The gazette-times. [volume] (Heppner, Or.) 1912-1925, 1914-11-26
Meeting Chinese Egg Problem
usually lead them to accept the best
even at higher prices.


usually lead them to accept the best
even at higher prices.
Marketing.
Concerning the matter OF market
ing eggs much u~nfavorbale comment
has already been made. In view of
the fact that conditions were un-
fortunately about as bad as they are
painted. the poultry department Of
the Agricultural College has put
into the field an Extension poultry
man who is making a special study
Of the entire problem, largely with
a view to encouraging direct mar
keting through parcels post and
otherwise. The haphazzard, waste
full, and unsatisfactory methods of
marketing at present are described
by DR.. Macpherson as follows:
DIRTY and clean eggs, bad.
midddling and good eggs, stale and
fresh eggs, white and brown eggs,
are dumped promiscuously into bas-
kets or boxes and jiggled over
rough roads to the nearest grocer's.
The quality will depend on the
equipment, and the number Of each
kind. The farmer gets a price
which makes allowance for all con-
tingencies and the retailer ships the
unassorted lot to the nearest com
mission man. The latter dumps the
consignment upon some jobber or
wholesaler, who either sorts and
grades the eggs, or sells them to a
retailer as they come; in which case
the city housewife must be pre-
pared for surprises and varied ex-
perience. Where the grocer or
wholesale dealer undertakes to spare
his patrons by testing the eggs be-
fore placing them on the retail
market, many a cast proves a
gloomy illustration of the scriptural
allusion to the. judgment day in
which many are called but few
chosen.
"This is a condition which ought
not so to be. In Denmark, cooper
alive egg marketing societies have
proven very successful. They col
lect. candle, grade, pack and export
about q per cent of the eggs OF
the country. Every egg must be
stamped with the date it was laid
and the association number of the
member. In case a bad egg is sent
In it can be readily traced, and the
farmer is fined $1.25 for each of
tense. Thus, the reputation of the
society is maintained; and Danish
eggs command the highest price on
the British market.
Value of Organization.
Each member of a Minnesota
marketing association signed a con
tract not to bring in eggs over
seven days old, to put them in car
ton boxes, containing one dozen eggs
each, stamped with the producers
name and the date. The eggs in
each carton are required to be o.
uniform size and color. The very
large and the very small eggs are
not marketed. These eggs are then
taken to the manager of the asso-
citation, who disposes of them di-
rectly to the retail grocery stores in
the Twin Cities. He is paid one
cent a dozen for his work. The as
ISOLATION guarantees each carton in
a printed form on the box as fol-
lows: Eggs in this package, if they
have our trade mark on them, are
guaranteed to be strictly fresh,
clean and Of uniform size; and If
found otherwise, we wish you would
do us the favor to report it, giving
number found on egg or carton, and
such egg will be replaced free of
charge
"As a result of their organization.
the association has been able to OBJ
tain an average of tive cents a dozen
more than was obtained for miscel-
~laneously marketed eggs. This meant
a gain of $4,000 on the 10000
dozen eggs marketed through the
society of 1911.
"This Is a matter to which Ore
gon farmers could well afford to
give more attention. The poultry
products of the state amount to