The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1914-09-24

use tnose which are irregular IN
shape. unusually long or thin.shelled.
Containers that have been badly
stained by broken eggs should be re-
placed by new ones and the package
wrapped as neatly as possible. In
short. every effort should be made to
deliver as attractive package as pos
sible into the hands of customers. The
extra expense will be little and the re-
turns In increased trade great.
The larger the shipments that the
producer can arrange to make, the
cheaper can he afford to cell 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 ad-
additional pound. Ordinarily eggs
weigh about one and one-half pounds
a dozen. which, with the additional
weight Of the wrapping and container,
would make a package of dozen eggs
weigh between two and three pounds.
the postage on this would be seven
cents. II another dozen eggs were in
cluded In the package the postage
would not be more than nine cents, or
four and one-half. instead of seven
cents a dozen eggs.
To the value of the eggs aud the
cost Of postage must be added the cost
OF the container and the wrapping.
For two dozen eggs this may be esti-
mated at eight cents. With postage at
nine cents, 1t would, therefore, cost II
cents to market two dozen eggs, or
eight and one-half cents dozen. BY
shipping In ten-dozen lots, IL is esti-
mated that the marketing cost can
be reduced to AZ cents a dozen.
Where the container can be used
more than once. this cost can, of
course, be somewhat reduced. Large
sized containers will stand from two
to four trips; smaller ones three to
five; so that 1t will pay the producer
to induce his customer to return the
containers periodically.
Although 1t is obviously advantage
GUS both to the producer and consum-
er that the eggs be shipped in large
quantities and consequently economi-
cally, II must be remembered in TAX
ing orders that the supply of eggs un-
dergoes the greatest fluctuations. In
times of scarcity 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 dispose OF his entire stock
to his regular customers.
Eggs are scarcest and highest in the
fall. Chickens should, therefore, be
hatched early enough to begin laying
at this season. Moreover little diff
Guilty will be experienced then in dis
posing OF the entire output, and 1t
will in consequence be Improbable to
divert 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 rs cents
gallon, should be used for this pur-
pose, each quart being diluted with
ten quarts of water which has been
boiled and cooled. The eggs should
- P~Nhou III otoho Jaib VI CTOCkS anu
the solution poured over them, or
they may be carefully placed in the
solution each day. Eggs kept in this
way are perfectly good, but naturally
they do not command the prices of
those newly laid. The shells some.
times 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 absolute
iy reliable. At bottom, therefore. the
shippers success depends upon the
care with which he safeguards the rep.
utation Of his products. Satisfied Gus
toners will soon build up his bust.
ness for him. Any post office will fur.
nish complete information In regard
to regulations and rates, and. as al. |
ready stated. the several state expert |
ment stations have Information in re-
gard to the various types of shipping
boxes. The results OF the United
States governments investigation OF
the matter have been published In
Farmers Bulletin No. 594 OF the de-
partment OF agriculture, which win bs
sent free on request,