The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1914-07-18
EGGS BY PARCEL POST

for the producer and fresher article
for the consumer has now been demon
strated to the satisfaction of the ex-
perts in the U. S. Department of Ag-
riculture. The Department conducted
tests that covered period of five
months. At the end of that period it
came to the conclusion that the parcel
post was of particular value to the
man whose flock was too small or who
lives too far from express service to
permit him to ship his eggs in the
regular commercial case which holds
80 dozen eggs.
In the course of these experiments
the Department shipped 9,131 eggs in
4e6 lots Of these 327 or SLIGHTLY less
than SO per cent were broken, but
only 209 or slightly less than 2.3 per
cent were absolutely wasted. The
others, though broken, could still be
used. The percentage of breakage,
moreover, will be greatly reduced, it
is said, when the employees Of the post
Office become more accustomed to
handling such fragile matter.
That the eggs should be properly
packed is of course essential. This
implies time, care and some expense
and is one reason why no attempt
should be made to market by parcel
post any but the finest quality OF eggs,
for they alone will bring remunerative
prices. Moreover, if the customer
who buys in small lots finds that any
considerable proportion of his pur-
chases is undesirable or even unat-
tractive in appearance, lie will not
trouble to ask for deductions on that
account; he will silrply discontinue
his orders. The producer, therefore,
must see to it that all the eggs the
post-man delivers are what he repre-
sents them to be.
This can only be done by Gambling
them. Gambling, "The process of test
ing eggs by passing light through
them so as to reveal the condition of
the contents" is omitted by many
producers, who rely on care in collect
ing to eliminate all bad eggs. 1t is,
however, impossible to avoid an occas-
ional accident and Gambling is there
fore advisable as an extra precaution.
A simple outfit can be made out of
small hand lamp and an ordinary past
board box sufficiently large to be
placed over the lamp, after the ends
have been removed, without risk of
fire. In order to supply air to the
enclosed lamp, notches should be cut
in the edge on which the box rests. A
round hole is then cut in the box at the
level of the lamp flame and the candl-
ing done by holding each egg against
this hole while the rest of the room is
IN darkness. The light from the lamp
reveals the contents of the egg and
those that show any defect can be re-
jected.
If possible, only infertile eggs
should be sent to market. Fertile eggs
deteriorate rapidly in warm weather
and are the cause of much loss. A
broody hen on the nest or accidental
exposure to high temperature may
start incubation and cause the egg to
spoil and injure the shippers reputa-
ton. 1t is advisable, therefore, to re-
7ain the fertile eggs for home use or
'iispose of them in some other way
than through the parcel post This is
also true of soiled eggs. Eggs should
never be washed when intended for
high-class trade, since the process re-
moves a natural mucillaginous coat
ing and OPENS the pores of the shell.
After this thorough elimination of
che unfit, the eggs that remain should
be carefully packed in a ccntainer of
corrugated pasteboard, metal, wood
or other suitable material The post
office regulations require this contain
er to be wrapped that nothing can es-
cape from the package and each egg
In addition to be wrapped separately
in excelsior, cotton, or some such ma
terial. Any soft paper serves the pur-
pose quite well. As for the containe-
itself, there are many kinds on the
market and the Department of Ag-
riculture investigators have not at
tempted to decide which is the best.
Instead they refer inGuirers to the
various State experiment stations
which have available information on
this question.
In packing eggs it is we'll to sort
t:!&:a ~ far as is practical according
to size and color and to keep for home
use those which are irregular in shape
unusually long or thin-shelled. Con-
tanners that have been badly stained
by broken eggs should be replaced by
new ones and the package wrapped as
neatly as possible. In short, eevry eff
fort should be made to deliver as at
hands of the customers. The etra
expense will be little and the returns
increased trade great.
The larger the shipments that the
producer can arrange to make, the
cheaper can be afford to sell his eggs.
Within the first and second zones of
the parcel post service, a package
costs five cents for the first pound and
only one cent for each additional
pound. Ordinarily eggs weigh about
l IL pounds dozen, which with the
additional weight of the wrapping and
container. would make a nackape of a
dozen eggs weigh between two and
chree pounds. The postage on this
would be 7 cents. If another dozen
eggs were included in the package the
postage would not be more than 9
cents, or 4 12 instead of 7 cents a
dozen eggs.
To the value of the eggs and the
cost of postage must be added the cost
of the container and the wrapping.
For two dozen eggs this may be esti-
IL O