the several State
Experiment stations have information
in regard to the various types of ship
ping boxes The results of the U. S.
Governments investigation of the
matter have been published in Farm
crs' Bulletin 594, # the Department of
Agriculture, which will be sent free on